cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Follower Propensity to Commit Crimes of Obedience: The Role of Leadership Beliefs

Organizations and society are concerned about unethical behavior. One type of unethical behavior is crimes of obedience, where followers are influenced by a leader to engage in behavior they would ...
Eliciting and Developing Teachers' Conceptions of Random Processes in a Probability and Statistics Course.

The purpose of this study is to examine prospective mathematics specialists' engagement in an instructional sequence designed to elicit and develop their understandings of random processes. The study was conducted with two different sections of a probability and statistics course for K-8 teachers. Thirty-two teachers participated. Video analyses within a collaborative course design were used to support a teaching experiment about teachers' conceptions of random processes. In particular, teachers were asked whether the outcomes of Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS) are generated randomly or not, were presented with a definition for random selection, and were asked to come to a conclusion about RPS. Teachers struggled to reconcile the equality of winning outcomes for each player with the potential for human interference in the process of generating outcomes. Ultimately, teachers concluded the outcomes were not generated randomly, but encountered a variety of unexpected obstacles along the way.
Chloroquine Reduces IKACh via Both Direct Channel Blockade and Decreased Surface Expression of Kir3.1/3.4

Background The acetylcholine activated inward rectifier potassium current I KACh has been suggested to play a role in atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, I KACh reduction was proposed as an antifibrillatory intervention. Chloroquine is an antimalarial quinoline shown to be a potent anti-AF agent due, in part, to its I KACh blocking properties. We hypothesize that chloroquine decreases I KACh via 2 different mechanisms: pore block and reduction of Kir3.1/3.4 cell surface expression. Methods and Results Patch-clamp experiments in HEK293 cells stably expressing Kir3.1 and Kir3.4 (GIRK1/4 cells) showed that acute chloroquine application blocked I KACh with an IC 50 of 1.15 μM ± 0.102 (n = 5). In isolated Langendorff perfused mouse hearts, optical mapping showed that 10 μM chloroquine perfusion for 10 minutes increased atrial APD 60 in the presence of 10 μM acetylcholine, from 14.5 ± 1.73 ms to 23 ± 2.16 ms (n = 4, P P P Conclusions Our data suggest that I KACh reduction is achieved via both direct block of the channel and decrease in surface channel expression. Trafficking of Kir3.x and/or its underlying pathways may be an attractive target for anti-AF therapy.
Differential effects of PARP inhibition on vascular cell survival and ACAT-1 expression favouring atherosclerotic plaque stability

Aims The aim of this study was to take a combination of animal and cell culture approaches to examine the individual responses of vascular cells to varying inflammatory factors in order to gain insights on the mechanism(s) by which poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition promotes factors of plaque stability. Methods and results Apolipoprotein (ApoE−/−) mice fed a high-fat diet were used as a model of atherosclerosis. Primary endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and ex - vivo generated foam cells (FCs) were used in our in vitro studies. PARP inhibition significantly decreased the markers of oxidative stress and caspase-3 activation and increased smooth muscle actin within plaques from ApoE−/− mice fed a high-fat diet. PARP inhibition protected against apoptosis and/or necrosis in SMCs and endothelial cells in response to H2O2 or tumour necrosis factor (TNF). Remarkably, PARP inhibition in FCs resulted in significant sensitization to 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) by increasing cellular-toxic-free cholesterol, potentially through a down-regulation of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 (ACAT-1) expression. 7-KC induced necrosis exclusively in endothelial cells, which was, surprisingly, unaffected by PARP inhibition indicating that PARP inhibition does not prevent all forms of necrotic cell death. In SMCs, PARP-1 inhibition by gene deletion conferred protection against 7-KC or TNF, potentially by reducing caspase-3-like activation, preventing induction of c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase phosphorylation, and inducing extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation independently of PARP classical enzymatic activity. Conclusions These data present PARP-1 as an important player in the death of cells constituting atherosclerotic plaques contributing to plaque dynamics. PARP inhibition may be a protective, a neutral, or a sensitizing factor. Additionally, PARP-1 may be a novel factor that can alter lipid metabolism. These novel functions of PARP not only challenge the current understanding of the role of the enzyme in cell death but also provide insights on the intricate contribution of PARP in cellular responses to predominant inflammatory factors within atherosclerotic plaques, presenting additional evidence for the viability of PARP inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for atherosclerosis.
Characterization of Novel Coding Sequences Specific to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis: Implications for Diagnosis of Johne's Disease

