cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
North-finding with 0.004 radian precision using a silicon MEMS quadruple mass gyroscope with Q-factor of 1 million

We demonstrate north-finding capability with a measured 4 milliradian (mrad) 1-σ uncertainty using an in-house developed vibratory silicon MEMS quadruple mass gyroscope (QMG). We instrumented a vacuum packaged QMG with isotropic Q-factor of 1.2 million and bias instability of 0.1 °/hr for azimuth detection by measuring the Earth's rotation. Continuous rotation (“carouseling”) produced azimuth datapoints with uncertainty diminishing as the square root of the number of turns. Integration of 100 datapoints with normally distributed errors reduced uncertainty to 4 mrad, beyond the noise limit of the QMG. We also implemented self-calibration methods, including temperature compensation and discreet ±180° turning (“maytagging”) as potential alternatives to the carouseling.
Inhibitory control of excitable dendrites in neocortex

1. Many dendrites of pyramidal cells in mature neocortex express active Na+ and Ca2+ conductances. Dendrites are also the target of numerous inhibitory synapses. We examined the interactions between the intrinsic excitability of dendrites and synaptic inhibition using whole cell recordings from the apical dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal cells. Experiments were performed on slices of somatosensory cortex from mature rats. Slices were bathed in the glutamate receptor antagonists 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, and maintained at 32-36 degrees C. 2. In agreement with previous findings, intradendritic current injection evoked two distinct types of dendritic firing. Type I dendrites generated monophasic fast spikes, whereas type II dendrites showed more complex firing patterns, consisting of fast and slow spike components. 3. Stimulation of cortical layers 2/3 evoked fast inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in all dendrites tested. IPSP reversal potentials were bimodally distributed, with means of about -53 and -85 mV when recorded with high-Cl(-)-concentration-filled electrodes. Interestingly, IPSP reversal potentials were correlated with the type of dendritic spiking pattern. 4. IPSPs were able to delay, completely block, or partially block spiking in dendrites, depending on the relative timing between inhibition and dendritic spiking. Slow, Ca(2+)-dependent spike components could be blocked selectively by IPSPs. Furthermore, inhibition could either phase advance or phase delay repetitive patterns of dendritic spiking, depending on the timing of the IPSP.
Importance of Singlet Oxygen in the Degradation of Rubbers and Plastics

Abstract Singlet oxygen attack on rubbers and poly(olefins) is likely to be significant in the presence of sensitizing impurities such as oxidation products, polynuclear aromatic pollutants, and many additives. 1O2 attack will yield hydroperoxide groups, and so markedly impair the subsequent heat and light stability of the materials. However stabilizer systems which have already been developed can be expected to protect against the effects of 1O2 by quenching to the relatively inoccuous 2O3 (ground state oxygen). For rubbers the aromatic amines widely employed as antizonants will protect against 1O2 attack, whereas the nickel chelates employed as uv stabilizers will protect poly(olefins).
Mass Spectra and Yields of Intact Charged Biomolecules Ejected by Massive Cluster Impact for Bioimaging in a Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Microscope.

Impacts of massive, highly charged glycerol clusters (≳106 Da, ≳ ± 100 charges) have been used to eject intact charged molecules of peptides, lipids, and small proteins from pure solid samples, enabling imaging using these ion species in a time-of-flight secondary ion microscope with few-micrometer spatial resolution. Here, we report mass spectra and useful ion yields (ratio of intact charged molecules detected to molecules sputtered) for several molecular species–two peptides, bradykinin and angiotensin II; two lipids, phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin; Irganox 1010 (a detergent); insulin; and rhodamine B–and show that useful ion yields are high enough to enable bioimaging of peptides and lipids in biological samples with few-micrometer resolution and acceptable signals. For example, several hundred molecular ion counts should be detectable from a 3 × 3 μm2 area of a pure lipid bilayer given appropriate instrumentation or tens of counts from a minor constituent of such a layer.
Surgical distal outflow occlusion for the treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms: experience with 18 cases.

Background Selected intracranial aneurysms still require parent artery occlusion. Although such occlusion is usually performed proximal to the aneurysm, in rare instances, it may be difficult or impossible to access the proximal parent artery. Objective To describe the use of parent artery sacrifice distal to the aneurysm (distal outflow occlusion) in the management of complex aneurysms not amenable to standard microsurgical or endovascular therapy. Methods We reviewed a comprehensive database of intracranial aneurysms evaluated between 1997 and 2013. Hospital records, neuroimaging studies, operative reports, and outpatient clinic notes were examined for all patients treated with distal outflow occlusion. Results Eighteen patients (11 women, 7 men; ages 28-69 years) underwent surgical distal outflow occlusion. Eight (44%) underwent concomitant distal revascularization. Intraoperative and delayed postoperative angiography was performed in every case. Nine presented with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, 1 had a remote bleeding episode. The remaining lesions were unruptured; 3 were discovered incidentally, 3 had symptomatic cerebral edema, 1 had transient ischemic attacks, and 1 had cranial neuropathy. The average follow-up period was 6.5 years; no patient was lost to follow-up review. Two aneurysms required delayed endovascular treatment. Overall, 16 patients achieved a good outcome, 1 had moderate disability, and 1 died. Conclusion We describe our experience with distal outflow occlusion in the treatment of complex aneurysms not amenable to primary clip reconstruction or endovascular therapy. This technique has been described in very limited fashion in the past and may be particularly useful for patients requiring parent artery occlusion when proximal occlusion is challenging or impossible.
Postoperative Speech in Children Having Symptomatic Features of Velocardiofacial Syndrome

