cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyperuricemia and Associated Diseases

After introduction of urate-lowering therapy, asympotomatic hyperuricemia was treated with allopurinol or uricosuric agents in the belief that hyperuricemia and/or gout caused chronic kidney disease. Epidemiologic studies in the 1970s, however, failed to confirm the view that hyperuricemia and gout were independent risk factors for chronic kidney disease. As a result, urate-lowering pharmacotherapy is generally not recommended at the present time in the management of asymptomatic hyperuricemia even though recent epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies have prompted reexamination of a causal role for hyperuricemia (with or without gout) in chronic kidney disease as well as other important disorders including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. The issue of such a role remains unresolved and this article reviews the current status of the relationship between hyperuricemia and associated disorders.
Effectiveness of methadone treatment for heroin addiction

Regarding Byford et al ’s paper,[1][1] the authors present an analysis of the results of the Randomised Injectable Opiate Treatment Trial (RIOTT).[2][2] Participants of RIOTT were very few in number - fewer than 45 individuals in each of the three arms of the study (injectable heroin, injectable
Effects of 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe Particles on Longevity, Carcinogenesis and Neuromotor Ability in Atm-Deficient Mice

Abstract As therapeutic uses of high-LET radiation become more prevalent and human space exploration continues to be a focus of NASA, it is important to understand the biological effects of high-LET radiation and the role of genetics in sensitivity to high-LET radiation. To study genetic susceptibility to radiation, we used mice deficient in Atm activity (AtmΔSRI). ATM is important in DNA repair, apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Although homozygous mutations in ATM are rare, the prevalence of ATM heterozygosity is estimated to be 1% and results in an increased cancer risk. We found that the effects of 1 Gy 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe particles on life span and tumorigenesis are genotype- and sex-specific. Significant effects of 1 Gy 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe particles on incidence of non-cancer end points were seen; however, 2 Gy 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe particles significantly affected neuromotor ability. Our results represent an extensive investigation into the late effects of high-LET radiation exposure in a sex- and ge...
Rho-kinase: a potential link between hypercholesterolemia and abnormal vascular smooth muscle contraction.

See related article, pages 299–306 Although elevated serum cholesterol levels and hypertension are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease, far too often they are manifested in the same individual.1 Whether this is a coincidental finding between 2 highly prevalent risk factors or perhaps because of some mechanistic link between these 2 processes is unclear. Regardless, the concomitant treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension has yielded additive and possibly synergistic reductions in cardiovascular events.2 Previous studies attempting to link hypercholesterolemia with abnormal vascular smooth muscle (SMC) contractions have focused on the endothelium. Hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis impair the production and/or availability of endothelium-derived NO, leading to endothelial dysfunction and abnormal vascular reactivity.3–5 Indeed, acute lowering of serum cholesterol with low-density lipoprotein-apheresis or with statin therapy improves endothelium-dependent relaxations.6–8 These findings suggest that the endothelium serves as the primary mediator of the inhibitory effect of hypercholesterolemia on vascular motor function. The direct effect of cholesterol on SMC, however, is less well understood as endothelium-independent vasorelaxations to nitroprusside are often unaltered in hypercholesterolemia or in patients with atherosclerosis.6,8,9 In the present study, Morikage et al extend the effects of …
Frontal EEG asymmetry and fear reactivity in different contexts at 10 months

Individual differences in observed and maternal-rated fear behaviors and frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry were examined in normally developing 10-month-old infants. EEG was recorded during resting baseline, as well as during stranger approach, mask presentation, and toy spider presentation. Mothers completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. For mask presentation, baseline and task right frontal EEG asymmetry as well as maternal ratings predicted fear behavior during the mask task. For stranger approach, task-related right frontal EEG asymmetry predicted fear behavior during stranger approach after controlling for baseline asymmetry. There was a trend for task-related right frontal EEG asymmetry to predict fear during presentation of a toy spider after controlling for baseline asymmetry. Maternal report of temperament only added unique variance to the prediction of one fear task after controlling for baseline and task EEG. Assessing fear in multiple situations revealed context-specific individual differences in infant fear.
The Feed Purchasing Power of the Eggs Produced by a Hen

Abstract The feed purchasing power of the eggs produced by a hen is of economic importance in determining the place poultry should play in a system of agriculture. Having the price of feed and eggs already determined, if one were to assume a certain egg production this relationship could be determined. In these calculations the prices for feed and eggs are the monthly farm prices as determined by the Missouri Office Bureau of Agricultural Economics, U. S. D. A. through the courtesy of Mr. E. A. Logan. The egg production values represent an eight year average of the Missouri Demonstration Farm Poultry Flocks. Table 1 shows these figures. THE PRICE OF FEED The average price of a pound of feed is the average price of a mixture of 5 pounds of corn, 3 pounds of wheat and 3 pounds of oats. Thus for January, 1927, While this combination would not be . . .
Ethological Action Maps: A Paradigm Shift for the Motor Cortex