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is the causative agent of Johne's Disease, an economically important intestinal ailment of ruminants. Due to the considerable genetic and serologic cross-reactivity with closely related and ubiquitous members of the M. avium complex, a species-specific method for the serological diagnosis of Johne's disease is unavailable. Computational and PCR-based analysis of the complete genome sequence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis led to the identification of 13 open reading frames with no identifiable homologs. One of these sequences is a putative insertion element present in six copies on the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis genome. These novel M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis genes were cloned into Escherichia coli expression vectors, and nine were successfully expressed as recombinant fusion proteins. Five of these proteins were purified in sufficient amounts to allow immunoblot analyses of their reactivity with sera from naturally infected cattle as well as mice and rabbits exposed to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Fusion proteins representing MAP0862, MAP3732c, and MAP2963c were recognized by nearly all of the sera tested, including those from cattle in the clinical stages of disease. Notably, further analysis of the protein encoded by MAP0862 showed that it reacted with sera from additional infected cattle but not with sera from uninfected control animals. The fusion product of MAP0860c did not react with any of the sera tested, while the remaining four proteins were variably recognized by sera from M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-infected cattle. Collectively, the results of this study demonstrate the utility of genomic data to identify potential diagnostic sequences.
Dynamics of binder displacement in liquid molding

This paper provides experimental data and an analytical description for mass transfer of soluble thermoplastic binder from a fiber preform to the resin during nonisothermal filling in liquid molding processes. The variation of binder concentration in resin during fill and the viscosity variation must be determined and controlled. This is because of the consequences for wet-out, preform deformation, development of fingering flow patterns and nonuniformities in molded parts. Experimental binder washout curves have been obtained from random continuous glass mat preforms with a range of flow lengths, into a vinyl ester resin. An experimental method developed in this work was then used to estimate from such washout curves the binder concentration profiles within resin at the end of fill for the entire preform. Thus binder concentrations in the resin at the end of fill are seen to vary from 1 to 5 wt%. This range of binder concentrations yields a viscosity increase of more than two-fold within the mold. A model has been developed and tested for the resin viscosity that takes into account three factors-binder dissolution, temperature variations, and a small amount of cure. This relation has been incorporated into a process model for one-dimensional flow in a heated mold. Two parameters for the mass transfer coefficient relation were estimated from a run at a reference mold wall temperature. The model then provided good estimates over a range of mold wall temperatures, for binder concentration profiles as well as temperature profiles during filling, that match with experimental data to within 10%. Hence the model describes the interaction between nonisothermal effects and binder dissolution effects well. Calculations with this model thus provide quick estimates of viscosity variation under various process conditions. Design guidelines based on the predicted viscosity variation have also been developed for operating conditions in resin transfer molding.
Mathematical model for creep and thermal shrinkage of concrete at high temperature

Abstract Based on the existing limited test data, it is possible to set up an approximate constitutive model for creep and shrinkage at temperatures above 100°C, up to about 400°C. The model presented here describes the effect of various constant temperatures on the creep rate and the rate of aging, similar effects of the specific water content, the creep increase caused by simultaneous changes in moisture content, the thermal volume changes as well as the volume changes caused by changes in moisture content (drying shrinkage or thermal shrinkage), and the effect of pore pressure produced by heating. Generalizations to time-variable stresses and multiaxial stresses are also given. The model should allow more realistic analysis of nuclear reactor vessels and containments for accident situations, of concrete structures subjected to fire, of vessels for coal gassification or liquefaction, etc.
A system architecture for multi-level decision feedback equalization

System issues such as clock recovery, automatic gain control and determination of the filter coefficients for both the forward and backward equalizers are examined for multi-level decision feedback equalization (MDFE). A software implementation on 2/3(1,7) RLL coded data stored at a bit density of 1.67 PW50 and retrieved by an MR head demonstrate the implementation of a channel based on MDFE. >
Vitamin D reduces the risk of falls in older adults compared with calcium or placebo

Commentary on: RR Kalyani, B Stein, R Valiyil, et al.. Vitamin D treatment for the prevention of falls in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc2010;58:1299–310.
USING TRIAXIAL ACCELEROMETER DATA FOR VIBRATION MONITORING OF HELICOPTER GEARBOXES

Typical vibration monitoring systems for helicopter gearboxes rely on single-axis accelerometer data. This paper investigates whether triaxial accelerometers can provide crucial flight regime information for helicopter gearbox monitoring systems. The frequency content of the three different directions is compared and analyzed using time-synchronously averaged vibration data. The triaxial data are decorrelated using a mathematical transformation, and compared to the original axes to determine their optimality. The benefits of using triaxial data for vibration monitoring and diagnostics are explored by analyzing the changes in the direction of the principal axis of vibration formed using all three axes of vibration. The statistical variation introduced due to the experimental variables is further analyzed using an Analysis of Variance approach to determine the effect of each variable on the overall signature. The results indicate that triaxial accelerometers can provide additional information about the frequency content of helicopter gearbox vibrations, providing researchers and industry with a novel method of capturing and monitoring changes in the baseline vibration signatures.
High Rates of Occurrence of Spontaneous Chromosome Aberrations in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER.

