cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulated Impact Damage in a Thick Graphite/Epoxy Laminate Using Spherical Indenters

A study was made to determine the extent of fiber damage caused by low-velocity impact of spherical impactors to a very thick graphite/epoxy laminate. The laminate was cut from a filament wound case being developed for the Space Shuttle solid rocket motors. The case was wound using a wet process with AS4W graphite fiber and HBRF-55A epoxy. Impacts were simulated under quasi-static conditions by pressing hemispherically shaped indenters against the laminate at different locations. The contact force and indenter diameter were varied from location to location. The forces were chosen for each indenter diameter to produce contact pressures below and above that required to initiate damage. After the forces were applied, the laminate was cut into smaller pieces so that each piece contained a test site. The pieces were then deplied and the individual plies examined to determine the extent of fiber damage. Broken fibers were found in the outer layers directly beneath the contact site. The locus of broken fibers in each layer resembled a crack normal to the direction of the fibers. The maximum length and depth of the cracks increased with increasing contact pressure and indenter diameter. The internal stresses in the laminate were calculated using Hertz's law and Love's solution for pressure applied on part of the boundary of a semi-infinite body. The maximum length and depth of the cracks were predicted using a maximum shear stress criterion. Predictions and measurements were in good agreement.
Polymers and devices in ophthalmology

From the economic and social significance the most important applications of polymers in ophthalmology are in contact and intraocular lenses, as well as in viscoelastic polymer solutions used for tissue protection during intraocular surgery. Although needed by fewer patients, scleral implants, silicone oils and perfluorocarbon liquids are important in the surgery to repair retinal detachments. Polymeric devices are also used for the treatment of complicated glaucoma, as artificial corneas and for sustained drug delivery on and into the eye. Some of the implants and devices use in ophthalmology are made with commercial polymers. However, new polymers with specific properties are used to manufacture contact lenses and surgical implants to correct or to restore vision.
Generalized multicarrier CDMA: unification and linear equalization

Relying on block-symbol spreading and judicious design of user codes, this paper builds on the generalized multicarrier (GMC) quasisynchronous CDMA system that is capable of multiuser interference (MUI) elimination and intersymbol interference (ISI) suppression with guaranteed symbol recovery, regardless of the wireless frequency-selective channels. GMC-CDMA affords an all-digital unifying framework, which encompasses single-carrier and several multicarrier (MC) CDMA systems. Besides the unifying framework, it is shown that GMC-CDMA offers flexibility both in full load (maximum number of users allowed by the available bandwidth) and in reduced load settings. A novel blind channel estimation algorithm is also derived. Analytical evaluation and simulations illustrate the superior error performance and flexibility of uncoded GMC-CDMA over competing MC-CDMA alternatives especially in the presence of uplink multipath channels.
Serum Glycosidase Activity in Diabetes Mellitus

The activity of three glycosidic enzymes, B-glucuronidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, and B-galactosidase were measured in plasma samples from 163 diabetic subjects and 72 normal controls. No age- or sex-based variation in concentration was noted in controls. Plasma activity of B-glucuronidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase in diabetics correlated directly with the overall level of glycemia as measured by HbA1c levels. B-galactosidase activity was consistently normal in diabetics. A significant age-based variation was noted in the diabetic group for B-glucuronidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase. Prior to age 12 B-glucuronidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase were normal in diabetics, but activity increased significantly after the age of 12, a change that appeared to coincide with the development of puberty.
Should Military Doctors Help Patients When Doing So Could Increase Risks to Others

THE CASE A military psychiatrist routinely visited a small forward medical aid station in Afghanistan every 2 months. During one of his visits, he was made aware that a member of the local Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) had developed symptoms of depression. The rules of engagement that military providers usually applied for deciding when they could give medical support to ANSF members involved primarily risks to “life, limb, and eyesight,” but at that time, U.S. military medical personnel were also authorized to use their own judgment to render care beyond these boundaries for a variety of reasons, which included the promotion of optimal relations with ANSF forces. During his initial evaluation, the psychiatrist could not determine whether this policeman was in imminent danger of harming himself but he did elicit a past history of attempted suicide. The story as relayed through an interpreter was that the patient had tried unsuccessfully to hang himself just 2 months before while visiting his mother’s house in Pakistan. The psychiatrist did not know this patient and had no way of verifying his trustworthiness. One possibility that must be ruled out in a wartime environment was that the patient was only feigning illness to obtain medication that he could use to harm U.S. or Afghan soldiers. It will be clear shortly how he might do this as others clandestinely working for the enemy have in fact done. I shall relate this subsequently. After his unsuccessful suicide, the patient obtained some medications from a pharmacist, which he showed to the psychiatrist. A Google search could only identify a few of them as herbal and folk remedies for libido and erectile problems. The man reported not having slept in weeks, looked very tired and demonstrated psychomotor slowing. He denied having had suicidal ideation but acknowledged his depressed mood. The psychiatrist had a small supply of travel medications, which included antidepressants and sleep medications. The sleep medications could help enable the patient to marshal his own resources to overcome his depression. The antidepressants would not be effective for some time and to have optimal positive results might have to be continued for several months. The psychiatrist provided a 2-week supply of sleep medications and learned later that this provided some improvement. The thought provoking ethical question which remained, however, was this: The psychiatrist later learned through intelligence channels that in a nearby province nine Afghan local police had been killed when a “rogue” policeman, an “insider,” put sedatives in their tea and then shot them as they slept. This event gave the psychiatrist new pause. He asked himself, should he have given this unknown and potentially unfriendly patient the sleep medications?
Big Brother or Little Brother? Surrendering Seizure Privacy for the Benefits of Communication Technology

