cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High Performance Combustor Cloth Seals

Design of combustor seals poses a real challenge to designers who seek to achieve extended service life. In gas turbines with can-annular combustion systems, the combustor seals are used to seal the gap between the cans (transition duct) and the first stage nozzles. Combination of concentrated contact loads caused by thermal distortions and combustor dynamics limit the part service life. The introduction of flexible cloth seals has demonstrated the promise to extend the service life by 50% or more. However, to provide more air for combustion, and to satisfy decreasing NOx emissions limits, leakage reduction beyond existing levels is also required in addition to extending the service life. This paper describes the new combustor cloth seals designed to minimize leakage while extending the service life. Flexibility introduced by composite cloth assembly extends seal life by reducing contact load severity. Uniform slot contact minimizes leakage. To achieve maximum part life with minimum leakage rate, seal design has been optimized using statistical analysis tools. The systematic life improvement started with optimization of the metallic cloth. Once the process capability has been defined, the best vendor, weave and orientation were identified. Critical design areas have been identified through field inspections of prototypes. To minimize cloth wear in transition duct aft frame slots, seal slot engagements have been optimized using the tolerances on design parameters. The parameter values were assumed to be normally distributed within the tolerance bands. Inner-outer and side seal junctions have been redesigned to reduce contact load severity. Two separate Design of Experiments (DOE) series were conducted to develop load distribution transfer functions for both in-plane and out-of-plane cases representing the observed offset between neighboring * Copyright © 2000 The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc. All rights reserved. transition ducts. Inner and outer cord lengths of the seals have also been optimized to minimize the parasitic end gap leakage. As a result the seal service life has been extended by 50% or more. The combustion laboratory tests have indicated 30-35% reduction in leakage. Combustor cloth seals are now standard for all new General Electric 6F and 7F gas turbines. They are also offered as part of the Extender Kit for the older units.
Effective Time Management: The Forgotten Administrative and Nursing Supervisor Art

(1978). Effective Time Management: The Forgotten Administrative and Nursing Supervisor Art. Hospital Topics: Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 32-37.
Cooperation of nuraing during lapqroscopic high ligation of hernial sac in children

Objective:To study the cooperation of nursing in operating room during laparoscopic ligh ligation of hernial sac in children.Methods:86 cases of indirect inguinal hernia from January to June in 2005 treated by the laparoscopic high ligation of hernial sac in our hospital were summarized.Results:The surgical operations all 86 cases were performed successfully,and the operative time was 10 to 20 minutes.No adverse reaction was found during or after the operation.Conclusion:The close nursing cooperation during the operation and the good care to laparoscopic instruments are the key to the operation.
Considering characterological resistances in the psychotherapy supervisor.

The characterological resistance of the psychotherapy supervisor to engage in authentic relatedness with psychotherapy supervisees is examined. Three types of supervisor resistances are considered:...
Renal physiology. Laparoscopic considerations

Oliguria is a recognized component of the physiologic effect of increased intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal pressure. The cause is multifactorial, emanating from vascular and parenchymal compression, and is associated with systemic hormonal effects. Ureteral obstruction does not play a significant role. These changes are pressure-dependent and are usually not apparent until pressures reach 15 mm Hg or more. This effect is not associated with any histologic pathology or evidence of renal tubular damage. After the release of the pneumoperitoneum or pneumoretroperitoneum, the renal function and urine output return to normal with no long-term sequelae, even in patients with pre-existing renal disease. The entire operative team must understand the physiologic effects of CO2 insufflation, which allows appropriate intraoperative monitoring and management and minimizes intraoperative and postoperative complications.
Landau-Zener-Stückelberg Interferometry in Quantum Dots with Fast Rise Times: Evidence for Coherent Phonon Driving.

Manipulating qubits via electrical pulses in a piezoelectric material such as GaAs can be expected to generate incidental acoustic phonons. In this Letter we determine theoretically and experimentally the consequences of these phonons for semiconductor spin qubits using Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg interferometry. Theoretical calculations predict that phonons in the presence of the spin-orbit interaction produce both phonon-Rabi fringes and accelerated evolution at the singlet-triplet anticrossing. Observed features confirm the influence of these mechanisms. Additionally, evidence is found that the pulsed gates themselves act as phonon cavities increasing the influence of phonons under specific resonant conditions.
First report of factors associated with satisfaction in patients with neurofibromatosis.