Velocardiofacial Syndromeは, 1978年にShprintzenらによって, 提唱された症候群で, 先天性心疾患・2次口蓋の裂, 特異顔貌をその主徴とする.今回筆者は, これに類似する特徴をもつ11例の児の口蓋形成術後の言語成績を検討した.その結果, これらの児の鼻咽腔閉鎖機能の改善には長期間を要し, 言語成績は不良であった.言語成績と心奇形のタイプおよび特異顔貌の有無には関連性が認められなかったことから, 心奇形および特異顔貌を発生させるメカニズムと, 咽頭周辺の形態的機能的異常について, 発生学的な見地から説明することは困難と思われた.また, 精神発達遅滞の有無と言語成績の良・不良にも一貫性がなかったことから, 術後の言語成績が不良である原因を中枢性の協調運動障害によって説明することも困難であった.一方, 心臓の根治術後に劇的に開鼻声の解消が見られた症例から, 心機能の改善と咽頭収縮運動の間に, 何等かの関連があることが示唆された.
Phosphorus removal from aquaculture effluents at the Northeast Fishery Center in Lamar, Pennsylvania using iron oxide sorption media

Abstract Three different iron oxide-based sorption media samples were tested for removal of phosphorus (P) from fish hatchery effluents using fixed bed processing. Two of the media samples were derived from residuals produced by the treatment of acid mine drainage, which were then compared to granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), a commercially available sorption medium. All of the media types removed from 50 to 70% of the P from the incoming aquaculture wastewater over 70–175 days of operation without regeneration. In some of the sorption trials, the GFH media showed superior adsorption in the earlier stages of the trial, but the GFH appeared to reach saturation more quickly, so that media performance was similar – at about 60% removal of P – over a longer time period of 175 days. Media regeneration tests were also conducted for both the commercial and mine drainage media, and demonstrated longer term performance, with overall P removal of 50–55%, over 223 days of total operation, with the advantages of phosphorus recycle and media reuse.
Fractional Order Extremum Seeking Control: Performance and Stability Analysis

In this paper, a novel extremum-seeking control algorithm called fractional order extremum-seeking control is analyzed and benchmarked against the traditional integer order one. Utilizing fractional order operators in extremum-seeking scheme improves the convergence speed, robustness, and performance of this method without employing additional blocks. Using averaging model, the detailed analysis of fractional order extremum-seeking control is presented. Simulation and experimental results support the mathematical analysis and demonstrate that the proposed scheme outperforms the traditional extremum-seeking algorithm.
Cancer detection during pregnancy. A progress report.

Abstract The results of 5 years of cytodetection of cancer of the cervix during pregnancy in the Prenatal Clinics of the city and county of Los Angeles are presented. Abnormal cytology rates or each month of pregnancy and post partum are compared. Rates for different racial groups are shown. The accuracy of fluorescent staining is compared to the Papanicolaou staining method. The percentage of false negatives by the cervical scrape method is discussed. The tissue diagnoses and treatment of 988 patients are reported. The report includes prevalence rates for dysplasia and in situ carcinoma, the fate of 475 patients with dysplasia, and the treatment of 274 patients with in situ carcinoma, 14 patients with microinvasive carcinoma, and 18 patients with invasive disease.
Extra-Hematopoietic Action of Erythropoietin

Publisher Summary Erythropoietin (EPO) promotes cell growth, differentiation, migration, and survival. Among the acute effects of EPO, antiapoptosis is predominant. Apoptosis is one of the major forms of cell death. EPO prevents apoptosis following injury in various organs including heart, brain, kidney, and liver. The late-phase effects of EPO include anti-inflammation, recruitment of endothelial-progenitor cells (EPC), and neovascularization. Plasma EPO is increased in response to hypoxia. The increased EPO is mainly produced by the kidney, although many tissues synthesize EPO that acts locally. EPOR (EPO receptor) is extensively expressed in various tissues, including endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, and neuronal cells. Recombinant human EPO has been shown to protect the heart and the brain against ischemia or ischemia-reperfusion injury through antiapoptosis, anti-inflammation, EPC recruitment, and neovascularization. Moreover, recent studies, by using transgenic EPOR-rescued mice, indicate that endogenous EPO plays a role in preventing tissue injury from hypoxia or ischemia-reperfusion. The protective effect of EPO is likely mediated by survival signaling pathways including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases and extracellular-signal-regulated kinases.
How Do Meningeal Lymphatic Vessels Drain the CNS

