cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parental Knowledge and Its Sources: Examining the Moderating Roles of Family Structure and Race

This study aims to examine patterns of parental knowledge and its sources (adolescent reports of disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental trust) among adolescents who differ as a function of family structure and race. Data are drawn from adolescents (N = 2,374, M = 14 years, SD = 1.68) participating in a school-based study. Adolescent disclosure is a stronger predictor of parental knowledge in single-parent families and stepfamilies and in European American families. Conversely, parental solicitation is more highly related to parental knowledge in original two-parent families and in African American families. These findings provide a first step in understanding the ways in which family structure and race may shape the acquisition of parental knowledge. Implications for future research and application are also discussed.
Modulation of the initial light reflex during affective picture viewing

An initial reflexive constriction of the pupil to stimulation-the light reflex-is primarily modulated by brightness, but is attenuated when participants are under threat of shock (i.e., fear-inhibited light reflex). The present study assessed whether the light reflex is similarly attenuated when viewing emotional pictures. Pupil diameter was recorded while participants viewed erotic, violent, and neutral scenes that were matched in brightness; scrambled versions identical in brightness were also presented as an additional control. Compared to viewing neutral scenes, the light reflex was reliably modulated by hedonic content, with significant attenuation both when viewing unpleasant as well as pleasant pictures. No differences in the light reflex were found among scrambled versions. Thus, emotional modulation of the initial light reflex is not confined to a context of fear and is not indicative of brightness differences when viewing pictures of natural scenes.
In Vivo Ultrasonic Detection of Polyurea Crosslinked Silica Aerogel Implants

Background Polyurea crosslinked silica aerogels are highly porous, lightweight, and mechanically strong materials with great potential for in vivo applications. Recent in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated the biocompatibility of this type of aerogel. The highly porous nature of aerogels allows for exceptional thermal, electric, and acoustic insulating capabilities that can be taken advantage of for non-invasive external imaging techniques. Sound-based detection of implants is a low cost, non-invasive, portable, and rapid technique that is routinely used and readily available in major clinics and hospitals.
Biomechanical behavior of oral soft tissues.

Background: Little attention has been given to understanding the variation in biomechanical behavior of oral soft tissues, and this represents an obstacle for the development of biomaterials that perform with appropriate biomechanical characteristics. With this as our motivation, a uniaxial mechanical analysis was performed on lingual and buccal aspects of the attached gingiva, alveolar mucosa, and buccal mucosa to gain insight into human tissue performance and site-specific mechanical variation.Methods: A discrete quantitative mechanical evaluation of each soft tissue region using tensile, dynamic compression, and stress relaxation analysis was conducted to correlate tissue structure with function as assessed histologically.Results: Results confirm the keratinized gingiva to have increased tensile strength (3.94 ± 1.19 MPa) and stiffness (Young modulus of 19.75 ± 6.20 MPa) relative to non-keratinized mucosal regions, where densely arranged elastin fibers contribute to a tissue with increased viscoelastic...
Biopsy-induced inflammatory conditions improve endometrial receptivity: The mechanism of action

A decade ago, we first reported that endometrial biopsy significantly improves the success of pregnancy in IVF patients with recurrent implantation failure, an observation that was later confirmed by others. Recently, we have demonstrated that this treatment elevated the levels of endometrial pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the abundance of macrophages (Mac) and dendritic cells (DCs). We therefore hypothesised that the biopsy-related successful pregnancy is secondary to an inflammatory response, and aimed at deciphering its mechanism of action. Supporting our hypothesis, we found that the pro-inflammatory TNFα stimulated primary endometrial stromal cells to express cytokines that attracted monocytes and induced their differentiation into DCs. These monocyte-derived DCs stimulated endometrial epithelial cells to express the adhesive molecule SPP1 (osteopontin (OPN)) and its receptors ITGB3 and CD44, whereas MUC16, which interferes with adhesion, was downregulated. Other implantation-associated genes, such as CHST2, CCL4 (MIP1B) and GROA, were upregulated by monocyte-derived Mac. These findings suggest that uterine receptivity is mediated by the expression of molecules associated with inflammation. Such an inflammatory milieu is not generated in some IVF patients with recurrent implantation failure in the absence of local injury provoked by the biopsy treatment.
Morbidity in children and adolescents after surgical correction of truncus arteriosus communis