Patient satisfaction is an integral part of quality health care. We assessed whether health literacy and psychosocial factors are associated with patient satisfaction among adults with neurofibromatosis. Eighty adults (mean age = 44 years; 55% female, 87% white) with NF (50% NF1, 41% NF2, and 9% schwannomatosis) completed an adapted Functional, Communicative, and Critical Health Literacy Questionnaire (FCCHL), the Health Literacy Assessment, a series of Patient Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) psychosocial tests, and demographics before the medical visit. After, participants completed two measures of satisfaction: the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS) to assess satisfaction with the medical visit, and an adapted version of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Health Literacy Item Set (CAHPS-HL) to assess satisfaction with communication with the provider. Although higher FCCHL health literacy (r = 0.319, P = 0.002), male gender (t = 2.045, P = 0.044) and better psychosocial functioning (r = -0.257 to 0.409, P < 0.05) were associated with higher satisfaction with the medical visit in bivariate correlations, only male gender and higher health literacy remained as significant predictors in multivariable analyses. Higher FCCHL health literacy, less pain interference, fewer pain behaviors, and higher satisfaction with social roles and social discretionary activities (r = -0.231 to 0.331, P < 0.05) were associated with higher satisfaction with the communication with the provider in bivariate analyses. Results support the use of psychosocial and health literacy measures in clinical practice. Referrals to psychosocial treatments in addition to brief interventions focused on increasing health literacy may also be beneficial. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
1999 Donald F Egan Scientific Lecture. Weaning from mechanical ventilation: what have we learned?

It is a pleasure and honor for me to give the 26th Annual Donald F Egan Scientific Lecture at the American Association for Respiratory Care. Much of my research career has focused on weaning from mechanical ventilation, and a major stimulus for my interest in this subject was an outstanding review article published in RESPIRATORY CARE by its current editor, Dave Pierson, in the early 1980s.1 In that article, Dave made the subject of weaning exciting. More importantly, he pointed out many areas about which we knew nothing. To someone starting an academic career, the subject of weaning appeared particularly ripe for research. While preparing for this morning’s lecture, I took my copy of Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Therapy from the shelf. This was the first textbook directed primarily at respiratory therapists. It was first published in 1969, and the copy I own is the third edition, published in 1977.2 In the 1977 edition, Dr Egan wrote that “The separation of a patient from his ventilator is very nearly pure art.” Weaning is still an art in 1999. But over the next half hour, I hope I can show you that the approach to weaning has a more scientific basis than was the case 20 years ago.
Assessment of Hurricane Sandy damage and resulting loss in ecosystem services in a coastal-urban setting

Abstract We quantified the location and extent of damage from Hurricane Sandy in habitats within the complex coastal-urban region of Jamaica Bay, New York and calculated the values of ecosystem services (ESV) lost. Results were compared with those from Hurricane Katrina. We found that moderate flooding and sand deposition were the most prevalent types of damage, and they caused the most degradation to low salt marsh habitat. Compared with Hurricane Katrina, damage from Hurricane Sandy to built and natural capital was generally lower for almost all categories except beach erosion. This was especially damaging due to the high levels of disturbance prevention ecosystem services beaches and dunes provide. Our impact index revealed that the majority of damage was minimal in severity (60%) and would likely be reversed within five years (62%), with a total possible loss of up to US$ 6.5 million for Jamaica Bay, NY. We demonstrated the use of our results to identify vulnerable areas for protection and restoration, and to calculate gains in ESVs in each scenario. By quantifying the location, extent and type of damage from Hurricane Sandy and the ESVs lost, we can provide another dimension to protection and restoration efforts in this sensitive coastal-urban region.
Heterogeneous-Backbone Foldamer Mimics of Zinc Finger Tertiary Structure