Spontaneous mutations were accumulated for 40 generations in 140 unrelated second chromosomes with the standard gene arrangement. These were extracted from the same population by using the marked inversion technique, and the following findings were obtained: (1) In 42 out of the 140 chromosome lines, chromosome aberrations were detected by examining the salivary gland chromosomes: 40 paracentric and 15 pericentric inversions, 2 reciprocal translocations between the second and the third chromosomes, and 6 transpositions. (2) In 63 out of the 90 originally lethal-free lines, recessive lethal mutations occurred. (3) There were only 3 lines that acquired chromosome aberrations (inversions) with no lethal effects in the homozygous condition. (4) In a comparison of these results with those of the (CH), (PQ), and (RT) chromosomes in which no chromosome aberrations occurred after accumulating mutations for 22058 chromosome·generations (Yamaguchi and Mukai 1974), it was concluded that some of these 140 chromosomes carried a kind of mutator. (5) The frequency of mutator-carrying chromosome lines was estimated to be 0.66 on the basis of the distribution of the break-points on the chromosome lines and the frequency of lines that acquired neither recessive lethal mutations nor chromosome aberrations. Thus, the average number of breaks per mutator-carrying chromosome was estimated to be about 0.19/generation. On the basis of these estimates, the nature of the mutator factor was discussed.
The Effects Of South-South Migration On Economic Development And Its Security Implications

Over the last thirty years international migration, defined as voluntary plus involuntary movement of people across borders, has increased enormously. Approximately half of all international migration has taken place within the developing countries and the annual growth rate has been steeper compared to the one of developed countries. Surprisingly, the vast parts of the literature on international migration concentrate on the North-South migration, without considering the South-South one. The scope of this paper is threefold: to analyze the phenomenon of international migration within developing countries, to provide a theoretical framework to study its effect on the receiving country’s economic development and to assess some of its security implications.
Iron poisoning: report of a fatal case in an adult

A fatal case of iron poisoning in a suicide attempt is reported, and the toxicity and pathophysiology of iron are discussed. The four phases of the clinical features of iron poisoning are presented, and the general treatment of iron toxicity is discussed.
Benzimidazole covalent probes and the gastric H(+)/K(+)-ATPase as a model system for protein labeling in a copper-free setting.

Affinity probes are useful tools for determining molecular targets and elucidating mechanism of action for novel, bioactive compounds. In the case of covalent inhibitors, activity based probes are particularly valuable for ensuring acceptable selectivity margins. However, there is a variety of bioorthogonal chemistry reactions available for modifying compounds of interest with clickable tags. Here, we describe a direct comparison of tetrazine ligation and strain promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition using benzimidazole based probes to bind their known target, the gastric proton pump, ATP4A. This study validates the use of chemical probes for target identification and illustrates the superior efficiency of tetrazine ligation for copper-free click systems. In addition, we have identified several novel binding partners of benzimidazole probes: Isoform 2 of deleted in malignant brain tumors 1 protein (DMBT1) and three uncharacterized proteins.
The effects of heavy ion radiation on digital micromirror device performance

There is a need for a space-suitable solution to the selection of targets to be observed in astronomical multiobject spectrometers (MOS). A few digital micromirror device (DMD) - based prototype MOS have been developed for use at ground observatories, However their main use will come in deploying a space based mission. The question of DMD performance under in-orbit radiation remains unanswered. DMDs were tested under accelerated heavy-ion radiation (with the control electronics shielded from radiation), with a focus on detection of single-event effects (SEEs) including latch-up events. Testing showed that DMDs are sensitive to non-destructive ion-induced state changes; however, all SEEs were cleared with a soft reset (that is, sending a new pattern to the device). The DMDs did not experience single-event induced permanent damage or functional changes that required a hard reset (power cycle), even at high ion fluences. This suggests that the SSE rate burden will be manageable for a DMD-based instrument when exposed to solar particle fluxes and cosmic rays on orbit.
Commentary: The place of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in pediatric antiretroviral therapy.

In this issue the Journal continues its leadership in publication of high-impact articles concerning all aspects of pediatric HIV infection, with the inclusion of 4 manuscripts discussing the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in children and youth with HIV. TDF was first United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for use in adults in 2001. Fourteen years later, the 2015 publication of the registrational trial in children ages 2–12 years[1] is occurring at the same time as a topic review [2]. This demonstrates the difficulty of performing clinical trials in children with HIV, and is a testament to the determination of Gilead, the drug’s manufacturer, to generate and publish the data required for FDA approval for use of TDF in children. Each of the trials published in this issue of the Journal evaluates TDF for efficacy and for the major toxicities that have been associated with its use. As detailed in the excellent topic review[2], these toxicities are 1) renal glomerular toxicity, manifest by a rise in serum creatinine and fall in glomerular filtration rate (GFR); 2) renal tubular toxicity, manifest by proteinuria, normoglycemic glycosuria, and phosphate wasting with hypophosphatemia; and 3) bone toxicity, measured as decreased bone mineral density (BMD) determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We will briefly summarize each article from these 3 perspectives.
Effects of cooking fuels on lung function in nonsmoking women.