Background Studies of outcome after operative correction of truncus arteriosus communis (TA) have focused on mortality and rates of reintervention. We sought to investigate the clinical status of children and adolescents with surgically corrected TA. Methods and Results A cross-sectional study of subjects with TA was performed. Subjects underwent concurrent genetic testing, electrocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and completed questionnaires assessing health status and health-related quality of life. Review of their medical history provided retrospective information on cardiac reintervention and use of medical care. Twenty-five subjects with a median age of 11.8 (8.1-18.99) years were enrolled. The prevalence of 22q11.2 deletion was 32%. Incidence of hospitalization, cardiac reintervention, and noncardiac operations was highest in the first year of life. Combined catheter-based and operative reintervention rates were 52% on the conduit and 56% on the pulmonary arteries. Right ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic volume were normal. Moderate or greater truncal valve insufficiency was seen in 11% of subjects, and truncal valve replacement occurred in 8% of subjects. Maximal oxygen consumption ( P = .0002), maximal work ( P P Conclusion Patients with TA demonstrate significant comorbid disease throughout childhood, significant burden of operative and catheter-based reintervention, and deficits in exercise performance, functional status, and health-related quality of life.
Correlation between surface morphology and defect structure of heteroepitaxial diamond grown on off-axis substrates

The topographic surface features that develop during chemical vapour deposition of heteroepitaxial diamond on off-axis Ir/YSZ/Si(001) and their implications on the incorporation and modification of 0D and 1D defects have been studied. After growth with nitrogen in the gas phase, the surface has split into alternating stripes of opposite inclination. The terrace regions are tilted towards the crystallographic [001] axis, while the risers are tilted in the opposite direction. AFM measurements on the macroscopic terraces reveal a microscopic substructure consisting of terraces and risers on a smaller length scale. Cross-section SEM images display inclined dark and bright striations. In photoluminescence maps, the stripes ending at risers show a higher NV and SiV emission intensity thus indicating a stronger defect incorporation of colour centres. Relative growth rates on terrace and riser areas have been evaluated. In high resolution Raman measurements, the cross-section maps display bands of high line width embedded in a background of lower line width. Conversion of these data into dislocation density maps reveals local variations by one order of magnitude. The tilt angle of the threading dislocation bundles is attributed to an interaction induced by the lateral step flow on the off-axis growth surface. Scheme of the investigated diamond samples.
Effects of Coastal Waste Disposal in Hawaii

The Hawaii Islands still retain the image of a pristine tropical paradise, although environmental pressures can be observed in some locations, particularly on the island of Oahu, where 83% of the state's nearly 800,000 inhabitants reside. Hawaii's water quality standards for coastal waters are readily adaptable to point sources of pollution but they are relatively ineffective in controlling nonpoint pollution sources such as sediment and nutrients from urban and agricultural runoff which can be detrimental to the island's shoreline coral beds as well as accelerating eutrophication of the receiving waters. Nonpoint pollution sources are best controlled by proper land use management practices. The recognition of the need for environmental management in Hawaii to maintain its pristine image is evident not only in the millions of dollars presently being expended on pollution control facilities but also by the fact that Hawaii has become the first state to establish land-use zoning for the entire state.
Electrochemically Triggered Pore Expansion in Nanoporous Gold Thin Films

Nanoporous electrode coatings have played a significant role in enhancing the performance of catalysts and sensors. For optimal performance in these applications, the fundamental requirement is a large effective surface area (site at which catalysis and sensing events occur) with unhindered transport of reactants and products to/from the active surface. This necessitates low-density porous electrodes with an interconnected 3D network of thin conductive ligaments to maintain high effective surface area. While the logical approach to create such electrodes is to etch the ligaments uniformly through the entire porous network, accomplishing this has not been trivial. Here, we use nanoporous gold (np-Au) as a model material system to demonstrate an electrochemically triggered etching method for restructuring sputter-deposited submicron np-Au thin films for enlarging the pores with minimal decrease in the effective surface area. We systematically employ time-varying potential waveforms to electrochemically modi...
Hodograph and Partial Hodograph Methods

The geometry of the hodograph and partial hodograph transformations is reviewed. We show how the hodograph method can introduce new geometric interpretations into the study of an elliptic–hyperbolic equation. The partial hodograph transformation dates from the 1930s, but its application to elliptic–hyperbolic equations is relatively recent; our treatment follows the work of S.-X. Chen. In addition, various methods are given for constructing explicit solutions to both linear and quasilinear elliptic–hyperbolic equations. In particular, a recently introduced method is given for the direct construction of explicit solutions to a large and useful class of quasilinear elliptic–hyperbolic systems on both sides of the sonic transition. An example shows how the individual solutions on the elliptic and hyperbolic regions can be pasted together to produce a solution which crosses the sonic line with continuity.
Adapting relative phase of bimanual isometric force coordination through scaling visual information intermittency