Over two centuries have passed since Benjamin Franklin quipped that we should defend privacy over security if people wanted either privacy or security. Although his axiom did not become a rule of law in its original form, its principles found voice in the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution's Bill of Rights. To a lesser extent, provisions against the quartering of troops in private homes found in the Third Amendment also support the idea that what a government can require you to do, or who you must have behind the doors of your home, is an area of grave importance for privacy purposes. By our behavior as a nation, have we indicated a rejection of the liberty Franklin was writing about in our modern times? In no area has the rapid rise of technology affected our lives more than in the area of communication through computers and other devices, like so called "smart telephones."As long as people have been communicating, there has been a desire for others to be interested in hearing what they say. Sometimes the speaker or writer desires an audience and the speaker's freedom to communicate desires protection. At other times, people intend to keep their private words private while others desire to know their thoughts and intentions. This human desire, the "right to be let alone," has both practical and legal limitations. Obviously society has its own right to protect its members from violence and keep the peace by legislating and enforcing criminal law. When technology comes into existence, law enforcement often uses it first to engage in the "competitive enterprise [to] ferret out crime." Further, the technology itself may make it impossible to permit people who desire to keep information private from achieving that goal. Among the reasons that keeping matters private has become more difficult is that the law simply cannot keep up with the rapid rise in communications technology.
Sensitivity of Space Launch System Buffet Forcing Functions to Buffet Mitigation Options

Time-varying buffet forcing functions arise from unsteady aerodynamic pressures and are one of many load environments, which contribute to the overall loading condition of a launch vehicle during ascent through the atmosphere. The buffet environment is typically highest at transonic conditions and can excite the vehicle dynamic modes of vibration. The vehicle response to these buffet forcing functions may cause high structural bending moments and vibratory environments, which can exceed the capabilities of the structure, or of vehicle components such as payloads and avionics. Vehicle configurations, protuberances, payload fairings, and large changes in stage diameter can trigger undesirable buffet environments. The Space Launch System (SLS) multi-body configuration and its structural dynamic characteristics presented challenges to the load cycle design process with respect to buffet-induced loads and responses. An initial wind-tunnel test of a 3-percent scale SLS rigid buffet model was conducted in 2012 and revealed high buffet environments behind the booster forward attachment protuberance, which contributed to reduced vehicle structural margins. Six buffet mitigation options were explored to alleviate the high buffet environments including modified booster nose cones and fences/strakes on the booster and core. These studies led to a second buffet test program that was conducted in 2014 to assess the ability of the buffet mitigation options to reduce buffet environments on the vehicle. This paper will present comparisons of buffet forcing functions from each of the buffet mitigation options tested, with a focus on sectional forcing function rms levels within regions of the vehicle prone to high buffet environments.
Isolation of Glomeruli from Mammalian Kidneys by Graded Sieving

A method to isolate glomeruli from mammalian kidneys is described. The procedure utilizes common laboratory supplies and provides reproducible amounts of isolated glomeruli with a high degree of purity, suitable for biochemical and immunologic studies.
Coercion in research: are prisoners the only vulnerable population?