The many interactions between the nervous and the immune systems, which are active in both physiological and pathological states, have recently become more clearly delineated with the discovery of a meningeal lymphatic system capable of carrying fluid, immune cells, and macromolecules from the central nervous system (CNS) to the draining deep cervical lymph nodes. However, the exact localization of the meningeal lymphatic vasculature and the path of drainage from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the lymphatics remain poorly understood. Here, we discuss the potential differences between peripheral and CNS lymphatic vessels and examine the purported mechanisms of CNS lymphatic drainage, along with how these may fit into established patterns of CSF flow.
Elementary solutions for a model Boltzmann equation in one dimension and the connection to grossly determined solutions

Abstract The Fourier-transformed version of the time dependent slip-flow model Boltzmann equation associated with the linearized BGK model is solved in order to determine the solution’s asymptotics. The ultimate goal of this paper is to demonstrate that there exists a robust set of solutions to this model Boltzmann equation that possess a special property that was conjectured by Truesdell and Muncaster: that solutions decay to a subclass of the solution set uniquely determined by the initial mass density of the gas called the grossly determined solutions. First we determine the spectrum and eigendistributions of the associated homogeneous equation. Then, using Case’s method of elementary solutions, we find analytic time-dependent solutions to the model Boltzmann equation for initial data with a specialized compact support condition under the Fourier transform. In doing so, we show that the spectrum separates the solutions into two distinct parts: one that behaves as a set of transient solutions and the other limiting to a stable subclass of solutions. Thus, we demonstrate that for gas flows with this specialized initial density condition, in time all gas flows for the one dimensional model Boltzmann equation act as grossly determined solutions.
Vulnerability to Depression in Youth: Advances From Affective Neuroscience

Vulnerability models of depression posit that individual differences in trait-like vulnerabilities emerge early in life and increase risk for the later development of depression. In this review, we summarize advances from affective neuroscience using neural measures to assess vulnerabilities in youth at high risk for depression due to parental history of depression or temperament style, as well as prospective designs evaluating the predictive validity of these vulnerabilities for symptoms and diagnoses of depression across development. Evidence from multiple levels of analysis indicates that healthy youth at high risk for depression exhibit abnormalities in components of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) positive valence systems, including blunted activation in the striatum during reward anticipation and feedback, and that some of these measures can be used to predict later symptoms. In addition, alterations in components of RDoC's negative valence systems, including neural processing of sadness, loss, and threat, have been observed in risk for depression, though effects appear to be more task and method dependent. Within the social processes domain, preliminary evidence indicates that neural processing of social feedback, including heightened reactivity to exclusion and blunted response to social reward, may be related to depression vulnerability. These studies indicate that affective neuroscience can inform understanding of developmental pathways to depression and identify altered emotional processing among youth at high risk. We provide an integrated summary of consistent findings from this literature, along with recommendations for future directions and implications for early intervention.
Power Consumption Constrained Task Scheduling Using Enhanced Genetic Algorithms

Two typical challenges in the energy aware tasking scheduling are (1) minimizing energy consumption with execution time constraint and (2) minimizing task execution time with energy consumption constraint. This chapter focuses on the later challenge. It is very important to efficiently schedule tasks in mobile devices and sensor networks that have limited power. The goal is to cooperatively complete a set of tasks among diverse computing resources with given energy. Traditional scheduling algorithms, such as list scheduling, are not very efficient for this scheduling problem. Linear programming optimization method does not fit well since it is a non-linear problem. An enhanced genetic algorithm can solve this problem effectively.
Utilizing anthropometric data to improve the usability of desk bikes, and influence of desk bikes on reading and typing performance.

This study investigated the feasibility of using a desk bike in an office setting. Workstation measurements were introduced to accommodate 95% of the general U.S. population in using desk bikes. Reading and typing performances were compared at three different cycling conditions (no cycling, 10 and 25 W). Thirty healthy individuals (15 female and 15 male; Age mean: 23.1, σ: 4.19) were recruited based on 5/50/95th percentile stature. Participants were required to select preferred workstation settings and perform reading and typing tasks while pedaling. According to anthropometric measurements and variability from user preference, recommended adjustable ranges of workstation settings for the general U.S. population were derived. Repeated measures ANOVA showed that pedaling had no significant effect on reading comprehension (p > 0.05), but had significant effect on typing performance (p < 0.001). A preferred level of cycling intensity was determined (mean 17.3 W, σ: 3.69).
Transformative Learning and Its Relevance to Coaching

This chapter focuses on the transformational potential, possible through a coaching engagement. The coaching-client relationship is explored and a real-life coaching scenario is used as the foundation from which to extrapolate key points. There are various concepts, practices and tools introduced and explanations for their purpose and benefits, in addition to, how they were used are described. Suggestions for how to use these tools and plan for a future interaction are provided.
Service Learning in Afterschool