The map of the body in the motor cortex is one of the most iconic images in neuroscience. The map, however, is not perfect. It contains overlaps, reversals, and fractures. The complex pattern suggests that a body plan is not the only organizing principle. Recently a second organizing principle was discovered: an action map. The motor cortex appears to contain functional zones, each of which emphasizes an ethologically relevant category of behavior. Some of these complex actions can be evoked by cortical stimulation. Although the findings were initially controversial, interest in the ethological action map has grown. Experiments on primates, mice, and rats have now confirmed and extended the earlier findings with a range of new methods.
Teaching Law Students to Practice Social Justice: An Interdisciplinary Search for Help through Social Work's Empowerment Approach

In clinical classes, students should learn that working toward social justice in their practice is both good and possible. After looking at the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct's lack of a clear definition of social justice and the way that this can hamper teaching students about social justice, this paper looks at social justice definitions from other professions and how social work in particular has demanded that their definition of social justice be actualized in practice. Discussing social work's "empowerment approach," the paper describes the way it develops social work's definition of social justice and demands that social workers practice toward it. The paper suggests ways that we can adapt the empowerment approach to law practice so that our students will develop a strong sense of social justice toward which they can strive and by which they can evaluate their work.
Redo sphincteroplasty: are the results sustainable?

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients who undergo redo sphincteroplasty (RS). Methods: Patients with fecal incontinence (FI) who underwent RS between November 1988 and December 2011 were retrospectively identified from a prospective database. A questionnaire and telephone survey assessed current Cleveland Clinic Fecal Incontinence Score (CCFFIS; best 0, worst 20) and Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life (FIQoL; best 4.1, worst 1) scale. Success was defined as no further continence surgery, no stoma and CCFFIS <9 at completion of follow-up. The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for comparing quantitative variables. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to identify predictive factors for success. Results: Fifty-six (66.7%) of 84 patients who underwent RS were available for evaluation at a median follow-up of 74 (range: 12–283) months. The mean CCFFIS decreased from 16.5 ± 3.7 to 11.9 ± 6.6 (P < 0.001) at last follow-up. Twelve patients (21.4%) underwent further continence surgery for failed sphincteroplasty, three (5.4%) of whom had a permanent stoma. Eighteen patients (32.1%) had a CCFFIS <9 at the completion of follow-up, and 16 (28.6%) had long-term success. Twenty-four patients evaluated for FIQoL had a mean value of 2.6 (range: 1.0–4.1). Postoperative CCFFIS was correlated with FIQoL (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = −0.854, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis did not reveal any significant predictive variables for success of RS. Conclusion: Based on our criteria for success, the long-term success rate for RS over a median of 74 months is poor.
DNA Zipper-Based Tweezers

Here we report the design and development of DNA zippers and tweezers. Essentially a zipper system consists of a normal strand (N), a weak strand (W), and an opening strand (O). N strand is made up of normal DNA bases, while W is engineered to have inosine substituting for guanine. By altering the number and order of inosine, W is engineered to provide less than natural bonding affinities to N in forming the [N:W] helix. When O is introduced (a natural complement of N), it competitively displaces W from [N:W] and forms [N:O]. This principle is incorporated in the development of a molecular device that can perform the functions of tweezers (sense, hold, and release). Tweezers were constructed by holding N and W together using a hinge at one end. Thus, when the tweezers open, N and W remain in the same vicinity. This allows the tweezers to cycle among open and close positions by their opening and closing strands. Control over their opening and closing kinetics is demonstrated. In contrast to the previously reported DNA tweezers, the zipper mechanism makes it possible to operate them with opening strands that do not contain single-stranded DNA overhangs. Our approach yields a robust, compact, and regenerative tweezer system that could potentially be integrated into complex nanomachines.
The effect of lifestyle interventions on quality of life and patient satisfaction with health and health care

Improvements in quality of life (QOL) and high levels of patient satisfaction are associated with cardiovascular risk reduction (CRR) programs. Understanding the influences that lifestyle change and medical management have on individuals, their families, and their environment can help target successful interventions that benefit both QOL and patient satisfaction. It is well known that multiple aspects of one's QOL can be affected by the development of coronary artery disease. Development of depressive symptoms and anxiety, along with declines in functional capacity and family and social functioning, has been reported. QOL is a dynamic continuum, relating to many aspects of one's life. Social relationships, financial situations, work-related issues, physical limitations, and intellectual challenges all play a role in determining QOL and satisfaction within the health care setting. Self-perception of how these factors negatively or positively influence one's QOL also exerts a strong influence. This article will review the influence of primary and secondary prevention programs on QOL and patient satisfaction.
Intended and unintended consequences of forced migrations : A neglected aspect of East Europe's twentieth century history