Research plays an essential role in advancing medical and behavioral sciences and in improving our ability to understand and treat illness. However, unlike clinical care, which is intended for the sole benefit of the patient, research has the broader goal of advancing knowledge and does not
Assessment: The Keystone of Treatment Planning

The role of the occupational therapist in today's health care system is discussed in relation to the large numbers of patients with treatment problems and the relatively small numbers in the profession. The importance of good, efficient assessment procedures is emphasized in order to maximize the profession's helpfulness. Review of current practices among occupational therapists in carrying out the assessment function is presented along with data from a survey of therapists in physical disabilities practice. The article concludes with a plea for the increased use of standardized evaluation tools by occupational therapists to both make their efforts more effective and to build credibility for the services of the profession.
Oxidation Dynamics of Methionine with Singlet Oxygen: Effects of Methionine Ionization and Microsolvation

We report an in-depth study on the gas-phase reactions of singlet O2[a1Δg] with methionine (Met) at different ionization and hydration states (including deprotonated [Met – H]−, hydrated deprotonated [Met – H]−(H2O)1,2, and hydrated protonated MetH+(H2O)1,2), using guided-ion-beam scattering mass spectrometry. The measurements include the effects of collision energy (Ecol) on reaction cross sections over a center-of-mass Ecol range from 0.05 to 1.0 eV. The aim of this study is to probe the influences of Met ionization and hydration on its oxidation mechanism and dynamics. Density functional theory calculations, Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus modeling, and quasi-classical, direct dynamics trajectory simulations were performed to examine the properties of various complexes and transition states that might be important along reaction coordinates, probe reaction potential energy surfaces, and to establish the atomic-level mechanism for the Met oxidation process. No oxidation products were observed for the reac...
Energy harvesting from pavement via polyvinylidene fluoride: hybrid piezo-pyroelectric effects

In the USA, there are over 4 million miles (6 million km) of roadways and more than 250 million registered vehicles. Energy lost in the pavement system due to traffic-induced vibration and deformation is enormous. If effectively harvested, such energy can serve as an alternative sustainable energy source that can be easily integrated into the transportation system. It is well known that most piezoelectric materials are also pyroelectric materials, which convert temperature change into electricity. However, the potential of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a hybrid piezo-pyroelectric energy harvester has been seldom studied. The uniqueness of this study lies in that the electrical responses of PVDF under coupled mechanical and thermal stimulations are investigated. Through a series of well controlled experiments, it is found that there exists an interesting coupling phenomenon between piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects of PVDF: the voltage generated by simultaneous mechanical and thermal stimulations is the algebraic sum of voltages generated by separate stimulations. This means that there is neither strengthening nor weakening coupling effect when the piezoelectric and pyroelectric phenomena are coupled. This also makes the modeling process of the hybrid piezoelectric and pyroelectric effect straightforward. An estimation of power generation through piezoelectric and pyroelectric effect is conducted, and the overall effects of temperature on hybrid piezo-pyroelectric energy harvesting are discussed.
Acute bouts of wheel running decrease cocaine self-administration: Influence of exercise output.

Abstract Exercise is associated with lower rates of drug use in human populations and decreases drug self-administration in laboratory animals. Most of the existing literature examining the link between exercise and drug use has focused on chronic, long-term exercise, and very few studies have examined the link between exercise output (i.e., amount of exercise) and drug self-administration. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute bouts of exercise on cocaine self-administration, and to determine whether these effects were dependent on exercise output and the time interval between exercise and drug self-administration. Female rats were trained to run in automated running wheels, implanted with intravenous catheters, and allowed to self-administer cocaine on a fixed ratio (FR1) schedule of reinforcement. Immediately prior to each test session, subjects engaged in acute bouts of exercise in which they ran for 0, 30, or 60 min at 12 m/min. Acute bouts of exercise before test sessions decreased cocaine self-administration in an output-dependent manner, with the greatest reduction in cocaine intake observed in the 60-min exercise condition. Exercise did not reduce cocaine self-administration when wheel running and test sessions were separated by 12 h, and exercise did not reduce responding maintained by food or responding during a saline substitution test. These data indicate that acute bouts of exercise decrease cocaine self-administration in a time- and output-dependent manner. These results also add to a growing body of literature suggesting that physical activity may be an effective component of drug abuse treatment programs.
Spike Detection and Characterization

In neural recording applications focused on action potentials, one of the first signal processing tasks is to distinguish the spikes from noise and interference. In this chapter we will discuss the requirements for a spike detector, review several implementations, and describe in detail a low-power spike detector utilizing the nonlinear energy operator and operating in the analog domain. Once a spike is detected, it may be necessary to extract a quantitative description of its shape for subsequent processing stages, such as spike sorting or the detection and rejection of artifacts from electrical stimulation. To this end, the spike detector is combined with feature extraction circuitry, which measures the maximum and minimum of detected spikes, and an ADC, which digitizes the detected values.
Socioecological transitions trigger fire regime shifts and modulate fire–climate interactions in the Sierra Nevada, USA, 1600–2015 CE

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service [04-JV-11272162-407]; US Department of the Interior (USDI)/USDA Interagency Joint Fire Sciences Program; George S. Deike Research Grant; USDI Southwest Climate Science Center Grant (US Geological Survey) [G13AC00339]; Swiss National Science Foundation
Not By Success Alone: Role Models Provide Pathways to Communal Opportunities in STEM.