The afterschool setting can serve as an important arena for service learning activities. Service learning projects can help afterschool students with learning, social responsibility, and character development. This article provides an overview of planning considerations for service learning in afterschool. The article also provides guidance for afterschool teachers and administrators in seeking service learning resources.
Education, culture, and the Singapore developmental state: ‘world-soul’ lost and regained?, by Yeow-Tong Chia

Often, the role of culture in education and economic development is an afterthought, even though development is shaped by and is shaping culture in important ways. As the old adage goes, what do yo...
Smartphones and Semen Analysis

In March 1876, when the telephone pioneer Alexander Graham Bell made his historic call to his assistant, Thomas Watson, it is unlikely that either one of them envisaged other applications for a phone, let alone the medical application of a phone that was published in March 2017 by Shafiee and colleagues in Science Translational Medicine (1) (Figure 1). It is equally unlikely that they would have believed that nearly 150 years later there would be mobile phones or that there would be more mobile phones than people on the planet. Fig. 1. Historical progress of the telephone from Alexander Graham Bell to modern-day smartphone-based semen analysis. Bell on the telephone in New York calling Chicago in 1892 \[Gilbert H. Grosvenor Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons\] (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexander\_Graham\_Telephone\_in\_Newyork.jpg) (Accessed April 2017) (A). Smartphone semen testing (a. optical attachment, b. microfluidic chip) (Image courtesy of Hadi Shafiee) (1) (B). Modern-day hand-held mobile telephony can be traced back to the early 1970s, and the technology has evolved into the current app-laden “smartphone” that combines communication (voice, data, internet) and data storage capabilities with the features of other devices, such as an MP3 player and a digital camera/video camera. Smartphones have created interesting opportunities in wellness medical care and in diagnostic testing. There are now many apps available aimed at …
Identification of champion transition metals centers in metal and nitrogen-codoped carbon catalysts for CO2 reduction

Abstract Transition metal is known to influence electrochemical activities over transition metals (M) and nitrogen (N)-codoped carbon (M N C) catalysts. However, champion transition metals centers in M N C for catalyzing CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) remain unclear, hindering further catalyst development with enhanced performance. Herein, we report the investigation of effects of five transition metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) on CO2RR activities and mechanisms using metal-doped nitrogenated carbon nanosheets as model catalysts fabricated via a novel space-confinement-assisted molecular-level complexing approach. Analyzing N 1s XPS spectra confirmed the formation of M−N complexes via the coordination of metals atoms with pyridinic N, which was identified as the active species in CO2RR. According to activity descriptors including overpotentials, Faradaic efficiency (FE) and Turnover Frequency (TOF) per metal site, we here established that Fe and Ni are more active than Co, Mn, and Cr in M N C for the reduction of CO2 to CO. The main role of Fe is to reduce overpotentials, exhibiting the lowest onset overpotential of 0.19 V to yield CO on Fe N C. Ni can drastically improve CO selectivity and reaction rates, yielding the highest CO Faradaic efficiency of 96%, partial current density of −8.2 mA cm−2, and TOF of 1060 h−1 at a moderate overpotential of 0.65 V. Mechanism explorations reveal that CO2RR on M N C (M = Fe, Cr, Mn) undergoes the formation of a *COOH intermediate as the rate-determining step, whereas M N C (M = Ni, Co) catalyzes CO2RR via the transfer of the first electron to form a *CO2 − species. On the basis of the findings, we suggest doping Fe and/or Ni to design advanced M N C for CO2 electroreduction.
Content analysis of requests for religious exemptions from a mandatory influenza vaccination program for healthcare personnel.

Objective Having failed to achieve adequate influenza vaccination rates among employees through voluntary programmes, healthcare organisations have adopted mandatory ones. Some programmes permit religious exemptions, but little is known about who requests religious objections or why. Methods Content analysis of applications for religious exemptions from influenza vaccination at a free-standing children’s hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA during the 2014–2015 influenza season. Results Twelve of 15 260 (0.08%) employees submitted applications requesting religious exemptions. Requestors included both clinical and non-clinical employees. All requestors voluntarily identified their religious affiliation, and most were Christian (n=9). Content analysis identified six categories of reasons used to justify an exemption: risks/benefits, ethical/political, lack of direct patient contact, providence, purity and sanctity of life. Individuals articulated reasons in 1–5 (mean 2.6) categories. The most frequently cited category (n=9) was purity; the vaccine and/or its mode of administration were impure, or receiving the vaccine would make the individual impure. Two individuals asserted that the vaccine contained cells derived from aborted human fetuses. Individuals (n=6) also volunteered information supporting the sincerity of their beliefs including distress over previous vaccination and examples of behaviour consistent with their specific objection or their general religious commitment. All requests were approved. Conclusions Less than 0.1% of employees requested religious exemptions. Partnering with religious leaders and carefully correcting erroneous information may help address requestors’ concerns.
Excess volumes of the binary mixtures 1,2-dichloroethane †n-alkanols [C2−C6]