A variety of oligomeric backbones with compositions deviating from biomacromolecules can fold in defined ways. Termed “foldamers,” these agents have diverse potential applications. A number of protein-inspired secondary structures (e.g., helices, sheets) have been produced from unnatural backbones, yet examples of tertiary folds combining several secondary structural elements in a single entity are rare. One promising strategy to address this challenge is the systematic backbone alteration of natural protein sequences, through which a subset of the native side chains is displayed on an unnatural building block to generate a heterogeneous backbone. A drawback to this approach is that substitution at more than one or two sites often comes at a significant energetic cost to fold stability. Here we report heterogeneous-backbone foldamers that mimic the zinc finger domain, a ubiquitous and biologically important metal-binding tertiary motif, and do so with a folded stability that is superior to the natural pro...
Liver Function After Irradiation Based Upon CT Portal Venous Perfusion Imaging

Purpose The role of radiation in the treatment of intrahepatic cancer is limited by the development of radiation-induced liver disease (RILD), which occurs weeks after the course of radiation is completed. We hypothesized that, as the pathophysiology of RILD is veno-occlusive disease, we could assess individual and regional liver sensitivity to radiation by measuring liver perfusion during a course of treatment using dynamic contrast enhanced CT (DCE-CT) scanning.
Impedance Eduction in Large Ducts Containing Higher-Order Modes and Grazing Flow

Impedance eduction test data are acquired in ducts with small and large cross-sectional areas at the NASA Langley Research Center. An improved data acquisition system in the large duct has resulted in increased control of the acoustic energy in source modes and more accurate resolution of higher-order duct modes compared to previous tests. Two impedance eduction methods that take advantage of the improved data acquisition to educe the liner impedance in grazing flow are presented. One method measures the axial propagation constant of a dominant mode in the liner test section (by implementing the Kumarsean and Tufts algorithm) and educes the impedance from an exact analytical expression. The second method solves numerically the convected Helmholtz equation and minimizes an objective function to obtain the liner impedance. The two methods are tested first on data synthesized from an exact mode solution and then on measured data. Results show that when the methods are applied to data acquired in the larger duct with a dominant higher-order mode, the same impedance spectra are educed as that obtained in the small duct where only the plane wave mode propagates. This result holds for each higher-order mode in the large duct provided that the higher-order mode is sufficiently attenuated by the liner.
The Inflammatory Potential of Dietary Manganese in a Cohort of Elderly Men

Manganese is an essential nutrient that may play a role in the production of inflammatory biomarkers. We examined associations between estimated dietary manganese intake from food/beverages and supplements with circulating biomarkers of inflammation. We further explored whether estimated dietary manganese intake affects DNA methylation of selected genes involved in the production of these biomarkers. We analyzed 1023 repeated measures of estimated dietary manganese intakes and circulating blood inflammatory biomarkers from 633 participants in the Normative Aging Study. Using mixed-effect linear regression models adjusted for covariates, we observed positive linear trends between estimated dietary manganese intakes and three circulating interleukin proteins. Relative to the lowest quartile of estimated intake, concentrations of IL-1β were 46% greater (95% CI − 5, 126), IL-6 52% greater (95% CI − 9, 156). and IL-8 32% greater (95% CI 2, 71) in the highest quartiles of estimated intake. Estimated dietary manganese intake was additionally associated with changes in DNA methylation of inflammatory biomarker-producing genes. Higher estimated intake was associated with higher methylation of NF-κβ member activator NKAP (Q4 vs Q1: β = 3.32, 95% CI − 0.6, 7.3). When stratified by regulatory function, higher manganese intake was associated with higher gene body methylation of NF-κβ member activators NKAP (Q4 vs Q1: β = 10.10, 95% CI − 0.8, 21) and NKAPP1 (Q4 vs Q1: β = 8.14, 95% CI 1.1, 15). While needed at trace amounts for various physiologic functions, our results suggest estimated dietary intakes of manganese at levels slightly above nutritional adequacy contribute to inflammatory biomarker production.
Gendered Costs of Austerity: The Effects of the Great Recession and Government Policies on Employment across the OECD