Because of stereotypes that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields do not fulfill communal goals, communally oriented individuals may select out of STEM. One potential route to engaging and promoting communally oriented individuals in STEM fields is through interactions with advisors or role models in STEM. We first demonstrate the perceived difficulty of finding role models who enact communal behaviors in STEM relative to other fields (Preliminary Study). Communally oriented students reported higher likelihood of observing admired others in math or science (i.e., investigative vicarious learning) over time (Study 1). Individuals preferred hypothetical STEM advisors who enacted communal workplace behaviors (Studies 2a-2b). Finally, individuals’ communal orientation predicted how important they found the communal behaviors of actual role models (Studies 3a-3b). These findings provide further support for the goal congruity prediction that contexts—whether relational or occupational—...
France: Astronomers face squeeze on funding

Large scientific facilities in France are set to bear the brunt of cuts to the country's research budget that were announced last month. Claude Allegre, the research minister, says that instead he wants to increase basic funding for national research council (CNRS) labs and on government-defined "priority areas", such as nanotechnology and alternative energy. Funds for research are set to fall by 0.5% to FFr 39.8bn (about £3.9bn) next year. Incentives for innovation and technology transfer will, however, receive a 3% boost to FFr 14.7bn.
Key analogs of a uniquely potent synthetic vinblastine that contain modifications of the C20' ethyl substituent.

Abstract A key series of vinblastine analogs 7 – 13 , which contain modifications to the C20′ ethyl group, was prepared with use of two distinct synthetic approaches that provide modifications of the C20′ side chain containing linear and cyclized alkyl groups or added functionalized substituents. Their examination revealed the unique nature of the improved properties of the synthetic vinblastine 6 , offers insights into the origins of its increased tubulin binding affinity and 10-fold improved cell growth inhibition potency, and served to probe a small hydrophobic pocket anchoring the binding of vinblastine with tubulin. Especially noteworthy were the trends observed with substitution of the terminal carbon of the ethyl group that, with the exception of 9 (R = F vs H, equipotent), led to remarkably substantial reductions in activity (>10-fold): R = F (equipotent with H) > N 3 , CN (10-fold) > Me (50-fold) > Et (100-fold) > OH (inactive). This is in sharp contrast to the maintained ( 7 ) or enhanced activity ( 6 ) observed with its incorporation into a cyclic C20′/C15′-fused six-membered ring.
A Multicriteria Decision Analysis For Identifying Priority Conservation Areas For Grassland Birds

Abstract Biodiversity conservation frequently competes with the needs of society for agricultural production and development. However, properly designed and efficiently implemented conservation programs can be used to integrate wildlife and human needs. We tested the efficacy of multicriteria decision analysis as a tool to select priority areas for conservation in human-dominated landscapes using grassland birds in the northeastern US as a test case. We created detailed GIS layers including landscape- (forest, grassland, development, and roads within a 3000-m buffer around each grassland patch) and patch-level (size, management, and conservation status) criteria important in grassland bird habitat selection and conservation. We developed a set of 36 scenarios in which we varied the relative weights associated with different patch attributes. A sensitivity analysis showed that the habitat quality score for each patch was less sensitive to changes in weights at the landscape level, and more sensitive to cha...
The effect of solifenacin on postvoid dribbling in women: results of a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial

To determine the effectiveness of the muscarinic receptor antagonist solifenacin (VESIcare®) in the treatment of postvoid dribbling (PVD). We carried out a multicenter, 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel design study. Between 2012 and 2015, a total of 118 women (age 18–89 years) with PVD at least twice/weekly, were randomized to receive solifenacin (5 mg; n = 58) or placebo (n = 60) once daily. The primary outcome was the percentage reduction in PVD episodes. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of patients with ≥50% reduction in PVD episodes and changes in quality of life. There were no differences in either the primary or secondary outcome variables. Subgroup analysis, based on those with more severe disease (>10 PVD episodes/week), showed a greater and significant percentage reduction in the frequency of PVD episodes per day (60.3% vs 32.1%; p = 0.035) and a higher percentage of patients showing ≥50% reduction in the frequency of PVD episodes with solifenacin (68.1% vs 45.8%; p = 0.0476). A significant solifenacin effect occurred at week 2 and continued through week 12 for the subgroup. For solifenacin, PVD reduction was the same for the entire cohort and subgroup, whereas for placebo, it was 10% lower in the subgroup, declining from 42% to 32%. There were no differences in PVD outcomes between the solifenacin and placebo groups. Solifenacin may play a role in treating women with the most severe symptoms. Because of the powerful placebo response seen in this study, behavior-based interventions may be useful for treating PVD.
Models from the Past in Roman Culture: A World of Exempla