Volume changes on mixing of binary systems formed by 1,2-dichloroethane andn-alcohols, namely, ethanol,n-propanol,n-butanol,n-pentanol andn-hexanol were measured as a function of composition at 30, 35, 40 and 45 °C. At all compositions theVE values are all positive for all systems. The molar excess volumes of mixing for equimolar mixtures increase as the length of carbon chain increases.VE becomes more positive on increasing temperature. The positive value of the excess volume has been attributed to breaking of hydrogen bonds of associated species of alcohol by dilution with 1,2-dichloroethane.
Voxilization-based Monte Carlo simulation of the ischial tuberosity (Conference Presentation)

Patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are often subject to continues stationary pressure on prominent bony areas which, over and extended period of time, become high risk regions for pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are as prevalent as 30% in those with SCI and are one of the leading causes of re-hospitalization. In order to develop a better understanding of the methods of treating and preventing these pressure ulcers, we have developed a voxilization based model of the ischial tuberosity based on a Monte Carlo framework. The 3D model of the underside of the pelvis, the ischial tuberosity, allows for variation of the layers of the skin, fat, and muscle created in Solidworks. From the 3D model, the simulation was done with Monte Carlo eXtreme, a GPU-based Monte Carlo model. Tissue layer changes due to movement of the muscle and compression when sitting which results in a significant reduction of the muscle thickness have been accounted for in our model. Skin and muscle profusion of SCI patients is not well known and limited experimental work has been conducted in this environment. This model can aid in the study of methods of improving and maintaining skin health and help with rehabilitation and prevention of pressure ulcers.
A Mobile and Web-Based Approach for Targeted and Proactive Participatory Sensing

Participatory sensing applications have gained popularity due to the increased use of mobile phones with embedded sensors. One of the main issues in participatory sensing applications is the uneven coverage of areas, i.e., some areas might be covered by multiple participants while there is no data for other areas. In this paper, we design mobile and web-based infrastructure to enable domain scientists to effectively acquire crowd-sensed data from specific areas of interest (AOIs) to support the goal of even coverage for data collection. Scientists can mark the AOIs on a web-portal, then volunteers will be proactively informed about the participatory sensing opportunities near their current location. We presented a caching algorithm to increase the performance of our proposed system and studied the performance of the caching algorithm for different real-world scenarios on different mobile phones. We observed that prefetching data improves the performance to some extent; however, it starts to degrade after a certain point depending upon the number of nearby AOIs.
A visita de Mandrake ao Porto de Jaime Ramos: intertextualidade em 'Um crime capital' de Francisco José Viegas

This article analyzes the detective novel Um Crime Capital by Francisco Jose Viegas, published in serial form as newspaper installments in 2001, the year in which Porto was designated as the European Capital of Culture. Besides breaking from the norms of classic detective narratives, with this book in particular, Viegas proceeds to an intertextual dialog with the author par excellence of the detective novel in Brazil, Rubem Fonseca. Several themes and narrative strategies are interpreted as attesting to one of the most relevant aspects of Um Crime Capital : namely, the inclusion of Mandrake, Fonseca’s criminal detective, as a character in Viegas’s novel.
Disparities in Secure Messaging Uptake Between Patients and Physicians: Longitudinal Analysis of Two National Cross-Sectional Surveys

Background: Emails securely exchanged between patients and clinicians offer the promise of improved access to care and indirectly improved health outcomes. Yet research to date is mixed on who—among both patients and clinicians—is using secure messaging. Objective: Using data from two large nationally representative cross-sectional surveys, this study aimed to compare the prevalence of secure messaging use among patients and their access to the functionality through their physicians, and to explore the clinical practice and physician characteristics and patient sociodemographic characteristics associated with the use of secure messaging. Methods: We conducted regression analyses to identity statistical associations between self-reported secure messaging use and access, and the patient, practice, and physician characteristics from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). The NHIS data collected between 2013 and 2018, with approximately 150,000 adult individuals, were used to evaluate patient characteristics associated with email communication with clinicians. The NAMCS data included 7340 physicians who reported on secure messaging use between 2013 and 2016 and provided context on physician specialty, use of certified health information technology (IT), and practice size and ownership associated with secure messaging access and use. Results: By 2016, two-thirds of ambulatory care visits were conducted by a physician who reported using secure messaging, up from 40.70% in 2013. The percentage of US residents who reported sending an email to their clinician, however, only increased from 7.22% to 16.67% between 2013 and 2018. We observed a strong positive association between certified health IT use and secure messaging use (odds ratio [OR] 11.46, 95% CI 7.55-17.39). Individuals who were black, had lower levels of education, had Medicaid or other public payer insurance, or those who were uninsured had reduced odds for using email to communicate with clinicians. No differences were observed in secure messaging use based on physician specialty, but significant differences were observed by practice size (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35-0.60 in solo practices vs nonsolo practices) and practice ownership (P<.001 for the different categories). Conclusions: This study is the first to use two large nationally representative surveys to produce longitudinal estimates on the access and use of patient-clinician email communication in the United States. The survey findings complement each other: one provides the patient perspective of their use and the other indicates potential patient access to secure messaging based on the use of the functionality by the physicians providing treatment. This study provides nationally representative data on the characteristics of patients and physicians who have access to and are using secure messaging. This information can be used to target interventions to promote adoption and use of secure messaging.
Predictors of Adults’ Metacognitive Monitoring Ability: The Roles of Task and Item Characteristics