ABSTRACT A case-control study of 20- to 39-yr-old female participants in the Tecumseh Community Health Study compared use of cooking fuels and other factors in women from the highest and lowest quartiles of the lung function distribution. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV, 1.0) was used as the index of ventilatory lung function. The use of a kitchen exhaust fan was significantly associated with low lung function. A larger proportion of women with low FEV, 1.0 used gas for cooking, but this difference was not statistically significant.
Bringing Blue Skies Down to Earth Citizen Policy Making in Negotiations for Cable Television, 1965-1975

The introduction of cable television in the United States represented an unprecedented opportunity for citizens to exercise media policy-making power but required that they translate general federal guidelines into specific solutions tailored to local conditions. This moment thus provides an example of bottom–up, “vernacular” policy making that challenges top–down approaches to policy. Taking the experience of Madison, Wisconsin, as its case study, this essay explores the processes of local policy translation, including metaphors of outcomes, constructions of community identity and power, and struggles over locally dominant understandings of the community within local political-economic conditions. It also draws conclusions about the conditions within which a media-minded public can emerge and organize itself for reform, the relative power of utopian and dystopian rhetoric in citizen policy making, the conflict between citizen activism and bureaucratic governmentality, and the mechanisms by which citizens...
Quasi-two-dimensional Dirac fermions and quantum magnetoresistance in LaAgBi 2

We report quasi-two-dimensional (2D) Dirac fermions and quantum magnetoresistance in LaAgBi${}_{2}$. The band structure shows several narrow bands with nearly linear energy dispersion and Dirac-cone-like points at the Fermi level. The quantum oscillation experiments revealed one quasi-two-dimensional Fermi pocket and another complex pocket with a small cyclotron resonant mass. The in-plane transverse magnetoresistance exhibits a crossover at a critical field ${B}^{*}$ from semiclassical weak-field ${B}^{2}$ dependence to the high-field unsaturated linear magnetoresistance which is attributed to the quantum limit of the Dirac fermions. Our results suggest the existence of quasi-2D Dirac fermions in rare-earth-based layered compounds with two-dimensional double-sized Bi square nets, similar to (Ca,Sr)MnBi${}_{2}$, irrespective of magnetic order.
Actuation-based Shape Representation Applied to Engineering Document Analysis

We propose that human generated drawings (including text and graphics) can be represented in terms of actuation processes required to produce them in addition to the visual or geometric properties. The basic theoretical tool is the wreath product introduced by Leyton (Leyton, 2001) (a special form of the semi-direct product from group theory which expresses the action of a control group on a fiber group) which can be used to describe the basic strokes used to form characters and other elements of the drawing. This captures both the geometry (points in the plane) of a shape as well as a generative model (actuation sequences on a kinematic structure). We show that this representation offers several advantages with respect to robust and effective semantic analysis of CAD drawings in terms of classification rates. Document analysis methods have been studied for several decades and much progress has been made; see (Henderson, 2014) for an overview. However, there are many classes of document images which still pose serious problems for effective semantic analysis. Of particular interest here are CAD drawings, and more specifically sets of scanned drawings for which either the electronic CAD no longer exists, or which were produced by hand. We demonstrate results on a set of CAD-generated drawings for automotive parts.
Study on feature of neovascularization within carotid atherosclerotic plaques with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography

Objective To explore the feature of neovascularization within carotid atherosclerotic plaques by real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.Methods 53 patients with carotid arterial angiosclerosis were examined by routine ultrasonography.Then 49 carotid atherosclerotic plaques with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS).Imaging performance of the degree of carotid arterial stenosis and contrast enhancement mode were observed and evaluated.To analyze the relationships of the neovascularization enhancement feature with plaque echogenicity.Results 9 plaques were found and the intima-media thickness was displayed more clearly after injection contrast agent.There were significantly different between routine ultrasonography with CEUS and DSA to diagnose severe stenosis and obliteration(P 0.05).35 of 49 carotid atherosclerotic plaques were enhanced poorly in contrast- enhanced ultrasonography,19 plaques of them enhanced from periphery to the center of plaques about 54%.Low level echo plaques to occupy 53% in them.31% were enhanced from intima and extima to the center of plaques.Only 14% plaques enhanced from intima to the center.The enhancement rate of low,equal,mixed echo group were 93%,71%,81%,which enhanced intensity more than high echo group(P 0.05).Conclusion Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging can increase the presentation rate of carotid plaques and revealed the feature of neovascularization,which is help for appraising the carotid artery stenosis.To provide valuable informations of plaque risk stratification and modus operandi to clinical.
Protein content in tissues of near iso-genic shrunken2 sweet maize