Visual information plays an adaptive role in the relation between bimanual force coupling and error corrective processes of isometric force control. In the present study, the evolving distribution of the relative phase properties of bimanual isometric force coupling was examined by scaling within a trial the temporal feedback rate of visual intermittency (short to long presentation intervals and vice versa). The force error (RMSE) was reduced, and time-dependent irregularity (SampEn) of the force output was increased with greater amounts of visual information (shorter intermittency). Multi-stable coordination patterns of bimanual isometric force control were differentially shifted toward and away from the intrinsic dynamics by the changing the intermittency of visual information. The distribution of Hilbert transformed relative phase values showed progressively a predominantly anti-phase mode under less intermittent visual information to predominantly an in-phase mode with limited (almost no) visual information. Correlation between the hands showed a continuous reduction, rather than abrupt "transition," with increase in visual information, although no mean negative correlation was realized, despite the tendency towards an anti-phase distribution. Lastly, changes in both the performance outcome and bimanual isometric force coordination occurred at visual feedback rates faster than the minimal visual processing times established from single limb movement and isometric force protocols.
Mathematical Simulation Technique for Mortality in an Insect Population

The following paper on simulation of insect mortality in population models was originally published in Chinese (Chen and Chen 1981) and. consequently. would normally remain obscure to American agricultural modelers. In the interest of increasing communication between agricultural modelers in our two countries. this translation is presented. It provides a convenient way of utilizing development time data and whole-stage mortality data to simulate mortality and the stage transition process in a population model.
China's Investment in Oil Exploitation in Angola and Its Development Strategy

Angola is not only the second largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa,but also one of the most important oil suppliers and cooperative partners for China.By virtue of favorable political partnership and economic complementarity,oil cooperation between China and Angola has scored notable achievements.However,this cooperation is also confronted with a series of daunting challenges including special political and economic environment in Angola,Occidental discourse hegemony and inherent defects in Chinese oil companies.Especially,at a time when Angolan economy entered into a new stage of rapid development and China,as the world's second largest economy,is facing the urgent task of economic transformation and upgrading,the stereotypical cooperation pattern holding little space for further development can hardly meet the new demands brought by the new situation.To strengthen Sino-Angola oil cooperation,principle of non-interference of internal affairs must be upheld and manner of mutual benefit and reciprocity be kept;cooperation with local oil company and transnational oil company must be strengthened;economic structure of each side must be upgraded and integration of economic and resource cooperation be deepened.
Real-time insulin bolusing for unannounced meals with artificial pancreas

Abstract Post-prandial hyperglycemia can occur more frequently in artificial pancreas systems without meal announcements that trigger insulin boluses. Meal announcements are manual feedforward inputs. We have developed a meal-detection and meal bolusing algorithm based on continuous glucose measurements without manual information from patients. Bergman's minimal model is modified and used in an unscented Kalman filter for state estimations. The estimated rate of appearance of glucose is used for meal detection and calculation of meal boluses. The algorithm is tested in simulation and clinical environments. The proposed algorithm decreases the frequency, duration and magnitude of hyperglycemia without causing any additional hypoglycemia.
Outcomes of Patellofemoral Arthroplasty Based on Radiographic Severity

Abstract Background Patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) is increasingly performed for symptomatic patellofemoral arthritis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of PFA based on preoperative radiographic severity of patellofemoral arthritis. Methods All patients who underwent PFA for isolated patellofemoral arthritis between 2002 and 2013 and had undergone preoperative magnetic resonance imaging were identified. Radiographic severity of patellofemoral arthritis was classified according to the Iwano classification system. Groups were divided between mild (grade 0-I) and moderate to severe (grade II-IV) patellofemoral arthritis. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Knee Society scores (KSS), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Tegner scores. Results Seventy-five knees in 55 patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 51 years (range, 36 to 81), and mean follow-up was 3 years (range, 2 to 10). All patients had grade IV patellofemoral chondromalacia and/or significant subchondral cyst formation and edema on magnetic resonance imaging. On plain radiographs, there were no patients with Iwano grade 0, 21 grade I, 15 grade II, 21 grade III, and 18 grade IV patellofemoral arthritis. There was significantly more improvement in KSS pain ( P = .046), KSS function ( P = .02), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) ( P = .046) and Tegner ( P = .008) scores in the Iwano grade II-IV group vs the Iwano grade I group. Patient-reported pain quality improved significantly more following PFA in the grade II-IV group ( P = .04). Conclusion Patients with evidence of mild patellofemoral arthritis on plain radiographs demonstrated less improvement in pain and function after PFA than those with more advanced patellofemoral arthritis. Caution should be used when considering PFA for patients with minimal radiographic evidence of patellofemoral arthritis.
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of loblolly pine using a continuous, reactive twin-screw extruder