Learners’ monitoring judgments during reading are based on a variety of cues, and the roles of task features in promoting and constraining judgment accuracy are beginning to be understood. This wor...
Computationally Efficient, Stable Scheduling for Wireless Systems with Limited Probing.

Modern cellular base stations can transmit over multiple frequencies, and further choose to transmit to different users over different frequencies. In much of the prior literature, it is assumed that the channel state of each user over each frequency is known. However, to get such channel state information for each user-channel pair requires a large overhead. Here, we consider the problem of computationally efficient and throughput-optimal scheduling in networks where the base station ensures a small probing overhead by limiting the number of allowed probe packets per time slot. We first argue that a naive optimization-based MaxWeight algorithm is combinatorially infeasible to implement, and then design a low-complexity algorithm that achieves the same throughput as the naive MaxWeight algorithm. Through simulations, we also investigate further improvements to achieve very small packet delays.
Wind Farm Wake-Steering Exploration During Grid Curtailment

Wind farm wake steering is an active topic in the wind community. Yaw-induced wake steering in wind farms has shown significant increases in total wind farm power output. Unfortunately, sensor uncertainty and model uncertainty often make pure model-driven approaches less effective. Due to the mechanical and financial downsides associated with experimental wake steering, collecting useful data to verify model-based approaches is often viewed as too risky. However, electric grid curtailment periods offer the opportunity to experiment with minimal mechanical and financial risks. A novel data acquisition process is presented that utilizes grid curtailment periods for wake steering experimentation. This method curtails the total wind farm power output while yaw sweeping the upstream turbine to discover the optimal yaw angle for wake-steering. The optimal yaw angle can then be used in regular uncurtailed periods to increase total power output.
Early Mitochondrial Fragmentation and Dysfunction in a Drosophila Model for Alzheimer's Disease.

Many different cellular systems and molecular processes become compromised in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) including proteostasis, autophagy, inflammatory responses, synapse and neuronal circuitry, and mitochondrial function. We focused in this study on mitochondrial dysfunction owing to the toxic neuronal environment produced by expression of Aβ42, and its relationship to other pathologies found in AD including increased neuronal apoptosis, plaque deposition, and memory impairment. Using super-resolution microscopy, we have assayed mitochondrial status in the three distinct neuronal compartments (somatic, dendritic, axonal) of mushroom body neurons of Drosophila expressing Aβ42. The mushroom body neurons comprise a major center for olfactory memory formation in insects. We employed calcium imaging to measure mitochondrial function, immunohistochemical and staining techniques to measure apoptosis and plaque formation, and olfactory classical conditioning to measure learning. We found that mitochondria become fragmented at a very early age along with decreased function measured by mitochondrial calcium entry. Increased apoptosis and plaque deposition also occur early, yet interestingly, a learning impairment was found only after a much longer period of time—10 days, which is a large fraction of the fly’s lifespan. This is similar to the pronounced delay between cellular pathologies and the emergence of a memory dysfunction in humans. Our studies are consistent with the model that mitochondrial dysfunction and/or other cellular pathologies emerge at an early age and lead to much later learning impairments. The results obtained further develop this Drosophila model as a useful in vivo system for probing the mechanisms by which Aβ42 produces mitochondrial and other cellular toxicities that produce memory dysfunction.
Mobile sampling of methane emissions from natural gas well pads in California

Abstract The oil and natural gas sector is the second largest source of methane (CH4) emissions in the U.S. (28% in 2018), and several studies have suggested that real-world emissions from this sector may be higher than previously reported estimates. This study was designed to measure methane emissions from non-associated (i.e., produced without crude oil extraction) natural gas (NG) well pads in California, by applying a novel mobile measurement system combined with a source characterization model. This study surveyed 86 non-associated NG well pads (66 active and 20 idle well pads) in northern California during a two-week field campaign in 2018. The mean emission rate from active non-associated NG well pads was estimated to be 9.5 (95% CI: 6.1–14.6) kg CH4/d. By extrapolating the survey results to the entire state, the annual methane emissions from all active non-associated NG well pads were 3.2 (95% CI: 2.0–5.1) Gg CH4/y, which represents roughly 5% of CH4 emissions from the oil and natural gas production sector in California. The methane emission rates exhibited a fat-tail distribution, with roughly 15% of the active well pads responsible for >85% of the total measured emissions. This result suggests that controlling a small number of large emitters can significantly reduce methane emissions from this sub-sector. Methane emissions were also detected from over 60% of the idle well pads, with a similar fat-tail distribution but much smaller magnitudes than the active well pads. Quick screening tools to identify and fix these unexpected fugitive leaks can offer useful real-world emission reductions. The mobile measurement system was also able to detect emissions from more well pads when compared to the use of an optical gas imaging camera, which suggests that mobile measurement techniques can be an effective screening tool to support leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs.
The Gait Disorientation Test: A New Method for Screening Adults With Dizziness and Imbalance.