Historical examples played a key role in ancient Roman culture, and Matthew B. Roller's book presents a coherent model for understanding the rhetorical, moral, and historiographical operations of Roman exemplarity. It examines the process of observing, evaluating, and commemorating noteworthy actors, or deeds, and then holding those performances up as norms by which to judge subsequent actors or as patterns for them to imitate. The model is fleshed out via detailed case studies of individual exemplary performers, the monuments that commemorate them, and the later contexts - the political arguments and social debates - in which these figures are invoked to support particular positions or agendas. Roller also considers the boundaries of, and ancient alternatives to, exemplary modes of argumentation, morality, and historical thinking. The book will engage anyone interested in how societies, from ancient Rome to today, invoke past performers and their deeds to address contemporary concerns and interests.
Occupational stress and coping mechanisms in crime scene personnel.

Background Studies on occupational stress have shown that police officers (POs) are vulnerable to the effects of stress, demonstrated by increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases, which may be exacerbated by the use of maladaptive coping techniques. Although there is an abundance of research pertaining to stress in POs, little research has been done to assess a subset of law enforcement, crime scene personnel (CSP). Aims To assess the stress levels, anxiety levels and coping mechanisms of CSP across the state of Texas. Methods The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), and the Distress Thermometer were used to measure stress levels, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was utilized to measure anxiety, and the Brief COPE questionnaire was used to measure coping mechanisms. Results CSP (N = 76) surveyed reported both low stress and low anxiety for all measures used, with males reporting slightly higher stress and anxiety than females. Differences in coping mechanisms used by CSP were observed between males and females, but not between sworn officers and civilian workers. Female CSP used emotional support (P < 0.01), instrumental support (P < 0.05) and positive reframing (P < 0.05) as a coping mechanism significantly more often than males. Conclusions The results suggest that adaptive coping mechanisms should be emphasized by those supervising CSP. With little research available on CSP, further evaluation of the type of stressors experienced by these members of law enforcement is warranted.
MOMENT PROBLEMS WITH CONVEXITY CONDITIONS I

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the moment problems with convexity conditions. Many moment problems arising in practice involve the condition that the measure μ on hand satisfies certain convexity conditions. The basic idea of transferring a moment problem from one measure μ to a related measure v has been used in many situations. This chapter presents a systematic study of explicit integral representations relating certain classes of probability measures to simpler classes and their use in transferring moment problems, first on the general level and afterwards for each specific application.
Vascular Reactivity to Neurohormones in Subgravity Simulated by Immersion Method

Vascular Reactivity to Neurohormones in Subgravity Simulated by Immersion Method. The dogs in chloralose anaesthesia were submersed in NaCl solution at temperature 35° C. Respiration was made possible by a tracheotomy tube connected with a respiratory valve. The vascular reactions, registered as systemic arterial blood pressure changes, were observed after adrenaline, noradrenaline, acetylcholine, histamine and serotonin administration. The results indicate that a 24 hour period of subgravity simulated by immersion method does not induce significant changes in vascular reactions to neurohormones.
Distribution of ammonium-N in the water-soil interface of a surface-flow constructed wetland for swine wastewater treatment.

Most livestock wastewaters treated in constructed wetlands are typically rich in ammonium N. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil-water ammonium distribution and the diffusive flux through the soil-water interface. Wetland system 1 (WS1) was planted to rush and bulrushes, and wetland system 2 (WS2) was planted to bur-reed and cattails. Nitrogen was applied at a rate of 2.5 g m-2 d-1. Interstitial soil water was sampled at 9, 24, 50, and 70 m from the inlet. In both wetlands, we found that NH4+ diffusion gradient and N losses were highest in the wetland system with lowest water depth. From other studies, we knew that shallower depths may have promoted a more effective interfacing of nitrifying and denitrifying environments. In turn, this N reduction in the water column may be the reason for steady NH4+-N upward diffusion fluxes. The assumed mechanism for N removal has been nitrification and denitrification but ammonia volatilization could also have occurred. Although diffusion may explain a significant portion of the material transport between the soil-water interface, the large differences in concentrations between outlet and inlet need further explanation.
Simple computer security exercises for every class room: conference tutorial

Computer Security has grown to a field of significant importance over the last 25 years. Hacking and Cracking are subjects that many students are fascinated by and curious about. In addition, the national trend of Computer Science programs adding courses on Computer Security to their offerings indicates that students should have some general knowledge about what issues arise in the context of Computer Security. During this tutorial a number of security related topics are demonstrated in order to provide educators with the knowledge about how to integrate these into general Computer Science courses in order to augment the course and allow students to appreciate the connection between certain security issues and conventional Computer Science topics. The demonstrated topics encompass among others: doorknob-rattling, spoofing, and information mining. In addition to the demonstration it will be discussed what conventional topics are touched by each security demonstration and how those demonstrations could be incorporated into courses, for example, Networking, Operating Systems, Programming, and Computer Ethics. Audience members who bring their own laptop will have the opportunity to participate in some of the demonstrations. The tutorial is geared towards Computer Science educators. A prior in-depth knowledge in the field of Computer Security is not expected.
Effectiveness of a self-management intervention to teach individuals management of post-traumatic brain injury fatigue