Abstract Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has become an accepted means of converting a wide variety of lignocellulosic feedstocks into solid hydrochars, which have improved physical and chemical properties compared to raw biomass. To date, HTC applications have involved batch or semi-continuous process systems, which has limited their economic viability. The work presented here describes a fully-continuous HTC process, made possible by use of a specially modified twin-screw extruder (TSE). The reaction time within this fast HTC (FHTC) reactor system is very short (20–30 sec) as compared to a typical batch reactor. Therefore, the concept of reaction ‘severity factor’ is used when comparing the FHTC products with those produced in other reactor systems. While solid hydrochar produced in the FHTC system has different physical properties than hydrochar from batch reactor systems, these materials exhibit similar energy densification and pelletization behavior, when produced under comparable severity conditions. However, total hydrochar yields are considerably higher from the FHTC reactor compared to batch reactor systems. This is a consequence of the de-pressurization process in the FHTC system, whereby most water-soluble organic products are retained in the hydrochar, rather than exiting the process in a separate aqueous product stream. FHTC treatment of loblolly pine at a severity factor of 5.3 (290 °C) produced a hydrochar yield of nearly 85% (based on dry feedstock mass). Condensation of the flashed vapor products provided a relatively clean water stream, containing only 1.2% organics – primarily furfural and acetic acid. Recovery of these organics and recycling of the condensed water would further improve the cost-effectiveness of FHTC operations.
Is Male Androphilia a Context-Dependent Cross-Cultural Universal?

The cross-cultural ethnographic literature has traditionally used the label male “homosexuality” to describe sexual relationships between biological males without considering whether or not the concept encompasses primary sexual attraction to adult males. Although male androphilia seems to be found in all national populations, its universal existence in tribal populations has been questioned. Our goal is to review previous cross-cultural classifications and surveys of male same sex behavior to present a system that does justice to its varied expressions, especially as it is informed by contemporary sexuality research. Previous comparative research does not effectively distinguish male same sex behavior from male androphilia. Using the standard cross-cultural sample (SCCS) as a sampling frame and the ethnographic sources in the human relations area files and elsewhere, we present distributional data on various forms of male same sex behavior. The SCCS is useful because it is designed to be representative of all historically known social formations and the sample is designed to reduce similarities as a consequence of common descent or historical origin as well as reduce the probability of diffusion of sociocultural practices from one culture to another. Our results show that male same sex behavior as well as male androphilia is much more common than previously estimated in the SCCS. With our findings, we make an argument that male androphilia is a context-dependent cross-cultural universal.
Facultatively anaerobic cellulolytic fungi from soil

Two strains of morphologically and physiologically distinct cellulose-fermenting fungi were isolated from soil samples under anaerobic conditions. Fungal growth was enriched in a prereduced defined medium containing antibiotics and a strip of filter paper (Whatman No. 1) as the fermentable substrate. Cultures were incubated in a nitrogen atmosphere. Fungal strains were isolated from colonies that developed on plates of cellulose-containing agar medium incubated in an anaerobic chamber. Both strains grew and utilized cellulose more rapidly when incubated under microaerophilic conditions. One strain degraded cellulose most rapidly when the cultures were actively aerated. Both strains also used pentoses, hexoses, cellobiose and xylan as microaerophilic growth substrates. Based on morphology, one isolate was identified as a species of Trichocladium and the other as a basidiomycete species. The results of this study suggest that fungi play a broad role in the degradation of plant polysaccharides in soils.
Enhancing surgical innovation through a specialized medical school pathway of excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship: Lessons learned and opportunities for the future

The mission of an academic medical center and academic departments of surgery focuses on teaching, scholarship/research, and expertise of clinical care. The standard 4-year medical school curriculum and general surgery residency training are well balanced to expose trainees to these missions in varying degrees, yet the advancement of medicine as a field is predicated on the creation, development, and successful implementation of medical innovations. Surgeons, by virtue of their clinical training, are immersed in medical technology and are continually required to use this technology effectively in combination with their own technical skills and judgment to provide optimal patient care. As such, they routinely face the challenges of current technology and the need for innovation and improvement, leading many to become natural inventors. Having a good idea or innovation to improve patient care, however, is just the starting point of the complex process of implementing that idea in the clinic. Unfortunately, the vast majority of surgeons and medical students have no formal educational training on the innovation process regarding how good ideas can be developed successfully for clinical and commercial implementation. Added to this lack of formal education are the limited resources and time constraints that surgeons, residents, and medical students face in acquiring the educational skill set to adeptly navigate this innovation and entrepreneurial landscape. To address these challenges, the University of Michigan recently created the first pathway of excellence for medical students to focus their passions and interests in medical innovation and entrepreneurship. This program has been transformative for building a new culture of young, motivated medical innovators, many of whom have dedicated their talents already to addressing several key problems in surgical patient care.
Öffentliches WeChat-Konto undUnternehmenskonto

In diesem Kapitel werden die wichtigsten Features von WeChat, namlich das offentliche WeChat-Konto und das Unternehmenskonto, erlautert. Es gibt zwei Typen von offentlichem WeChat-Konto (Abonnementkonto und Servicekonto) mit unterschiedlichen Funktionen und Einsatzmoglichkeiten. Die grundlegenden Funktionen des offentlichen WeChat-Kontos werden in diesem Kapitel beschrieben und am Schluss wird das Unternehmenskonto kurz vorgestellt.
eIF2B Mechanisms of Action and Regulation: A Thermodynamic View