The quantity and distribution of proteins in sweet maize is not well known. Changes in protein levels in tissues can affect physiological processes in maturing plants. This study was conducted to determine how protein levels change in juvenile to the physiologically mature tissues in near isogenic lines of a shrunken2 sweet maize that is susceptible or resistant to Puccinia maydis, the rust disease causal organism. Stalk, leaf, tassel, shank, and ear tissues were separated at the mid-whorl (V10), emerging tassel (VN), expanded tassel (VT), silking (R1), fresh-market maturity (R3), and physiologically mature (R6) stages, and extracted to determine protein levels. Pearson Product Moment correlations were conducted to determine if protein levels in the tissues, at developmental stages, were related. Total protein was similar for susceptible and resistant plants. Kernels had the most protein, immature ears the least, and the other tissues were intermediate. Protein levels for the whole plant was similar through R1, and increased at R3, and again at R6. Correlation patterns were different for susceptible and resistant plants. Protein levels in tissues at earlier developmental stages appear to be related to protein levels in tissues at later stages.
Photocrosslinkable chitosan hydrogels functionalized with the RGD peptide and phosphoserine to enhance osteogenesis

Hydrogels derived from naturally occurring polymers are attractive matrices for tissue engineering. Here, we report a biofunctional hydrogel for specific use in bone regeneration by introducing Arg–Gly–Asp (RGD)-containing cell adhesive motifs and phosphorylated serine residues, which are prevalent in the native bone extracellular matrix and known to promote osteogenesis by enhancing cell–matrix interactions and hydroxyapatite nucleation, into photopolymerizable methacrylated glycol chitosan (MeGC). Incorporation of phosphoserine into MeGC hydrogels increased the ability of the hydrogels to nucleate minerals on their surfaces. RGD incorporation enhanced cell–matrix interactions by supporting attachment, spreading, and proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) encapsulated in the hydrogels. Moreover, co-modification of MeGC hydrogels with RGD and phosphoserine synergistically increased the osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated BMSCs in vitro. The bone healing capacity of the modified hydrogels was further confirmed in a mouse calvarial defect model. These findings suggest a promising hydrogel platform with a specific microenvironment tailored to promote osteogenesis for clinical bone repair.
LPCVD profile simulation using a re-emission model

A novel, physically based 3D simulator has been developed that includes the dominant effect of re-emission. This simulator is part of the Stanford Profile Emulator for Etching and Deposition in IC Engineering (SPEEDIE). Unlike previous simulators which consider only the arrival of deposition precursors by unshadowed direct transport and by surface diffusion, SPEEDIE also considers transport into shadowed areas by adsorption and re-emission. The importance of re-emission was established by using overhang test structures to separate the roles of surface diffusion and re-emission. For the depositions investigated (SiO/sub 2/, poly-Si and W) it was found that re-emission dominates over surface diffusion in controlling surface contours. Using the simulator to fit experimental LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapor deposition) SiO/sub 2/ profiles, it was found that a single constant sticking coefficient model with a cosine re-emission distribution gave excellent fits independent of geometry for a given deposition condition. >
The Treatment, Estimation, and Issues with Representation Error Modelling

This chapter links the theory of data assimilation to representation error and then illustrates several issues with applying observation covariance estimation algorithms to contemporary data assimilation systems. This work will show that contemporary data assimilation systems cannot precisely identify representation error using standard estimation procedures, and this issue will be traced back to the definition of what is the “optimal” data assimilation system for forecast models that represent the true system using a truncated state space .
The Test of Financial Literacy: Development and measurement characteristics

ABSTRACTThe Test of Financial Literacy (TFL) was created to measure the financial knowledge of high school students. Its content is based on the standards and benchmarks stated in the National Standards for Financial Literacy (Council for Economic Education 2013). The test development process involved extensive item writing and review. Test data collected from 1,218 high schools to evaluate the measure indicate that the overall test is reliable and valid, and test items contribute to the effectiveness of the instrument. Further test analysis was conducted using an item response theory (IRT) model with four parameters to estimate item discrimination, item difficulty, guessing, and inattention. The IRT results indicate that the measure is effective in assessing student financial literacy across a broad range of student abilities.
The Effect of a Federal Controlled Substance Act Schedule Change on Hydrocodone Combination Products Claims in a Medicaid Population