Introduction/Background A significant proportion of individuals with traumatic brain injury (50% to 80%) experience persistent and significant fatigue that affects their daily life. The maximizing energy (MAX) intervention optimizes and individualizes occupational therapist delivered energy conservation education by using the problem-solving-therapy framework to teach individuals to self-manage their fatigue. Our objective was to test the efficacy of the MAX intervention compared to a health education attention control intervention for decreasing the impact of post-TBI fatigue. Material and method In this randomized-controlled, single-blind clinical trial, 34 participants were randomized to experimental (n = 20) and control (n = 14) groups. Mean duration post-injury was 58 months. Both groups received two 1:1 sessions per week for 8 wk via web cameras. The modified Fatigue Impact Scale (mFIS) and Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) were administered to assess fatigue impact in everyday life at baseline (T1), intervention completion (T2), and 4 wk (T3) and 8 wk (T4) after intervention completion. We used two 2 (group) × 4 (time) repeated measures analyses of variance for mFIS and PROMIS Fatigue scale scores. We conducted post-hoc analyses using paired-samples t tests. Results There were no significant differences between the groups for demographic variables and baseline outcome scores. The Group × Time interaction was significant for mFIS scores (F[2,32] = 3.9, P Conclusion The MAX intervention has a sustained effect on fatigue impact up to 12 weeks after intervention. It is a promising self-management intervention to help individuals manage post-TBI fatigue.
Small Peptide Ligands for Targeting EGFR in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

The efficacy of chemotherapy for cancer treatment can be increased by targeted drug delivery to the cancer cells. This is particularly important for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) for which chemotherapy is a major form of treatment. Here we designed and screened a library of 30 peptides starting with a previously reported epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting peptide GE11 (YHWYGYTPQNVI). A direct peptide array-whole cell binding assay, where the peptides are conjugated to a cellulose membrane, was used to identify four peptides with enhanced binding to TNBC cells. Next, the four peptides were synthesized as FITC-labelled soluble peptides to study their direct uptake by TNBC cells using flow cytometry. The results showed that peptide analogue 22 had several fold higher uptake by the TNBC cells compared to the lead peptide GE11. The specific uptake of the peptide analogue 22 was confirmed by competition experiment using pure EGF protein. Further, peptide 22 showed dose dependent uptake by the TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells (105) with uptake saturating at around 2 μM peptide concentration. Thus, peptide 22 is a promising EGFR specific TNBC cell binding peptide that can be conjugated directly to a chemotherapeutic drug or to nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy for TNBC treatment.
Empirical Formulae for Determining Pressure Drop Across a 20-Layer Flooded-Bed Scrubber Screen

The use of a woven wire-mesh screen as part of a flooded-bed dust-scrubbing system is very popular in the underground coal mining industry. It is used in combination with a demister (mist eliminator) to remove dust from the dust-laden air. A study was conducted to measure the pressure drop across a flooded-bed wire-mesh screen at different airflow rates in one-phase (dry) and two-phase (wet) conditions. Two empirical relationships between pressure drop and air velocity were developed for dry and wet conditions, respectively. In both cases, the form of the empirical relationships was found to be similar to relationships given by Sabri Ergun for high velocity non-Darcy single and multi-phase flow through porous media. The experiments were repeated on a reduced-scale model of the wire-mesh screen, and the pressure-velocity relationships obtained from the full-scale prototype experiments were tested. The test results show validation of the full-scale empirical formulas on the small-scale model with an insignificant variation. This paper presents the empirical equations for pressure drop across the wire-mesh screen in dry and wet conditions. Researchers can use these equations as a tool to predict total pressure drops for wire-mesh screens of different scale sizes.
Robust Sliding-Mode Control for Dual-Stage Nanopositioning Systems

In this article, a robust feedback control scheme is presented for dual-stage nanopositioning platforms. Dual-stage nanopositioners consist typically of a long-range, low-speed actuator connected in series with a low-range, highspeed actuator. A sliding mode control structure is designed to dedicate sliding actions to the short-range actuator, effectively utilizing the secondary actuator for disturbance rejection. A multi-input, single-output high-gain observer is incorporated for robust state estimation. A hybrid serial-parallel-kinematic positioner is selected to demonstrate robustness of the control design through the mitigation of cross-talk and hysteresis nonlinearities. Simulation results show significant performance improvement on robust control of a standard long-range actuator, reducing the tracking error of a desired 100 Hz triangle trajectory by almost 90%. When disturbances are bounded by the long-range actuator control system to less than the range of the short-range actuator, root-mean-square and maximum error can be reduced to less than 1% of the magnitude of the desired trajectory.
You’re in the Parade! Disney as Immersive Theatre and the Tourist as Actor