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) is the guanine nucleotide exchange factor of the GTPase eIF2, which brings the initiator Met-tRNAi to the ribosome in the form of the eIF2-GTP·Met-tRNAi ternary complex (TC). The activity of eIF2B is inhibited by phosphorylation of its substrate eIF2 by several stress-induced kinases, which triggers the integrated stress response (ISR). The ISR plays a central role in maintaining homeostasis in the cell under various stress conditions, and its dysregulation is a causative factor in the pathology of a number of neurodegenerative disorders. Over the past three decades, virtually every aspect of eIF2B function has been the subject of uncertainty or controversy: from the catalytic mechanism of nucleotide exchange, to whether eIF2B only catalyzes nucleotide exchange on eIF2 or also promotes binding of Met-tRNAi to eIF2-GTP to form the TC. Here, we provide the first complete thermodynamic analysis of the process of recycling of eIF2-GDP to the TC. The available evidence leads to the conclusion that eIF2 is channeled from the ribosome (as an eIF5·eIF2-GDP complex) to eIF2B, converted by eIF2B to the TC, which is then channeled back to eIF5 and the ribosome. The system has evolved to be regulated by multiple factors, including post-translational modifications of eIF2, eIF2B, and eIF5, as well as directly by the energy balance in the cell, through the GTP:GDP ratio.
The Appearance of Rhythmic Wavelets on the ERG of Alpha-Chymotrypsin Poisoned Mammalian Retinas

The effects of alpha-chymotrypsin (chym) of 0.1–40 units/ml on the in vitro preparation of rabbit retinas were studied. Chym (perfused from the ganglion cell side of the retina) was shown to abolish, at first, the P II component of the ERG, isolating the P III component. In succession, rhythmic wavelets having three or four peaks (about 10 Hz) were observed to appear. Some characteristics of these wavelets (named chymwavelets) were studied. Chym-wavelets were about ten to twenty times slower in frequency than similar appearing potentials superimposed on the b-wave of the usual ERGs. They were still present even after the retina was re-immersed in the chym-free medium. Thus, the wavelets were the results of irreversible change. Chym-wavelets were recordable from the retinas of albino and pigmented rabbits and guinea pigs. They were recordable even from retinas affected by trypsin, if a higher dose than that of chym was applied. Chym-wavelets were shown to be sensitive to oxygen deprivation and their peak to peak time was prolonged in media having reduced temperatures. The appearance of chym-wavelets was affected by altering stimulus magnitude and frequency. Sodiumaspartate which isolates the P III component could not extinguish these wavelets. These characteristics of chym-wavelets have been considered in some detail.
BIOCHEMICAL CORRELATES OF STRUCTURE AND STABILITY IN DIVERGENT PLANKTON COMMUNITIES

Abstract Fatty acid composition of macrozooplankton (>240 μm) revealed responses specific to habitat type along a transect extending from Rhode Island Sound to the inner reaches of Narragansett Bay. A medium chain saturate (stearic acid) characterized riverine zooplankton, a direct response to foods rich in natural detritus and raw sewage. A long chain polyunsaturate (docosahexaenoic acid) denoted affinities in tissue composition more genetically determined than environmentally based. Zooplankton biomass and chlorophyll a concentrations over two summers varied in relation to the same two acids, indicating an association between structure at the chemical level and function within the ecosystem. A discriminant function based on these two acids clearly separated estuarine from offshore macrozooplankton. Compared with published data, these results suggest that zooplankton contains more stearic acid and less docosahexaenoic acid in European waters (North Sea, Rias of Northwest Spain, Mediterranean Sea) than in comparable areas of Rhode Island and Newfoundland. Within the Rhode Island area, tendency to change consistently (stability) increased in the order of physical environment, planktonic community, and biochemical composition. Thus, not only are fatty acids ubiquitous in nature and especially important energetically in zooplankton, but dynamically these monomeric compounds are also most conservative. Consequently, they serve well in comparative study at various levels of natural organization.
The economic development case for increased funding to education and workforce training in Iowa for middle skills jobs: A policy recommendation

In recent years there has been a growing dialogue on the middle skills gap in the United States. Federal and state legislators have been tasked with examining policies as they relate to education and workforce training and the impacts they have on workforce shortages in key industry clusters. With a large number of impending retirements across the country, these discussions have a new sense of urgency. For states like Iowa that have already begun to experience the decline in skilled workforce, this has become a serious problem for both current and future economic growth. Funding to education and training programs targeted at raising the skill level of workers for middle skills jobs has been on the decline in a time when it is arguably most needed. With fierce competition for federal and state support, it has been difficult for community colleges and workforce development offices to attain the funding levels needed for programming to address skilled worker shortages. The purpose of this study is to create the case for a policy recommendation on increased funding to education and workforce training programs in the state of Iowa. It addresses current and future demographics for the state of Iowa as it compares to workforce needs, as well as looking at the implications for current and future economic growth if we maintain the status quo. Based on projected patterns of the contracting workforce due to the large number of retirements versus replacement workers, the findings illustrate that in order to remain globally competitive, Iowa must invest in a variety of education and workforce training programs.
Flux and fluence dependent helium plasma-materials interaction in hot-rolled and recrystallized tungsten