The article examines the consequences, thus far under-investigated in transnational migration studies, of forced population movements for the societies and cultures of the sending/expelling countries. The cases considered are immense forced migrations, involving over 80 million people, across and outside Eastern Europe during the twentieth century. The discussion focuses on the consequences of these involuntary movements in the public sphere, including effects on the collective (group) self-perceptions and representations of others (non-group) and inter- and intragroup relations ; on national/ethnic culture (collective memory, customs, value orientations); on domestic and international relations ; and on human resources (skills, abilities) and economic growth
Tuning the Production of Variable Length, Fluorescent Polyisoprenoids Using Surfactant-Controlled Enzymatic Synthesis

Bactoprenyl diphosphate (BPP), a two-E eight-Z configuration C55 isoprenoid, serves as a critical anchor for the biosynthesis of complex glycans central to bacterial survival and pathogenesis. BPP is formed by the polymerase undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase (UppS), which catalyzes the elongation of a single farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) with eight Z-configuration isoprene units from eight isopentenyl diphosphates. In vitro analysis of UppS and other polyprenyl diphosphate synthases requires the addition of a surfactant such as Triton X-100 to stimulate the release of the hydrophobic product from the enzyme for effective and efficient turnover. Here using a fluorescent 2-nitrileanilinogeranyl diphosphate analogue of FPP, we have found that a wide range of surfactants can stimulate release of product from UppS and that the structure of the surfactant has a major impact on the lengths of products produced by the protein. Of particular importance, shorter chain surfactants promote the release of isoprenoids w...
On the Legal and Illegal Behavior of the Regulated Firm

This article develops a simple model of a firm's privately optimal choice of the degree to which it will abide with regulations. The model allows for the firm to disguise its illegal actions in order to avoid detection and to expend resources to mitigate possible punishment for violations. Both price and quantity type regulatory schemes are considered. Under quantity regulation noncompliance increases the total amount of the regulated activity and distorts efficiency in production. Price regulation, on the other hand, introduces a kind of dichotomy between the real production plan of the firm and its illegal activity. Even though price regulations are substantially evaded, the total amount of the regulated activity remains unchanged, and the firm continues to produce efficiently.
The Use of Big Data Analytics by the IRS: Efficient Solution or the End of Privacy as We Know it?

This paper examines the privacy issues resulting from the IRS’s big data analytics program as well as the potential violations of federal law. Although historically, the IRS chose tax returns to audit based on internal mathematical mistakes or mismatches with third party reports (such as W-2s), the IRS is now engaging in data mining of public and commercial data pools (including social media) and creating highly detailed profiles of taxpayers upon which to run data analytics. We argue that current IRS practices, mostly unknown to the general public are violating fair information practices. This lack of transparency and accountability not only violates federal law regarding the government’s data collection activities and use of predictive algorithms, but may also result in discrimination. While the potential efficiencies that big data analytics provides may appear to be a panacea for the IRS’s budget woes, unchecked, these activities are a significant threat to privacy. Other concerns regarding the IRS’s entree into big data are raised including the potential for political targeting, data breaches, and the misuse of such information. This article is intended to bring attention to these privacy concerns and contribute to the academic and policy discussions about the risks presented by the IRS’s data collection, mining and analytics activities.
Legal and ethical issues related to rural school mental health

In rural school settings mental health professionals encounter a range of legal and ethical dilemmas. Some of these include having to manage multiple role relationships, practice within one’s competence while also attempting to meet the myriad needs of students, and maintain privacy and confidentiality in a close-knit community. Additionally, rural school mental health professionals must be knowledgeable of laws that impact rural school mental health. Some of these laws purport to expand service access and coverage and others govern school-based service delivery to remediate deficits, disabilities, and other unmet needs. Consistent with the aim of helping rural school mental health professionals expand the scope of their practice, this chapter first discusses ways to overcome barriers of rural school mental health. Secondly, legal and ethical dilemmas that commonly are experienced in rural school settings are reviewed. Lastly, situations in which laws and ethical principles occasionally conflict are discussed.
Depression following traumatic brain injury in mice is associated with down-regulation of hippocampal astrocyte glutamate transporters by thrombin:

Depression after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common but the mechanisms by which TBI causes depression are unknown. TBI decreases glutamate transporters GLT-1 and GLAST and allows extravasation ...
Thermal-conductivity anisotropy of single-crystal Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8.