Beginning with an analysis of the famous 2018 fire on the Maleficent dragon parade float, this introduction to Performance and the Disney Theme Park Experience: The Tourist as Actor lays out the theoretical framework of the book. Jennifer A. Kokai and Tom Robson challenge the traditional notion that Disney Imagineers control every aspect of a guest’s in-park experience, instead arguing that tourists exert much more influence on their story than previous scholars have accepted. Their chapter points to multiple examples of Disney guests reading/performing against the “intended” text laid out by the company, with tourists transgressing boundaries laid out by designers. Kokai and Robson argue that, as the included chapters will demonstrate, a Disney theme park experience aligns most neatly with the theory and experience of immersive theatre, cementing the collaboration between Imagineer and guest and solidifying the notion of the Tourist as Actor.
Does obesity affect the short-term outcomes after cardiothoracic surgery in adolescents with congenital heart disease?

BACKGROUND Obesity is a modifiable, independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity after cardiovascular surgery in adults. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of obesity on short-term outcomes in adolescents undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS This retrospective chart review included patients 10-18 years of age who underwent CHD surgery. Our exclusion criteria were patients with a known genetic syndrome, heart transplantation, and patients with incomplete medical records. The clinical data collected included baseline demographics and multiple perioperative variables. Charting the body mass index in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth curves, the entire cohort was divided into three categories: obese (>95th percentile), overweight (85th-95th percentile), and normal weight (<85th percentile). The composite outcome included survival, arrhythmias, surgical wound infection, acute neurologic injury, and acute kidney injury. RESULTS The study cohort (n = 149) had a mean standard deviation (SD), body mass index (BMI) of 22.6 ± 6.5 g/m2, and 65% were male. There were 27 obese (18.1%), 24 overweight (16.1%), and 98 normal weight (65.8%) patients. Twenty-seven (18%) patients had composite adverse outcomes. Overweight and obese patients had significantly higher adverse outcomes compared with normal weight patients (odds ratio (OR): 2.9; confidence interval (CI): 1-8.5, p = 0.04 and OR: 3; CI: 1-8.5, p = 0.03, respectively). In multivariate analysis, obesity was an independent predictor of adverse outcome in our cohort (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Obesity is associated with short-term adverse outcome and increased health resource utilisation in adolescents following surgery for CHD. Further studies should evaluate if intervention in the preoperative period can improve outcomes in this population.
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times: Honing the Distinctives of Christian Higher Education

As I was preparing to teach a doctoral-level course in Spring 2020 titled “Critical Issues in Higher Education,” it was sobering to review the titles of new books that had been released in our fiel...
Chapter 23 – Preparation Chemistry of Inorganic Membranes

Inorganic membranes include a large group of microporous membranes for molecular separation of gas and liquid mixtures. This chapter provides a concise review of recent advances related to the chemistry in the synthesis of microporous inorganic membranes. The review includes description and analysis of the synthesis and properties of silica membranes with enhanced stability and controllable pore size, carbon molecular sieve membranes with increased gas permeance, zeolite membranes with minimized intercrystalline gaps, and the new microporous metal organic framework membranes. Separation properties of the microporous inorganic membranes are determined by the pore size, porosity, and surface chemistry characteristics of the membrane materials and the quality of the membranes prepared. Membrane thickness and nonselective defects have a pronounced influence on the overall membrane performance. Stability of the membranes and cost and scalability of the membrane fabrication process are of immense importance for industrial applications of these microporous inorganic membranes.
A Quantitative Measurement Model for Persuasive Technologies Using Storytelling via a Virtual Narrator

The study of persuasive techniques associated with technology is an important part of behavioral change research in information systems. Applied in areas such as education and healthcare, persuasiv...
Determination of 1,4‐dioxane in water samples using freeze‐assisted liquid‐liquid extraction and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry with select reaction monitoring

In this study, we developed an analytical method for the determination of 1,4-dioxane in aqueous solutions using freeze-assisted liquid-liquid extraction, also known as frozen microextraction, and gas chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with select reaction monitoring. The method is capable of quantifying 1,4-dioxane across a broad range of concentrations (1-10 000 μg/L) relevant to contaminated sites, with an instrument detection limit and method detection limit experimentally verified as 2.1 and 2.2 μg/L, respectively. In contrast to methods with similar detection limits that require 50 to 500 mL volume of sample, our method uses only 200 μL of sample. The method presented here facilitates field and laboratory applications where small sample volumes and high precision are required and could be extended to other strongly water-soluble GC-amenable analytes.
Cross-Lingual Discriminative Learning of Sequence Models with Posterior Regularization