The global financial crisis prompted dramatic increases in unemployment and market instability in nearly every state. While the negative effects on national economies have been widespread, distributional outcomes have varied among different labor market groups, particularly between men and women. This article analyzes the gendered impact of the Great Recession on labor markets across the OECD, using random effects modeling of 28 countries across 14 years. We argue that although the start of the crisis afflicted male workers the most, the turn from stimulus toward fiscal austerity policies – including social spending and public employment cuts – exposed women to greater instability.
Transfer-power measurement: A non-contact method for fair and accurate metering of wireless power transfer in electric vehicles

Wireless power transfer is emerging as the preeminent way to charge electric vehicles, but there appears to be no fair way to measure power transfer. In this paper, transferpower measurement (TPM) is introduced. TPM employs non-contact sensing elements to measure magnetic field from wireless power transfer and calculate the real power propagating through space. TPM provides fair metering because individual losses from the transmitter and receiver are disaggregated. Signal and data processing as well as a calibration method are discussed. Experimental results demonstrate a fair method of metering the real transfer power with low estimation error. Fair metering incentivizes businesses and individuals to make choices that conserve energy and advance technology by providing more information and by properly assigning the financial loss.
Longer operative time is associated with increased post-operative complications in patients undergoing minimally-invasive surgery for endometrial cancer.

Abstract Objective To examine the impact of operative time on the development of post-operative medical and surgical complications in patients undergoing minimally-invasive surgery for endometrial cancer. Methods Patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer from 2005 to 2014 were identified from the ACS-NSQIP database. Operative times were initially divided into hour-long intervals and complication rates were determined. Outcomes included development of any complication, medical complication, or surgical complication. Subsequent analysis were based on dividing patients into 2 groups based on operative times t -tests. Univariate and multivariate analysis using logistic regression were used to identify predictors of post-operative complications. Results 9145 patients were included, of which 639 (7%) experienced a complication. As operative time increased, rates of complications also increased. Operative time ≥240min was associated with increased overall complication rate (11.7% vs. 6%, p p p =0.001). When performing multi-variate logistic regression of factors associated with increased complication rates, increased operative time, COPD, hypertension, diabetes, ASA class ≥3, dependent functional status, and chronic steroid use were found to be independently associated with increased complications. Lymphadenectomy was not associated with increased operative time or increase in complications. Conclusion Increased operative time is independently associated with increased risk of developing complications after laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer.
Feeling and smelling psychosis: American alienism, psychiatry, prodromes and the limits of ‘category work’

Some limitations of ‘category work’ in the history of psychiatry are illustrated via the example of attempts within US alienism and psychiatry since 1889 to identify psychosis and its prodromes. A ...
Microbial and Enzymatic Synthesis of Polymers

Summary This chapter focuses on lipid whole-cell biotransformations to polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and cell-free (lipase, cutinase) catalyzed condensation and ring-opening polymerization of functional lipids. The composition of microbial PHAs produced from lipids varies greatly as a function of the PHA production strain. While most reports of PHA production from lipids use shake flask cultivations, high-yielding fermentations with optimized fatty acid (FA) feeding strategies are described for medium-chain-length PHA (mcl, C6–C14) production. Furthermore, to decrease FA feedstock costs in PHA fermentations, FA wastes or coproduct streams have successfully replaced native plant oils. Lipase catalysis using immobilized enzymes is an emerging strategy for FA polymerizations. Unlike chemical catalysts, enzymes function under mild conditions (
Light sources for neuromorphic computing

We have demonstrated electrically-injected waveguide-coupled LEDs based on W centers in silicon for neuromorphic computing. We analyze the sources of loss in these LEDs and simulate new designs for scalable, waveguide-coupled devices with several orders of magnitude higher efficiency.
Introduction to Nonlinear Systems

A quick review of the subject matter of this book up to this point confirms the fact that, with the exception of some specific first-order, ordinary differential equations which happen to be exact or separable, all the solution methods covered so far, other than numerical methods, have only been applicable to linear differential equations. Although the study of nonlinear differential equations is extremely interesting, it is also substantively difficult and rather advanced. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce some of the reasons why nonlinear systems are important, and why they are interesting, and to present a couple of the more basic analysis tools.
Basic Aspects of Impairment Evaluation in Stroke Patients