Abstract Tungsten is the primary candidate for plasma-facing materials (PFMs) in a magnetic fusion energy (MFE) devices such as ITER due to its high melting point, excellent erosion resistance, and low sputtering yield. However, tungsten will suffer from heat, neutron irradiation, large flux (1022-1024 He/m2s)- low energy (tens of eV to hundreds of eV) helium and hydrogen ion exposure, as well as microstructure evolution (such as recrystallization). We have exposed hot-rolled and recrystallized tungsten to 65 or 80 eV helium ions with a flux of 0.5 × 1022 or 5 × 1022 He/m2s to total fluence from 0.6 × 1024 to 4 × 1024 He/m2 at a temperature of ≈1100 K. The results show that recrystallized tungsten samples exhibit a roughened surface morphology in certain grains with orientations close to , while hot-rolled tungsten samples still maintain the smooth surface under all helium-ion exposure conditions. All the samples exhibit relatively shallow helium bubble penetration (
The Importance of Health and Social Services Spending to Health Outcomes in Texas, 2010-2016.

Objectives Public health and social services spending have been shown to improve health outcomes at the county level, although there are significant state and regional variations in such spending. Texas offers an important opportunity for examining nuances in the patterns of association between local government health and social services spending and population health outcomes. The primary objectives of this study were to describe local investments in education, health, and social services at the county-area level for all of Texas from 2002 through 2012 and to examine how changes in local investment over time were associated with changes in health outcomes. Methods We used two large secondary data sources for this study. First, US Census Bureau data were used to measure annual spending by all local governments on public hospitals, community health care and public health, and >1 dozen social services. Second, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps data measured county health outcomes. We performed regression models to examine the association between increases in local government spending and a county's health outcomes ranking 4 years later. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models accounted for mean spending in each category, county health factors ranking, and county and state random effects. Results Local governments in Texas spent an average of $4717 per capita across all health and social services. Although spending was relatively consistent across 2002-2012, there was notable variation in spending across counties and services. Regression models found that changes in four spending categories were associated with significant improvements in health outcomes: fire and ambulance, community health care and public health, housing and community development, and libraries. For each, an additional one-time investment of $15 per capita was associated with a 1-spot improvement in statewide county health rankings within 4 years. Conclusions Existing evidence regarding the association between social services spending and health outcomes may not yield sufficiently granular data for policy makers within a single state. Investments in certain social services in Texas were associated with improvements in health outcomes, as measured by improvements in the County Health Rankings, in the years subsequent to spending increases. Similar analyses in other states and regions may yield actionable avenues for policy makers to improve population health.
Etiology and Pathology

The basic, or fundamental, cause of infantile spasms is unknown. It has been recognized for many years that children who have some degree of preexisting central nervous system dysfunction are at increased risk for developing this disorder within the first year of life. But, this is not invariably true, and a significant number of cases occur in children who have apparently developed normally until the time of onset. In this chapter, we consider the vast number of pathological conditions that have been identified as probable, or possible, etiological and predisposing factors. In most instances, it is not possible to determine with any degree of certainty whether or not a particular condition is causally related to the onset of infantile spasms, as opposed to simply coincidental. These issues are addressed again in Chapter 10, where evidence concerning the pathophysiological basis of the disorder is considered.
Titanium enhanced ignition and combustion of Al/I2O5 mesoparticle composites

Abstract Aluminum (Al) is widely used in thermites, and iodine pentoxide (I2O5) is a strong oxidizer that can release gas phase iodine. The result is a potentially very powerful and effective energetic composite with biocidal properties. However, the alumina coating on the Al presents a diffusion barrier that increases the ignition temperature. In this paper, nano titanium powders (nTi) were added at various mass ratios to Al/I2O5 and a composite mesoparticle was assembled by electrospray. Combustion studies showed that nano Ti can enhance the reactivity of Al/I2O5 thermites significantly with increases in pressure, pressurization rate and dramatic decreases in burn time. Part of this behavior can likely be attributed to less sintering enhancing the completeness of reaction in the Ti added cases. Addition of titanium to aluminum was found to have a significant impact on ignition and when Al is replaced with Ti, the ignition temperature was ∼300 °C below that of the corresponding aluminum thermite. These results show that titanium can be used as a fuel to tune energetic behavior and iodine release temperature and in some ways superior to aluminum.
Towards a real-time 3D vision-based micro-force sensing probe