BACKGROUND: In 2012, hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) were the most prescribed medications in the United States. Under the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, hydrocodone alone was classified as a Schedule II drug, while HCPs were classified as Schedule III, indicating a lower risk for abuse and misuse. However, according to a Drug Enforcement Agency analysis, the addition of nonopioids has not been shown to diminish abuse potential of hydrocodone. In response to concerns for drug abuse and overdose, the Drug Enforcement Agency rescheduled HCPs to Schedule II in October 2014, with the intent of limiting overprescribing and increasing awareness of their abuse potential. However, it is unknown whether this has affected the overall claims for HCPs in a Medicaid population. OBJECTIVES: To (a) compare the trend in HCP prescription claims with select non-HCP (opioid and nonopioid) analgesic claims before and after the HCP schedule change in the Massachusetts Medicaid fee-for-service/Primary Care Clinician ...
Analysis, Design, and Maximum Power-Efficiency Tracking for Undersea Wireless Power Transfer

In this paper, a detailed analysis that yields in-depth insight into the design of an undersea wireless power transfer (UWPT) system is presented. Based on the analytical results, a methodology for an optimized coil design to increase the power transfer efficiency is presented. Owing to the constant motion experienced by a UWPT system, a necessary feature is the ability to operate at a multitude of distances without the need for manual tuning to maintain high efficiency. To address this, we propose a novel maximum power-efficiency tracking (MPET) method that uses k-nearest neighbors to estimate the system’s coupling coefficient and tracks the peak efficiency (> 85%) through an adaptive converter control. Simulation and experimental test results validate the effectiveness and robustness of MPET in achieving maximum WPT efficiency under a dynamic and uncertain undersea environment.
Evaluating Transport Properties and Ionic Dissociation of LiPF6 in Concentrated Electrolyte

Author(s): Feng, Z; Higa, K; Han, KS; Srinivasan, V | Abstract: The presence of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) ion pairs in carbonate-based electrolyte solutions is widely accepted in the field of battery electrolyte research and is expected to affect solution transport properties. No existing techniques are capable of directly quantifying salt dissociation in these solutions. Previous publications by others have provided estimates of dissociation degrees using dilute solution theory and pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PFG-NMR) measurements of self-diffusivity. However, the behavior of a concentrated electrolyte solution can deviate significantly from dilute solution theory predictions. This work, for the first time, instead uses Onsager–Stefan–Maxwell concentrated solution theory and the generalized Darken relation with PFG-NMR measurements to quantify the degrees of dissociation in electrolyte solutions (LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate, 1:1 by weight). At LiPF6 concentrations ranging from 0.1 M to 1.5 M, the salt dissociation degree is found to range from 61% to 37%. Transport properties are then calculated through concentrated solution theory with corrections for these significant levels of ion pairing.
Transitioning From a Level II to Level I Trauma Center Increases Resident Patient Exposure.

Increased patient exposure has been shown to improve residency training as determined by better patient outcomes. The transition of John Peter Smith Hospital from a level II to a level I trauma center in 2009 provided a unique opportunity to investigate the direct effects of increased patient exposure on residency training in a relatively controlled setting. We evaluated the effect of the transition to a level I trauma center on residency training. In 2014, we examined the annual facility reports and separated the data into 2 groups: level II (2001 to 2008) and level I (2010 to 2013). The primary outcome measures were patient volume, surgical volume, patient acuity, and scholarly activity by the residents. The patient volume in all units increased significantly (p < .05 for all) after the transition to a level I center. The surgical volume increased significantly for the general surgery, orthopedics, and podiatry departments (p < .05 for all) but remained unchanged in the gynecology and oral maxillofacial surgery departments. The volume measures were performed on all 98 residents (100%). Patient acuity and scholarly activity increased by 17% and 52%, respectively; however, the differences in these data were not statistically significant. The scholarly activity per resident was measured for the orthopedic and podiatry departments. For those departments, the total number of residents was 30, and scholarly activity was measured for 100% of them. Overall, resident education improved when the hospital transitioned to a level I trauma center, although certain subspecialties benefited more than did others from this transition.
USA Criminal and Civil Prosecutions Associated with Illicit Online Pharmacies: Legal Analysis and Global Implications:

The rise of digital technologies has created a complex online environment that now includes illicit Internet pharmacies, online facilitators, advertising sites, and foreign entities. Collectively, ...
A Transition to Advanced Mathematics. By Douglas Smith, Maurice Eggen, and Richard St. Andre/Foundations for Advanced Mathematics. By Carol Avelsgaard/Introduction to Advanced Mathematics. By William Barnier and Norman Feldman

(1991). A Transition to Advanced Mathematics. By Douglas Smith, Maurice Eggen, and Richard St. Andre/Foundations for Advanced Mathematics. By Carol Avelsgaard/Introduction to Advanced Mathematics. By William Barnier and Norman Feldman. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 98, No. 2, pp. 179-181.
Memory texts and Nazi concentration camps: a comparative analysis