Focal brain lesions caused by stroke confer on the patient a set of neurological deficits. These deficits are called impairments. Evaluation of these impairments constitutes an essential first step in management of the patient. In the acute patient, evaluation of the impairments helps the physician determine the pathology, localization, and severity of the lesion. For rehabilitation, evaluation of the impairments helps the clinician determine functional prognosis, establish rehabilitation goals, and define the treatment program. The key neurological impairments observed in stroke patients may be grouped under the following headings: mental status, communication, cranial nerves, motor function, sensory function, and posture and balance. Evaluation methods for some of the deficits have been refined through the development of scaled tests, allowing quantification. Use of scores from scaled tests allows the clinician to rate severity of the impairment and to monitor recovery.
Disparities in the Treatment and Outcome of Stage I Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the 21st Century

Abstract Background African American (AA) individuals are less likely to receive treatment and more likely to die from cancer compared with Caucasian (C) individuals. Recent advancements in surgery and radiation have improved outcomes in early stage non–small-cell lung cancer (ESNSCLC). We studied racial disparities in ESNSCLC in the past decade. Patients and Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to retrieve data of 62,312 ESNSCLC patients age 60 years and older diagnosed between 2004 and 2012. Patients were divided into racial cohorts: C, AA, American Indian (AI), Asian/Pacific Islander (API), or unknown. Demographics characteristics, therapy, and survival were compared using χ2 test, Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox multivariate analysis. Results AA and AI individuals were less likely to receive surgery than typical ESNSCLC patients (55.9% and 57.6% vs. 66.7%; P Conclusion Despite treatment advancements in the past decade, AA and AI individuals continue to have worse OS and CSS from ESNSCLC. This might be because of the association with more adverse risk factors, including older age, squamous histology, male sex, T2 stage, and tendency to forgo treatment.
Changes in patient-reported outcomes between continuers and discontinuers of disease modifying therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis over age 60.

Abstract Background The risk benefit ratio of continuing immunomodulating disease modifying therapy (DMT) in older MS patients is unknown. To date, only retrospective observational studies on DMT discontinuation have been published. In these studies, DMT discontinuation was based solely on disease stability and patients frequently had to restart treatment. Our prior study demonstrated that discontinuing DMT can be more successful when age is also considered. The impact of discontinuing DMT on patients’ quality of life has not been previously explored. The objective of this study is to determine changes in outcomes over time between those who continued versus discontinued DMT using patient-reported outcomes (European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) index, Performance Scales (PS), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9)) and walking speed (Timed 25-foot walk) in MS patients over age 60. Methods We conducted a retrospective, observational study in which we identified patients from our MS clinics who were 60 years of age or older and had been on DMT ≥2 years. We compared outcome evolution over time among treatment groups (continuers, discontinuers before discontinuation (DBD), and discontinuers after discontinuation (DAD)), by creating separate mixed-effects linear regression models that included an interaction term between time from age 60 and treatment group to study outcome trajectories. Independent variables were time from age 60 and treatment group, with the following covariates: age at diagnosis, gender, disease course at MS diagnosis, time on DMT, baseline DMT, and ambulation status at age 60. Results 178 of 600 patients discontinued DMT, and 89.3% (n = 159) of those who discontinued remained off DMT. Only the EQ-5D mixed-effects linear regression model with the interaction term was statistically significant (omnibus p-value = 0.043). The slope relating time to EQ-5D was significantly different when comparing continuers to DBD (0.009, 95% CI 0.002–0.016, p-value = 0.015). The slopes were not significantly different when comparing continuers to DAD, or when comparing the before and after discontinuation slopes among the discontinuers. With the interaction term removed, there were no significant differences between the three groups for any other outcome. Conclusion Most patients over age 60 who discontinued DMT remained off treatment. Among the outcomes, only EQ-5D demonstrated significant differences over time, with continuers having lower quality of life scores compared to DBD. There were no significant group differences in PS, T25FW and PHQ-9. Overall, stopping DMT appears to have minimal effect on outcomes over the study period in patients over age 60.
Refining the Association Between Body Mass Index and Atrial Fibrillation: G-Formula and Restricted Mean Survival Times.