This paper presents a vision-based micro-force sensing probe that is capable of μ N level force sensing in three dimensions. The sensor is mounted on a standard micromanipulation probe and can be easily integrated into many systems. It is low cost and reliable tool that can be specifically tailored for a desired application. Tests were conducted to demonstrate the accuracy of the system and to showcase some of its possible applications. An offline tracking algorithm was developed to evaluate the proposed technique. An online algorithm was developed that uses selective color tracking to allow for real-time micro-force feedback at speeds of up to 28 Hz. It is capable of achieving sub-μ N force resolution, with a range of 186 μ N and an average accuracy of 2.41% in real-time. Two case studies using the vision-based micro-force sensing probe were performed to demonstrate the efficacy of the system.
Interfacial toughness: dependence on surface roughness and test temperature

Interfacial toughness quantifies resistance to crack growth along an interface and in this investigation the toughness of an aluminum/epoxy interface was measured as a function of surface roughness and test temperature. The large strain response of the relatively ductile epoxy adhesive used in this study was also characterized. This epoxy adhesive exhibits intrinsic strain-softening after initial compressive yield and then deforms plastically at a roughly constant flow stress until it rapidly hardens at large compressive strains. We find that interface toughness scales as the product of the temperature dependent epoxy yield strength and a length scale that characterizes surface roughness. The proposed scaling is based upon dimensional considerations of a model problem that assumes that the characteristic length scale of both the roughness and the crack-tip yield zone is small relative to the region dominated by the linear elastic asymptotic crack-tip stress field. Furthermore, the model assumes that interfacial failure occurs only after the epoxy begins to harden at large strains. The proposed relationship is validated by our interfacial toughness measurements.
Electrical Activity of the Heart

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on electrical activity of the heart. Clinical electrocardiogram (ECG) values may permit intuitive hunches regarding the possibilities of a subject having one of several diseases. However, despite the usual care spent on their study in clinical practice, cardiac electrical data alone are insufficient to differentiate clinical disease precisely. All commercial electrocardiographic machines have a low-frequency response close to 10 Hz. Dawson analyzed the results of a system that does not faithfully record low frequencies to 5 Hz. It was shown that the system filters out low-frequency waves like the T and, depending on their voltage, lets the rapid portions of waves pass. A electrocardiographic amplifier's overall time constant should be 1.3–1.5 s to maintain undistorted low-frequency records. Raising the lower limit of the frequency band used in recording reduces the time constant. As the lower limit of the frequency band used is raised, attenuating the lower frequencies, less and less base-line shift is seen.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms and Comorbidity in Emerging Adults

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to grow in prevalence each passing year. As more children are diagnosed, it makes sense that the emerging adult and adult population with ASD also will continue to grow. Although the body of research is quite large for children with ASD, the literature for emerging adults with ASD is sparse in comparison. The current study aimed to extend existing literature further by beginning to explore the realm of emerging adulthood. Specifically, the study investigated the presence of comorbid psychiatric symptoms in emerging adults who also presented with ASD symptoms as measured by the Adult Self-Report (Rescorla and Achenbach in The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) for ages 18 to 90 years. The use of psychological testing for treatment planning and outcomes assessment: volume 3: instruments for adults, 3rd edn. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, pp 115-152, 2004). Emerging adults were categorized as having normal, mild, moderate, or severe levels of ASD symptoms and were compared for the presence of comorbid psychiatric symptoms. Overall, results suggested that emerging adults who presented with greater ASD symptom severity were more likely to experience the presence of additional co- morbid symptoms.
“We Take EVERYONE”: Perceptions of External Assessment and Accountability at the Community College

Assessment, accountability, and transparency represent a greater focus than ever in higher education. Community colleges are not exempt from these requirements, though they are overlooked in the cr...
The brief resilience scale is associated with pre- and short-term postoperative outcomes following hip arthroscopy:

Background:Despite improving diagnostic and surgical techniques, some patients do not respond as well as others following hip arthroscopy. In most musculoskeletal studies, predictors for surgical o...
Variational Deep Knowledge Tracing for Language Learning

Deep Knowledge Tracing (DKT), which traces a student’s knowledge change using deep recurrent neural networks, is widely adopted in student cognitive modeling. Current DKT models only predict a student’s performance based on the observed learning history. However, a student’s learning processes often contain latent events not directly observable in the learning history, such as partial understanding, making slips, and guessing answers. Current DKT models fail to model this kind of stochasticity in the learning process. To address this issue, we propose Variational Deep Knowledge Tracing (VDKT), a latent variable DKT model that incorporates stochasticity into DKT through latent variables. We show that VDKT outperforms both a sequence-to-sequence DKT baseline and previous SoTA methods on MAE, F1, and AUC by evaluating our approach on two Duolingo language learning datasets. We also draw various interpretable analyses from VDKT and offer insights into students’ stochastic behaviors in language learning.
Injuries Sustained During Incarceration Among Prisoners.