We have measured the out-of-plane (c-axis) thermal conductivity ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\kappa}}}_{\mathit{c}}$ of single-crystal ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ from room temperature to 40 K. In contrast to the previously measured in-plane thermal conductivity ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\kappa}}}_{\mathit{a}\mathit{b}}$,${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\kappa}}}_{\mathit{c}}$ appears to be phonon dominated and shows no dramatic anomaly at the superconducting transition temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. In the normal state above ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, the electrical conductivity anisotropy ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{a}\mathit{b}}$/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{c}}$ is of order ${10}^{4}$ and is strongly temperature dependent, while ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\kappa}}}_{\mathit{a}\mathit{b}}$/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\kappa}}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}6, independent of temperature. Our results suggest an important role played by defect scattering in the c-axis transport mechanism of ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{8}$.
UV Curable Silicone Release Coatings

A background discussion of silicone release coatings is presented with particular emphasis on photolytically cured systems. The effects of additives on release, surface tension, and network structure are discussed. The results of a study using the SIMS depth profiling technique to locate additives in cured formulations are presented.
Self-Monitoring of Mistakes Among Subjects High and Low in Perfectionistic Concern over Mistakes

Subjects high and low in perfectionistic concern over mistakes (CM; Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990) monitored their mistakes daily to test several hypotheses about the nature of mistakes among perfectionists. High-CM subjects did not report a greater number of mistakes, nor were the mistakes reported by high- and low-CM subjects different in quality, based on ratings by independent judges. However, there were differences in personal reactions to mistakes, perceptions of the seriousness of mistakes, beliefs about other peoples' reactions to mistakes, and rumination about mistakes. High-CM subjects reacted more strongly and more negatively to their mistakes. The specific nature of these findings and implications for cognitive-behavioral treatment of perfectionism are discussed.
On the interactions of Ti2AlC, Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2 and Cr2AlC with palladium at 900 °C

Abstract Herein we report on the reactivity between palladium, Pd, and the MAX phases, Ti2AlC, Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2 and Cr2AlC. Diffusion couples of Pd/MAX were heated to 900 °C under uniaxial stress of ∼20 MPa for 2, 4, and 10 h in a vacuum (
Molecular analysis of selective gas adsorption within composites of ionic polyimides and ionic liquids as gas separation membranes

Abstract The CO2 separation characteristics of ionic polyimides (i-PIs) are modeled using molecular dynamics simulations in combination with grand canonical Monte Carlo calculations. The performance of neat i-PI systems is evaluated, as well as composite structures containing both i-PIs and various ionic liquids (ILs). The i-PI + IL composites are based on combinations of 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C4mim+]) cations with three common molecular anions: (bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Tf2N−]), tetrafluoroborate ([BF4−]), and hexafluorophosphate ([PF6−]). It is found that 50 mol% IL inclusion can increase CO2/CH4 selectivity by 16% in [BF4−]-based materials and by 36% in [PF6−]-based materials from mixtures of 5% CO2/95% CH4. While the [BF4−]-based system shows higher CO2/CH4 selectivity, the [Tf2N−]-based system shows higher CO2/N2 gas selectivity. A comprehensive structural analysis (fractional free volume (FFV), pore size distribution, surface area, etc.) is used to highlight the underlying differences among the different i-PI + IL systems that lead to the different adsorption properties.
The Runabout

This paper presents a variation of the visitor pattern which allows programmers to write visitor-like code in a concise way. The Runabout is a library extension that adds a limited form of multi-dispatch to Java. While the Runabout is not as expressive as a general multiple dispatching facility, the Runabout can be significantly faster than existing implementations of multiple dispatch for Java, such as MultiJava. Unlike MultiJava, the Runabout does not require changes to the syntax and the compiler. This paper illustrates how to use the Runabout, details its implementation and provides benchmarks comparing its performance with other approaches. Furthermore, the effect of an automatic static program transformation tool that translates bytecode using the Runabout to equivalent bytecode is evaluated. The tool uses double dispatch and runtime-type checks to achieve the same semantics that the Runabout has. The performance comparisons on large benchmarks that make extensive use of multiple dispatch show that using the Runabout does not result in a significant loss of performance for realistic applications and that, depending on the application and platform, small performance gains are also possible. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Field-Aware Parameterization for 3D Painting

We present a two-phase method that generates a near-isometric parameterization using a local chart of the surface while still being aware of the geodesic metric. During the first phase, we utilize a novel method that approximates polar coordinates to obtain a preliminary parameterization as well as the gradient of the geodesic field. For the second phase, we present a new optimization that generates a near isometric parameterization while considering the gradient field, allowing us to generate high quality parameterizations while keeping the geodesic information. This local parameterization is applied in a view-dependent 3D painting system, providing a local adaptive map computed at interactive rates.
Constructing desirable brides: Membership categorization, medium of education, and arranged marriages