How do visitors make sense of history at dark tourism sites, and how do onsite experiences help to structure memory? Asserting that the memory-making potential of tourism sites arises from discursive foundations, this paper analyses textual presentation and enactment at four Nazi concentration camp sites (Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, Buchenwald and Dachau in Germany, and Mauthausen in Austria). Data suggest that concentration camp sites are experienced by visitors within three distinct but interwoven texts: linguistically, in texts of dissonance provided by managers onsite; symbolically, in texts of absence fostered during visitors' personal encounters with sites; and imaginatively, in creative texts personally constructed during visitors' experiences onsite. Each of these texts stimulates cultural memory, communicative memory, or a combination of both. Together, they are foundational elements of a genre of dark tourism discourse that organises texts, their producers and 'readers' (tourists, others), and relevant contexts to construct meaning and provoke collective memory.
Neuropathology and Neuropsychology of Behavioral Disturbances following Traumatic Brain Injury

The nature of traumatic brain injury (TBI) determines many of the neuropathological features with high predictability. The neuropathological sequelae directly influence the cognitive deficits which occur. These, in turn, impact upon the types of behavioral disturbances associated with TBI. Such disturbances can be distinguished from those seen in other behaviorally disturbed individuals, including those who are developmentally disabled, focally injured, or progressively demented.
Breeding Cross-Pollinated and Clonally Propagated Crops

Breeding methods in crop plants have been developed that exploit the reproductive genetic structure of particular crop populations. Thus methods used with cross-pollinated species will differ from those used in self-pollinated crops. Also, the reproductive genetic structure in the major cross-pollinated crops will differ in detail from each other. This necessitates modifications in the procedure to fit the particular crop species, although the principles upon which the procedure is based may remain unchanged. In this chapter models of breeding systems applicable to cross-pollinated species are presented. The modifications necessary to adapt the procedures to the breeding of corn, sorghum, millet, cotton, sugarbeets, forage crops are discussed further in Chapters 18–22, respectively.
Development of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on rice milling components and by-products: Effects of diet and temperature

Abstract Development of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), the red flour beetle, was assessed on different rice components and their various by-products (i.e., diets) commonly found in rice mills, in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, eggs did not develop through to the adult stage on rough rice hulls, paddy rice dust, and milled rice dust, while eggs developed to the adult stage to some extent on rice flour, milled whole kernels, brown rice, milled broken kernels, and bran. For the diets where development occurred, the lowest percentage was on brown rice, and adults that emerged on brown rice had smaller elytra compared to adults emerging on the other diets. In the second experiment, 1–2-day old neonates were exposed on the diets listed above and held at 22, 27, 32, and 37 °C. At all temperatures, development to the pupal and adult stages was slowest on rice flour. At 22 °C, development to those stages took about twice as long compared to development at 27 °C. As temperature increased developmental times were reduced. Even though neonates developed slowest on rice flour adult emergence rates were not affected. Predictive models were used to estimate potential population development on the diets. At 22 and 27 °C, adult size as measured by elytra length was greatest when they developed on bran, while body weight was generally lowest for adults that developed on brown rice. Results show that T. castaneum can utilize rice components and by-products produced during the rice milling process, although not all components or by-products were optimal for development, and emphasis should be placed on cleaning and sanitation to remove food sources to limit infestations. Mill managers can use these results to show the importance of sanitation, and potentially improve overall pest management programs inside the mill.
RNA-Seq reveals differential expression profiles and functional annotation of genes involved in retinal degeneration in Pde6c mutant Danio rerio

Retinal degenerative diseases affect millions of people and represent the leading cause of vision loss around the world. Retinal degeneration has been attributed to a wide variety of causes, such as disruption of genes involved in phototransduction, biosynthesis, folding of the rhodopsin molecule, and the structural support of the retina. The molecular pathogenesis of the biological events in retinal degeneration is unclear; however, the molecular basis of the retinal pathological defect can be potentially determined by gene-expression profiling of the whole retina. In the present study, we analyzed the differential gene expression profile of the retina from a wild-type zebrafish and phosphodiesterase 6c (pde6c) mutant. The datasets were downloaded from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA), and adaptors and unbiased bases were removed, and sequences were checked to ensure the quality. The reads were further aligned to the reference genome of zebrafish, and the gene expression was calculated. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered based on the log fold change (logFC) (±4) and p-values (p < 0.001). We performed gene annotation (molecular function [MF], biological process [BP], cellular component [CC]), and determined the functional pathways Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway for the DEGs. Our result showed 216 upregulated and 3527 downregulated genes between normal and pde6c mutant zebrafish. These DEGs are involved in various KEGG pathways, such as the phototransduction (12 genes), mRNA surveillance (17 genes), phagosome (25 genes), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis (15 genes), adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes (29 genes), ribosome (20 genes), the citrate cycle (TCA cycle; 8 genes), insulin signaling (24 genes), oxidative phosphorylation (20 genes), and RNA transport (22 genes) pathways. Many more of all the pathway genes were down-regulated, while fewer were up-regulated in the retina of pde6c mutant zebrafish. Our data strongly indicate that, among these genes, the above-mentioned pathways’ genes as well as calcium-binding, neural damage, peptidase, immunological, and apoptosis proteins are mostly involved in the retinal and neural degeneration that cause abnormalities in photoreceptors or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells.
Quasiclassical effective Hamiltonian structure of atoms with Z=1 to 38.