Abstract Background The U.S. prison population has increased substantially in recent years, and violent injury is common among prisoners. We sought to describe injury patterns and other characteristics of prisoners who presented to a trauma center after injury. Because penetrating trauma from an improvised weapon (e.g., shank) is frequent, we also sought to compare characteristics and outcomes of prisoners and non-prisoners who sustained an anterior abdominal stab or shank wound (AASW). Methods We analyzed injured adult prisoners who presented to a Level 1 trauma center between February, 2011, and April, 2017. We described characteristics of the injured prisoners and their hospitalizations. We compared prisoners who sustained an AASW to a random sample of non-prisoners with the same mechanism of injury using the chi-square test, Student's t-test, and logistic and Poisson regression. Results Of 14,461 hospitalized injured adults, 299 (2.0%) were injured while incarcerated. 185 (62%) encounters involved interpersonal violence and 36 prisoners (12%) presented with self-inflicted injuries. 98 (33%) had a psychiatric disorder. Among 33 prisoners and 66 non-prisoners who sustained an AASW, prisoners were less likely to have undergone a laparotomy [14/33 (42%) vs 44/66 (67%); RR 0.64 (95% CI 0.41-0.98)] or sustained an injury requiring operative intervention [2/33 (6%) vs 23/66 (35%); RR 0.17 (95% CI 0.04-0.69)]. Conclusions Many injured prisoners have psychiatric illness, are involved in interpersonal violence, or harm themselves. Among hospitalized patients, abdominal stab/shank wounds sustained in prison are less likely to result in significant injuries or operative intervention than similar wounds in non-prisoners.
Spatial and vertical distribution of metals in sediment cores from Río Espíritu Santo estuary, Puerto Rico, United States.

The concentration and distribution of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were investigated in three sediment cores representing 100-150years of accumulation in upriver, midriver, and estuarine environments in Rio Espiritu Santo (RES), Puerto Rico. Grain-size distribution, organic matter and carbonate content were determined to assess their influence on metal concentrations. Minimum biotoxicity levels of Ni and Cu were exceeded in the upriver and midriver sites, while the minimum biotoxicity level of Cu was exceeded in the estuarine location. Pb concentration decreased by ~35% in the upper portion of the midriver and estuarine cores compared to downcore concentrations as a consequence of leaded gasoline regulation. Enrichment Factors and Geoaccumulation Indices were calculated for each metal revealing high levels of Cu in all three cores, likely from an igneous source. Our results provide a baseline for metal contamination in an area facing further land use change.
Proteincarbohydrate interaction : Part XXI. The interaction of concanavalin a with d-fructans

Abstract The immunochemical techniques of quantitative precipitation and hapten inhibition have been employed in a study of the interaction of concanavalin A with several levans of bacterial and plant origin. Of the polysaccharides that form a precipitate with concanavalin A (dextrans, d -mannans, glycogens, amylopectins, and levans), levans appear to be the least reactive. Hapten-inhibition studies were conducted with a wide variety of compounds containing a furanoid ring. As a generalization, it may now be stated that all sugars containing the 1,4-anhydro- d -arabinitol moiety can bind to the active sites of concanavalin A. Because evidence from this laboratory suggests that the interaction of concanavalin A with reactive polysaccharides occurs at the same binding sites of the protein, reaction with levans may be rationalized on the basis of common configurational features. The disposition of the hydroxyl groups on C-3, C-4, and C-6 (or C-1, C-3, and C-4) of the β- d -fructofuranosyl moeity, which is the residue that occurs at chain ends of levans, is similar to that on C-3, C-4, and C-6 of the α- d -glucopyranosyl moeity, the sugar residue found at the chain ends of α- d -glucans.
The effects of surgical and chemical lesions on striatal [3H]threo-(+/-)-methylphenidate binding: correlation with [3H]dopamine uptake.

The specific binding of [3H]threo-(±)-methylphenidate to membranes prepared from rat striatum was significantly reduced following either surgical lesions of the medial forebrain bundle or intracerebroventricular administration of 6-hydroxydopamine. The decrease in the density of [3H]threo-(±)-methylphenidate binding sites in striatum following chemical or surgical denervation was highly correlated with the decrease in [3H]dopamine uptake. In contrast, intracerebroventricular administration of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine, AF64A, or chronic parenteral administration of reserpine did not alter either the number or apparent affinity of [3H]threo-(±)-methylphenidate binding sites. These data suggest that the specific binding sites for [3H]threo-(±)-methylphenidate in striatum are localized to dopaminergic nerve terminals, and may be associated with the dopamine transport complex.
The essence of logic circuits

Introduction boolean algebra applied to logic circuits designing combinational logic circuits combinational logic circuits in regular forms symmetric and iterative circuits sequential logic circuits software tools. Appendices.