Abstract This paper utilizes Membership Categorization Analysis (MCA) and Conversation Analysis (CA) to examine the entwined relationships among interaction, storytelling, and membership categorization. While demonstrating how a storytelling event in a qualitative research interview and the categories constructed within it are skillfully wielded by the teller to meet interactional exigencies, this single case analysis shows how members do culture-in-action (Hester and Eglin 1997) related to arranged marriage negotiations in the Indian context. A close examination of the emic categories produced in the interview reveals how the interactants collaboratively co-construct the social structures surrounding arranged marriages and the notion of ‘desirable’ brides. Illustrating the salience of medium-of-education (MoE) in these emic constructions of desirable brides, the analysis reveals the marginalization of Hindi-medium-educated (HME) women in the arranged marriage sphere.
Baseline Sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea Isolates from Strawberry to Isofetamid Compared to other SDHIs.

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) are the fungicides most commonly used to control Botrytis fruit rot on commercial strawberry in Florida. The medium-to-high risk of selection of resistanc...
Exchange bias and inverted hysteresis in monolithic oxide films by structural gradient

In the double-exchange model, it is assumed that flattening the bond angles would result in larger electron hopping and in turn higher Curie temperature. In this work, the authors show atomic-scale imaging accompanied by detail magnetic characterization that shows the opposite, where the higher bond angle leads to higher Curie temperature.
The Pedagogy of I-LEARN

This chapter presents a series of research-based vignettes that highlight the promise of an inquiry pedagogy based in the I-LEARN model. The vignettes describe how teachers at five levels—early childhood, elementary school, middle school, high school, and college—used the model to foster their students’ ability to learn with information. A kindergarten teacher used I-LEARN to introduce “the basics” about what counts as an information source. A fourth-grade teacher used it to develop her students’ ability to use a range of digital and other sources to investigate locally sourced healthy food. A middle-school teacher used the model to guide his students to discover how communities outside the United States are tackling significant social problems similar to ones his students faced in their own neighborhood. A high-school teacher used it to help his students explore how European colonization in earlier centuries left a legacy of social stratification in today’s world. And a university instructor used it to encourage her graduate students to support one another as they identified scholarly sources for their thesis papers. These vignettes demonstrate how using the I-LEARN model can illuminate the key stages and processes of learning with information so learners of all ages can successfully engage with information for their own purposes.
Aristotelian Naturalism and the Challenge from Reason

Aristotelian naturalism holds that our human life-form is the source of normativity for human action. My goal in this essay is to clarify a particular kind of challenge to this claim. The challenge I have in mind arises from the suspicion that Aristotelian naturalism does not square with certain fundamental features of rational agency. Most of the essay is spent attempting to understand the challenge; at the end, I propose some ways that the naturalist might develop a response.
Meta-Analysis of Memory-Focused Training and Multidomain Interventions in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND Meta-analysis examining the efficacy of cognitive interventions on neuropsychological outcomes have suggested interventions that focus on memory may actually provide greater benefit against the cognitive declines associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, it remains unclear if memory-based training would be more effective at addressing the cognitive deficits associated with MCI than multidomain forms of intervention. OBJECTIVE A meta-analytic review and subgroup analysis was conducted to examine the effects of cognitive training in individuals diagnosed with MCI and to compare the efficacy of memory-based training with multidomain interventions. METHODS A total of 32 randomized controlled trials met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis, which included 9 studies on memory-focused training and 17 studies on multidomain interventions. RESULTS We found significant, large effects for memory-focused training (Hedges' g observed = 0.947; 95% CI [-1.668, 3.562]; Z = 2.517; p = 0.012) and significant, moderate effects for multidomain interventions (Hedges' g observed = 0.420; 95% CI [-0.4491, 1.2891]; Z = 3.525; p < 0.001). A subgroup analysis found significant point estimates for memory-based forms of training and multidomain interventions, with memory-based forms of content yielding significantly greater summary effects than multidomain interventions (SMD Z = 2.162; p = 0.031, two-tailed; all outcomes). There was no difference between effect sizes when comparing outcomes limited to its respective domain. CONCLUSION Overall, these findings suggest that, while both interventions were beneficial, treatment interventions that were strictly memory-based were more effective at improving cognition in individuals diagnosed with MCI than interventions that targeted multiple cognitive domains.
State Estimation of Networked Control Systems Corrupted by Unknown Input and Output Sparse Errors

A novel observer architecture is proposed for networked control systems corrupted by unknown sparse errors between the controller and the sensors and between the actuators and the controller. The source of the unknown sparse errors could be malicious packet drops or disturbances. The sparse error between the controller and the sensors is recovered using a novel output sensor error estimator architecture. The sparse error between the actuators and the controller can be estimated using two proposed unknown input estimators. A combined approximator and the unknown input observer (UIO) architecture forms the observer to estimate the state of the plant corrupted by unknown sparse errors simultaneously at the plant's inputs and outputs. The observer design is formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The proposed observer can be used to construct a combined controller-observer compensator for a given networked system. It can also be used to detect an isolate sensor and actuator faults.
Perioperative Immunization for Splenectomy and the Surgeon's Responsibility: A Review.