Abstract Objective To develop and evaluate a new method for identifying gait disorientation due to vestibular dysfunction. Design The gait disorientation test (GDT) involves a timed comparison of the ability to walk 6.096 m with eyes open versus eyes closed. In this prospective study, participants were grouped based on vestibular function. All participants completed a clinical examination, self-report- and performance-based measures relevant to vestibular rehabilitation, and the tasks for the GDT. Vestibular-impaired participants underwent the criterion standard, videonystagmography and/or rotational chair testing. Setting Ambulatory clinic, tertiary referral center. Participants Participants (N=40) (20 vestibular-impaired, 30 women, 49.9±16.1years old) were enrolled from a convenience/referral sample of 52 adults. Main Outcome and Measure(s) We determined test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient model 3,1; calculated the minimal detectable change (MDC); examined concurrent validity through Spearman correlation coefficients; assessed criterion validity with the area under the curve (AUC) from receiver operator characteristic analysis; and computed the sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), likelihood ratios for positive (LR+) and negative (LR−) tests, and posttest probabilities of a diagnosis of vestibulopathy. The 95% confidence interval demonstrates measurement uncertainty. Results Test-retest reliability was 0.887 (0.815, 0.932). The MDC was 3.7 seconds. Correlations with other measures ranged from 0.59 (0.34, 0.76) to −0.85 (−0.92, −0.74). The AUC was 0.910 (0.822, 0.998), using a threshold of 4.5 seconds. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.75 (0.51, 0.91) and 0.95 (0.75, 1), respectively. The DOR=57 (6, 541.47), LR+ =15 (2.18, 103.0), and LR− =0.26 (0.12, 0.9). Positive posttest probabilities were 89%-94%. Conclusions and Relevance The GDT has good reliability, excellent discriminative ability, strong convergent validity, and promising clinical utility.
Abstract P434: Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity in Neonates: Feasibility and Comparison to Normative Data

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk trajectory begins in early childhood and can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is consi...
Impact of an unsanctioned safe consumption site on criminal activity, 2010-2019.

Abstract Background Health and social impacts of safe consumption sites (SCS) are well described in multiple countries. One argument used by those opposed to SCS in the US is that findings from other countries are not relevant to the US context. We examined whether an unsanctioned SCS operating in the US affected local crime rates. Methods Controlled interrupted time series (ITS) analysis of police incident reports for five years before and five years after SCS opening, comparing one intervention and two control areas in one city. Results Narcotic/drug incidents declined across the pre- and post-intervention periods in the intervention area and remained constant in both control areas, preventing an ITS analysis but suggesting no negative impact. On average, incident reports relating to assault, burglary, larceny theft, and robbery in the post-intervention period steadily decreased at a similar rate within both the Intervention area and Control area 1. However the change in rate of decline post-intervention was statistically significantly greater in the Intervention area compared to Control area 1 (difference in slope -0.007 SDs, 95 % CI: −0.013, −0.002; p = 0.01). The Intervention area had a statistically significant decline in crime over the post-intervention period compared to Control area 2 (difference in slope −0.023 SDs, 95 % CI: −0.03, −0.01; p Conclusions Documented criminal activity decreased rather than increased in the area around an unsanctioned SCS located in the US in the five years following SCS opening.
Seasonal Associations Between Foodborne Campylobacter Infections and Ambient Temperature in US, 2010–2019

Objectives In order to effectively mitigate the effects of climate change on human health, spatiotemporal relationships between Campylobacter infections and environmental drivers have to be systematically examined to determine whether common seasonal summer peaks observed in Campylobacter infections are well aligned with peaks in raising ambient temperatures. This study aims to evaluate the seasonal relationship between monthly ambient temperature and the monthly Campylobacter infections routinely collected by the CDC Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) in the United States in 2010–2019.
Mountain Climate Data for Long-Term Ecological Research

Ecological research in mountain regions raises important questions concerning the best treatment of incomplete field data from remote sites, of data representativeness, and of the selection of suitable climatic indices for ecosystem studies. These problems of basic and applied climate research in mountain areas are addressed in general terms and illustrated by reference to a project in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Evaluation of GWAS candidate susceptibility loci for uterine leiomyoma in the multi-ethnic NIEHS uterine fibroid study.