A computer-implemented method can include obtaining (i) an aligned bi-text for a source language and a target language, and (ii) a supervised sequence model for the source language. The method can include labeling a source side of the aligned bi-text using the supervised sequence model and projecting labels from the labeled source side to a target side of the aligned bi-text to obtain a labeled target side of the aligned bi-text. The method can include filtering the labeled target side based on a task of a natural language processing (NLP) system configured to utilize a sequence model for the target language to obtain a filtered target side of the aligned bi-text. The method can also include training the sequence model for the target language using posterior regularization with soft constraints on the filtered target side to obtain a trained sequence model for the target language.
La diferencia de lenguas en la exportación de telenovelas

Las diferencias linguisticas dentro y entre los grupos linguisticos han obstaculizado, desde los origenes de la television, la exportacion de programas. Este estudio examina a las telenovelas, que desde los ochenta han atraido a audiencias de todo el mundo, aun a pesar de una solida base en el espanol y el portugues. Los retos conceptuales de la diferencia linguistica y las repuestas practicas de los participantes de la industria son considerados en tres niveles: dentro de las naciones, entre las sociedades que comparten lenguajes iguales o semejantes y a traves de grupos linguisticos. Se requiere mas investigacion sobre la forma en que interactuan los aspectos linguisticos en la creacion, distribucion y consumo de textos de medios con los desarrollos tecnologicos que apuntalan diferencias del lenguaje
The evolutionary origin of the mitochondrion: a nonsymbiotic model.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the evolutionary origin of the mitochondria. Most prokaryotes and essentially all eukaryotes are adapted to life in the presence of free oxygen. The two fundamental biochemical adaptations for such life are the possession of two enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase, which protect cellular components from autooxidation, and an electron transport system that allows cells to use atmospheric oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor for energy yielding biochemical oxidations. Evolutionary rates of amino acid or nucleotide substitution have been computed for several macromolecules. Such rates are generally quite constant for any particular molecular phylogeny. This has been illustrated by Dickerson, who correlated sequence changes in cytochromes from diverse organisms with absolute times of phylogenetic divergence obtained from classic paleontological data. According to the symbiotic model, eukaryotic cytoplasm should show evidence of a fundamentally anaerobic nature, since the anaerobic protoeukaryote acquired its oxygen-mediating systems from the aerobic symbiont. Mitochondria contain their own genetic system. This is composed of a specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as well as the means for its replication and, at least potentially, expression. Thus the organelles possess a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase and a system for protein synthesis, consisting of ribosomes, mRNA(s), tRNAs, aminoacyl-tRNA ligases, and the three classes of protein factors (initiation, elongation, and termination factors) required for its function.
Forecasting the geomagnetic field at 2005 using Ørsted and observatory data

[1] Spherical harmonic models were derived using observatory data taken since 1995 and Orsted vector data. Such models were used to predict both the field in 2005 and estimated error surfaces. Using only satellite data taken over the 2-year interval produced unsatisfactory predictions of the field. It was essential to include longer period observations at fixed observatories and other surface data, such as ship-towed data. To accurately determine the field for past epochs it is necessary to use parabolic terms in time to degree n = 12 as well as annual terms to allow for external contributions. However, using only linear terms provided the best accuracy for projections to 2005. Reduction of the complexity of the model to n = 8 tends to smooth over areas devoid of a long period of observation though slightly decreasing the accuracy elsewhere. The best estimates for 2005 using these techniques cannot be more accurate than a few hundred nT at the Earth's surface.
Sex roles in management: the impact of varying power of speech style on union members' perception of satisfaction and effectiveness.

ABSTRACT Effective management has traditionally been associated with men and masculine characteristics. In this study, I focused on manager communication, specifically the perceived effects of stereotypical gender/power speech styles. Union members viewed and rated a male and a female manager on videotape using three gender/power speech styles: stereotypical masculine (powerful), stereotypical feminine (powerless), and mixed gender/power. Union respondents judged both the male and female manager using the mixed gender/power speech style as most effective and as being associated with the most satisfied employees.
Traumatic anterior mediastinal hemorrhage: control by internal mammary artery embolization.

A massive and rapidly progressing hemomediastinum which resulted from blunt chest trauma was controlled by internal mammary artery embolization during angiographic evaluation for suspected injury of the thoracic aorta. Embolization of the internal mammary artery can be performed safely and thoracotomy avoided if stable catheter position is attained.