Importance Patients who have had splenectomy have a lifelong risk of overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI), a condition associated with high mortality rates. Surgeons must be aware of the rationale of vaccination in the case of splenectomy, to provide appropriate immunization in the perioperative time. Observations English-language articles published from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2019, were retrieved from MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Randomized clinical trials as well as systematic reviews and observational studies were considered. Asplenia yields an impairment of both innate and adaptive immunity, thus increasing the risk of severe encapsulated bacterial infections. Current epidemiology of OPSI ranges from 0.1% to 8.5% but is hard to ascertain because of ongoing shifts in patients' baseline conditions and vaccine penetration. Despite the lack of randomized clinical trials, immunization appears to be effective in reducing OPSI incidence. Unfortunately, vaccination coverage is still suboptimal, with a great variability in vaccination rates being reported across institutions and time frames. Notably, current guidelines do not advocate any particular health care qualification responsible for vaccine prescription or administration. Given the dearth of high-level basic science or clinical evidence, the optimal vaccination timing and the need for booster doses are not yet well established. Although almost all guidelines indicate to not administer vaccines within 14 days before and after surgery, most data suggest that immunization might be effective even in the immediate perioperative time, thus placing the surgeon in a primary position for vaccine delivery. Furthermore, revaccination schedules are the target of ongoing debates, since a vaccine-driven hyporesponsiveness has been postulated. Conclusions and relevance In patients who have undergone splenectomy, OPSI might be effectively prevented by proper immunization. Surgeons have the primary responsibility for achieving adequate, initial immunization in the setting of both planned and urgent splenectomy.
A Multiscale Modeling Study to Assess Impacts of Full-Flight Aircraft Emissions on Upper Troposphere and Surface Air Quality

Aviation is a unique anthropogenic source with 4-dimensional varying emissions, emitting 90 % of their emissions in upper troposphere at cruise altitudes (9–12 km). Aircraft emissions budgets in upper troposphere lower stratosphere (UTLS) region and their potential impacts on upper troposphere and surface air quality are not well understood. The key objective of this study is to characterize the aircraft emissions during full-flight activity in regional and hemispheric modeling scales, and assess their impacts on upper tropospheric chemistry and surface air quality. Using detailed spatio-temporal characterization of aircraft emissions along with other background emissions in the modeling domains, we studied incremental impacts of aircraft emissions focusing mainly on O3, NOx and PM2.5 species. Comparison of modeling results with aircraft measurements showed improvement of model performance due to enhanced modeling platform and consideration of cruise altitude aviation emissions in the upper troposphere.
The Intersection of Stakeholder, Educator, and Community Support for Distance Education Doctoral Education Students

As distance education (DE) enrollment grows and distance education EdD programs continue to see high rates of attrition, a deliberate look at persistence in DE EdD programs is needed. A qualitative grounded theory study of DE EdD students, alumni, non-persisters, faculty, and deans (N = 59) identified support from the student’s institution, department, faculty, peers, and family as crucial for the success and persistence of DE EdD students. Because not all of the identified supports are from within the institution, institutions should consider how to open the lines of communication and collaboration between the parties who support DE EdD students for the sake of the student, their family, institution, and community.
Redefining Exposure: Using Mobile Technology and Geospatial Analysis to Explore When and Where Chicago Adolescents are Exposed to Neighborhood Characteristics.

Differences in how individuals navigate and interact with physical space have clear implications for when and where they are exposed to environmental characteristics. To address this reality, we propose and test a novel method with a sample of Chicago adolescents that links individual GPS coordinates with locations of environmental characteristics as a strategy to increase precision in the measurement of environmental exposures. We use exposure to violent crime as an example and link the GPS coordinates of 51 youth collected over a one-week period during the summer of 2016 to locations and times of violent crime. We explore different spatial and temporal parameters to determine whether an exposure occurred. Using the 660-foot (201 m), 24-hour operationalization, we found that youth were exposed to a total of 126 violent crimes, with an average of 3.82 (SD = 3.24) per respondent. This was higher than the 12 that were identified when exposure was calculated as the number of violent crimes occurring within 660 feet (201 m) of youths' residential addresses during the week-long assessment period. Examining correlations between the different exposure variables and measures of youths' psychological functioning, we found the largest relationships when using the GPS-based indices. We present a strategy for measuring exposure to environmental characteristics using GPS data. Higher rates of crime exposure are found based on GPS coordinates than with residential address. GPS-based exposure measures are related to youths' psychological functioning.
Application of a Simple, Spiking, Locally Competitive Algorithm to Radionuclide Identification