We evaluated the association of 56 candidate SNPs identified in two published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of uterine leiomyoma (UL), or fibroids, with the risk and tumor size in the multi-ethnic uterine fibroid study (NIEHS-UFS). The selected SNPs were genotyped in 916 premenopausal women of African American (AA) and European American (EA) descents and their association with the outcomes was evaluated in race-stratified models and in meta-analysis of risk in NIEHS-UFS and discovery and replication GWAS in the Japanese population. We report moderate associations of variant rs4954368 in THSD7B (thrombospondin, type I, domain containing 7B) with tumor size in pooled analysis of AA and EA samples (P = 0.004), and at TNRC6B (trinucleotide repeat containing 6B) variants rs138039 and rs139909 in EA (P = 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). The most significant associations with risk in meta-analysis were observed at TNRC6B variants rs739182 (P = 3.7 x 10-10) and rs2072858 (P = 1.1 x 10-9) and were stronger than those reported in the discovery GWAS (P =2.01 x 10-8 and P = 2.58 x 10-8, respectively). The present study failed to replicate the associations reported for CCDC57 and FASN in a discovery GWAS in populations of European descent. Consistent with previous replication studies in the Right From the Start Study (RFTS) and the BioVU DNA repository, we provide independent evidence for association of TNRC6B with both risk and size of UL. The present study is the first to report a replicated association of THSD7B with UL, albeit with tumor size and not with risk.
Studies on lactams—V : 3-azido-2-azetidinones

Abstract A convenient synthesis of α-amino-β-lactams has been devised with the aim of preparing derivatives and analogs of penicillin and cephalosporin C. It has been found that α-azido-β-lactams can be obtained from the reaction of α-azido acid chlorides with imines in presence of triethylamine. The azido group undergoes facile catalytic reduction to afford α-amino-β-lactams. The sequence of addition of the reactants influences the stereochemistry of the azido-β-lactam formed. The slow addition of azidoacetyl chloride to a solution of benzaliniline and triethylamine in methylene chloride favors the cis product, while the trans stereochemistry is favored when triethylamine is added to a mixture of the Schiff base and azidoacetyl chloride. Prolonged heating in presence of triethylamine did not result in the interconversion of cis- and trans- 1-phenyl-3-azido-4-(p-nitrophenyl)-azetidin-2-one. 1-Cholestanyl-3,3-dimethylazetidine-2-one has been prepared as an analog of the β-lactam-substituted steroid alkaloids reported recently.
Temperature Dependence of the Riedel Singularity

The amplitude of the Josephson supercurrent in a superconducting tunnel junction is voltage (or frequency) dependent. Riedel1 has shown theoretically that within the simple BCS model the amplitude diverges logarithmically at a voltage V = 2Δ/e(Δ is the BCS gap parameter). In practice, however, this Riedel singularity in the supercurrent amplitude is rounded off by quasiparticle damping2,3 and gap anisotropy effects.4 It thus provides an experimental probe of these effects.
Community implementation dynamics: Nutrient management in the New York City and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds

The creation of natural resource management and conservation strategies can be affected by engagement with local citizens and competing interests between agencies and stakeholders at the varying levels of governance. This paper examines the role of local engagement and the interaction between governance levels on the outcomes of nutrient management policy, a specific area of natural resource conservation and management. Presented are two case studies of the New York City and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds in the US. These case studies touch upon the themes of local citizen engagement and governance stakeholder interaction in changing nutrient management to improve water quality. An analysis of these cases leads to several key considerations for the creation and implementation of nutrient management and natural resource management more broadly, including the importance of: local citizen engagement, government brokering and cost sharing; and the need of all stakeholders to respect each other in the policy creation and implementation process.
Conformational polymorphism of d(A-G)n and related oligonucleotide sequences.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes and rationalizes the several equilibria that underlie the conformational polymorphism of d(A-G) n . It describes each of the equilibria along with the properties of their participating conformers. Additionally, as various of these d(A-G) n conformations seem to share the physical–chemical properties with naturally occurring irregular, nonrepetitive, homopurine sequences in both DNA and RNA, the chapter presents the use of more readily interpretable properties of the regular d(A-G) n repeat to extrapolate structure for those irregular sequences and vice versa. The chapter describes five discrete conformations undertaken by the sequence d(A-G) n between n=6 and 30, and the equilibria between the different conformers. It is noted that the knowledge gained from studies of the multiple conformations available to d(A-G) n sequences such as those occurring in strand segments of one or the other complementary strands of DNA, along with the indications of their biological significance, should pave the way for the possibility of other repetitive strand elements whose conformational potential may have other functional consequences.
Terahertz-modulated photonics

We review our work simulating the optical properties of quantum-well structures in the presence of strong terahertz-frequency electric fields. Coherent mixing between the optical and THz field results in strongly modified optical properties of the quantum well. The implications for possible device applications are discussed.