The Kirschbaum-Wilets quasiclassical, many-body atomic model [Phys. Rev. A 21, 834 (1980)] is applied to atoms and ions having 1\ensuremath{\le}Z\ensuremath{\le}38. An efficient method was found to search for the global minimum of the energy functional. A quasiclassical shell structure is shown to result from the Hamiltonian formulation in terms of momentum-dependent potentials representing quantum-mechanical effects codified in the Heisenberg and Pauli principles. Along with ionization and correlation energies, the ground-state configurations are presented for use as initial conditions in various dynamical calculations.
Alexithymia and Help-Seeking Attitudes in College-Aged Students

Aim: This epidemiological study focused on prevalence of the personality trait, alexithymia – the inability to recognize and describe one’s own emotions – among college-aged students. Method: Levels of normative alexithymia (measured by the NMAS), clinical alexithymia (measured by the TAS), as well as attitudes towards help seeking behavior (measured by the ATSPPH) were assessed. Results: A total of 547 participants were collected from over 48 colleges and universities, primarily in Western New York. Results indicated that 89.5% of college students displayed moderate to high levels of normative alexithymia and 48.7% displayed moderate to high levels of clinical alexithymia. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the scores of men and women on either alexithymia measure. Significant findings indicated that there was a positive relationship between clinical alexithymia scores and attitudes toward help-seeking. Conclusion: These results call into question previous literature, which states that there is no correlation between alexithymia and help-seeking behavior (Berger et al., 2005, https://doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.6.1.73). The results of this study suggest a shift in culture, as well as a need for more research regarding alexithymia.
Massive MIMO Systems for 5G and Beyond Networks-Overview, Recent Trends, Challenges, and Future Research Direction.

The global bandwidth shortage in the wireless communication sector has motivated the study and exploration of wireless access technology known as massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO). Massive MIMO is one of the key enabling technology for next-generation networks, which groups together antennas at both transmitter and the receiver to provide high spectral and energy efficiency using relatively simple processing. Obtaining a better understating of the massive MIMO system to overcome the fundamental issues of this technology is vital for the successful deployment of 5G—and beyond—networks to realize various applications of the intelligent sensing system. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of the key enabling technologies required for 5G and 6G networks, highlighting the massive MIMO systems. We discuss all the fundamental challenges related to pilot contamination, channel estimation, precoding, user scheduling, energy efficiency, and signal detection in a massive MIMO system and discuss some state-of-the-art mitigation techniques. We outline recent trends such as terahertz communication, ultra massive MIMO (UM-MIMO), visible light communication (VLC), machine learning, and deep learning for massive MIMO systems. Additionally, we discuss crucial open research issues that direct future research in massive MIMO systems for 5G and beyond networks.
Practice-site-level measures of primary care comprehensiveness and their associations with patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVES To develop two practice-site-level measures of comprehensiveness and examine their associations with patient outcomes, and how their performance differs from physician-level measures. DATA SOURCES Medicare fee-for-service claims. STUDY DESIGN We calculated practice-site-level comprehensiveness measures (new problem management and involvement in patient conditions) across 5286 primary care physicians (PCPs) at 1339 practices in the Comprehensive Primary Care initiative evaluation in 2013. We assessed their associations with practices' attributed beneficiaries' 2014 total Medicare expenditures, hospitalization rates, ED visit rates. We also examined variation in PCPs' comprehensiveness across PCPs within practices versus between primary care practices. Finally, we compared associations of practice-site and PCP-level measures with outcomes. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The measures had good variation across primary care practices, strong validity, and high reliability. Receiving primary care from a practice at the 75th versus 25th percentile on the involvement in patient conditions measure was associated with $21.93 (2.8%) lower total Medicare expenditures per beneficiary per month (P < .01). Receiving primary care from a practice at the 75th versus 25th percentile on the new problem management measure was associated with $14.77 (1.9%) lower total Medicare expenditures per beneficiary per month (P < .05); 8.84 (3.0%) fewer hospitalizations (P < .001), and 21.27 (3.1%) fewer ED visits per thousand beneficiaries per year (P < .01). PCP comprehensiveness varied more within than between practices. CONCLUSIONS More comprehensive primary care practices had lower Medicare FFS expenditures, hospitalization, and ED visit rates. Both PCP and practice-site level comprehensiveness measures had strong construct and predictive validity; PCP-level measures were more precise.