Many radionuclide identification algorithms use statistical inference to collect a variety of features from gamma-ray spectra to deduce the presence of particular radionuclides. More modern algorithms require large amounts of data to learn and use latent features from spectra for classification. Both approaches are computationally expensive, which is reflected in their power consumption, and require large amounts of user intervention to prepare. In this article, we introduce a low-power, neuromorphic algorithm for the real-time identification of radionuclides which simultaneously considers the entire shape of a gamma-ray spectrum. Utilizing the output of a traditional gamma-ray detector, our spiking, locally competitive algorithm uses sparse coding optimization to compare global patterns in a gamma-ray spectrum with a dictionary of radionuclide templates. This approach allows us to model informative global features resulting from both photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering. For the purpose of radiation threat reduction, the dictionary consists of data from the Nuclear Wallet Cards, a list of radionuclides and their properties compiled by the National Nuclear Data Center. To test our algorithm, we use a variety of gamma-ray spectra created using radionuclides measured under laboratory conditions with varying durations, distances, activity levels, and backgrounds, resulting in a wide range of signal-to-noise ratios. We have created test sets for three different gamma-ray detector types, with 57Co, 137Cs, 152Eu, 60Co, 239Pu, and 235U sources, to quantify the effect of resolution, efficiency, and background on the accuracy of the algorithm. We demonstrate a true positive accuracy of 91% with a high-resolution detector and 89% with a low-resolution detector on the corresponding test sets. Experimenting with the same radionuclides included in the test sets in a variety of special nuclear material (SNM) masking configurations, we show that our algorithm is capable of correctly identifying both SNM and mask even when the activity level of the mask is several times higher than that of the SNM. We also determine that our algorithm achieves over a 99% reduction in power consumption over other radionuclide identification software applications, which is critical for long-term, independent monitoring and is the goal of this research.
The Effects of Desk Cycles in Elementary Children’s Classroom Physical Activity: A Feasibility Study

Children who are overweight or obese exhibit a significant number of health concerns and are more likely to exhibit mental health and academic-related concerns. Thus, finding ways in schools to hel...
Prior aerosol infection with lineage A SARS-CoV-2 variant protects hamsters from disease, but not reinfection with B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant

The circulation of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs). It is currently unclear whether previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides protection against reinfection with VOCs. Here, we show that low dose aerosol exposure to hCoV-19/human/USA/WA-CDC-WA1/2020 (WA1, lineage A), resulted in a productive mild infection. In contrast, low dose of SARS-CoV-2 via fomites did not result in productive infection in the majority of exposed hamsters and these animals remained non-seroconverted. After recovery, hamsters were re-exposed to hCoV-19/South African/KRISP-K005325/2020 (VOC B.1.351) via an intranasal challenge. Seroconverted rechallenged animals did not lose weight and shed virus for 3 days. They had little infectious virus and no pathology in the lungs. In contrast, shedding, weight loss and extensive pulmonary pathology caused by B.1.351 replication was observed in the non-seroconverted animals. The rechallenged seroconverted animals did not transmit virus to naive sentinels via direct contact transmission, in contrast to the non-seroconverted animals. Reinfection with B.1.351 triggered an anamnestic response that boosted not only neutralizing titers against lineage A, but also titers against B.1.351. Our results confirm that aerosol exposure is a more efficient infection route than fomite exposure. Furthermore, initial infection with SARS-CoV-2 lineage A does not prevent heterologous reinfection with B.1.351 but prevents disease and onward transmission. These data suggest that previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure induces partial protective immunity. The reinfection generated a broadly neutralizing humoral response capable of effectively neutralizing B.1.351 while maintaining its ability to neutralize the virus to which the initial response was directed against.
Hospice Autopsy Trends Among Patients With Cancer.

Purpose/objective(s) Given increasing emphasis on end of life quality metrics including respecting patient values and dying with dignity in a patient's choice location, the number of patients with cancer who die in hospice instead of an inpatient facility is steadily rising. When a terminal patient is transferred to a hospice facility, the assumption is made that both the patient and the family understand the disease course and prognosis. However, each year there are patients with cancer who die in a hospice facility who receive an autopsy. We sought to evaluate the characteristics of those that undergo an autopsy after hospice death. Materials/methods CDC WONDER contains death certificate data for all US counties and is maintained by the National Center for Health Statistics. All cancer deaths from 2003- 2019 were evaluated and demographic data was captured. Hospice death as well as autopsy status were noted. Chi-square tests compared variables and linear regression assessed for changes in trends. Results From 2003 through 2019, a total of 12,042,519 cancer deaths occurred. Of these deaths, 888,194 were patients who died in a hospice facility with yearly deaths increasing from 3,209 in 2003 (0.57% of cancer deaths) to 84,868 in 2019 (14.2% of cancer deaths) (significant trend P 0.05). Lung cancer was the most common cancer type of hospice autopsy (22.4%), cancer of unknown primary was the second most common cancer type (8.8%). Conclusion Autopsies among patients with cancer who died while in hospice have decreased by more than 50% since 2003, although over 200 still receive autopsies every year. Decreasing autopsy trends likely relate to improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and are consistent with trends in other diseases. As autopsies after hospice death suggest unresolved questions or burden on patient families, it is important to improve communication, shared decision making, and ease end of life transitions for the entire family unit so that autopsies after hospice death continue to decrease.
Unsymmetrical Bending of Prestressed Annular Plates

The boundary layer technique of matched asymptotic expansions is used to obtain a solution for the deflection of a highly prestressed thin annular plate. The plate is fixed at the outer boundary and has a central rigid inclusion that is rotated out of the plane of the plate. The exact solution is also derived, and it is shown that the boundary layer solution compares favorably with the exact solution.
The Brace Scale Used with Young Children

(1942). The Brace Scale Used with Young Children. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 299-308.
Ballistic Characteristics of Shot Shell Buffer

Many modern buckshot and larger diameter bird shot shotgun shells currently contain granulated plastic shot buffer. The presence of granulated buffer at a shooting scene provides valuable and immediate evidence of the general type of weapon and ammunition used. The ballistic characteristics of the buffer however are not commonly known but could be helpful in determining range of fire. Using felt targets and various types of 12 gauge shotguns and ammunition (2¾ in. shells), we discovered adherent buffer on the targets up to 20 ft (6.1 m) from the muzzle. Surprisingly, buffer would penetrate light cotton cloth (white T-shirt) at ranges up to or nearly up to the maximum range of adherent buffer on the plain felt targets. The diameter of buffer spread was up to 9 to 10 times that of the pellet spread. The buffer distribution diameter peaked at 3.3 ft (1.0 m) between the 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3.1 m) range of fire and remained roughly constant at 28 in. (.7 m) throughout the buffer adherence range beyond 10 ft. Along the ground buffer was demonstrated up to 30 ft (9.2 m) from the muzzle but was concentrated in the 12 to 22 ft (3.7 to 6.7 m) range. Buffer clearly could be deposited on objects not struck by pellets. The presence of buffer, but not its distribution diameter, was helpful in determining range of fire.
Genetic and Biochemical Studies of Partially Active Tryptophan Synthetase Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Approximately 20% of the tryptophan synthetase mutants (tr5) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae retain activity in one of the half reactions catalyzed by this enzyme and have been identified as indole-accumulating or indole-utilizing tr5 mutants by complementation tests. Ten indole-accumulating and six indole-utilizing mutants have been studied. For the half reactions they catalyze, these partially active mutants have from about one-half to twice the specific activities of the wild-type enzyme. Indole-accumulating mutant enzymes showed varying responses to pyridoxal phosphate and serine in the assay mixture. The partially active mutants were further characterized by their patterns of allelic complementation and their distribution on the fine-structure map of the locus. It was concluded that these mutants define two distinct functional regions of the tr5 locus, corresponding to the two half reactions.
Evolutionary Algorithms for Vertex Cover

This paper reports work investigating various evolutionary approaches to vertex cover (VC), a well-known NP-Hard optimization problem. Central to each of the algorithms is a novel encoding scheme for VC and related problems that treats each chromosome as a binary decision diagram. As a result, the encoding allows only a (guaranteed optimal) subset of feasible solutions. The encoding also incorporates features of a powerful traditional heuristic for VC that allow initial evolutionary algorithm (EA) populations to be seeded in known promising regions of the search space. The resulting EAs have displayed exceptionally strong empirical performance on various vertex cover, independent set, and maximum clique problem classes.
Interspecific comparisons of the size of neural song control regions and song complexity in duetting birds: evolutionary implications

Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between song repertoire size and volume of song control regions (SCRs) in the brains of songbirds. In the present study we demonstrate that 2 congeneric species of tropical duetting wrens, the rufous-and-white wren (Thryothorus rufalbus) and the bay wren (T. nigricapillus), share the same relationship between SCR volume and vocal complexity. In each species, females sing in elaborate duets with males. Males of these species have similar song repertoire sizes; there is no significant difference between heterospecific males in the volumes of SCRs. Female rufous-and-white wrens have less than half as large a song repertoire as female bay wrens, and all of their SCRs measured are significantly smaller than those of bay wren females. This interspecific equivalence of the relationship between SCR volume and repertoire size suggests that the neural system regulating vocal behavior in songbirds is evolutionarily conservative in the manner in which it encodes song complexity.