Background Previous studies assessing the association between body mass index (BMI) and atrial fibrillation (AF) did not account for time‐varying covariates, which may be affected by previous BMI. ...
Spectral response measurement of the National Ignition Facility Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope

The multi-channel Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope (KBM), currently in use at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), uses grazing incidence multilayer crystals to focus x-rays to form an image. This diagnostic produces four images with a ~11x magnification, with a designed energy response of 10.2 ±1.5 keV at We present a new calibration of the KBM using a molybdenum (W, Z = 42) x-ray microfocus source to measure the spectral response of the instrument over its field of view. Our results measure the variation and dependence on the coalignment of the four imaging channels, relating the region of best resolution and optimal spectral response.
Identification and Massively Parallel Characterization of Regulatory Elements Driving Neural Induction

Epigenomic regulation and lineage-specific gene expression act in concert to drive cellular differentiation, but the temporal interplay between these processes is largely unknown. Using neural induction from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) as a paradigm, we interrogated these dynamics by performing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), and assay for transposase accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) at seven time points during early neural differentiation. We found that changes in DNA accessibility precede H3K27ac, which is followed by gene expression changes. Using massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) to test the activity of 2,464 candidate regulatory sequences at all seven time points, we show that many of these sequences have temporal activity patterns that correlate with their respective cell-endogenous gene expression and chromatin changes. A prioritization method incorporating all genomic and MPRA data further identified key transcription factors involved in driving neural fate. These results provide a comprehensive resource of genes and regulatory elements that orchestrate neural induction and illuminate temporal frameworks during differentiation.
Beyond Percolation Threshold Loading of Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers with Boron Nitride Nanotubes for Use in High-Temperature Composites

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have unique thermomechanical properties that make them excellent candidates for use in structural heat resistant composites, but their usage has been limited in the ...
Not all bridges connect: integration in multi-community networks

This paper studies structures for efficient and stable integration of multi-community networks where establishing bridges across communities incur additional link cost compared to those within comm...
Depth and topographic controls on microbial activity in a recently burned sub-alpine catchment

Abstract Microbial communities influence and are influenced by environmental conditions that, together with the extracellular enzymes produced by soil microorganisms, control the rate of decomposition of organic matter in soil. Here, we aim to characterize the interaction of landscape position and depth on potential enzyme activities in a recently burned forest catchment. To accomplish this, we first characterized the heterogeneity of environmental properties, including topography, depth, and soil geochemistry, in order to delineate landscape position and depth controls on potential enzyme activities. To account for the impact of recent wildfire on extracellular enzyme activities (EEA), we delineated surface (0–5 cm) and deeper (5–40 cm) soils to understand how fire (which disproportionally impacts the surface) alters the relationship between EEA and the environmental covariates. We excavated 22 soil pits to 40 cm and measured potential activities of seven hydrolytic enzymes involved in carbon (C) (α-glucosidase [AG], β-1,4-glucosidase [BG], β–D-cellobiohydrolase, [CB] and β-xylosidase [XYL]), nitrogen (N) (β-1,4,N-acetylglucosaminidase, [NAG] and leucine-aminopeptidase [LAP]) and phosphorus (P) acquisition (acid phosphatase [PHOS]) across a subalpine catchment. Fire resulted in decreased BG, CB and NAG activity in surface (0–2 cm) soils. Fire altered N and P acquisition strategies with depth suggesting potential nutrient scavenging or increased internal microbial cycling with depth as a response to fire. Digital soil mapping demonstrated consistently higher potential enzyme activities in the convergent zones of the catchment, which were primarily correlated with higher soil moisture, clay content, and vegetative cover as quantified through normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Integrating remotely sensed measures of topography with the identification of drivers of microbial C, N, and P cycling can help inform how millimeter-scale processes influence and feedback to patterns at a catchment scale.
Popular Musicin Advertising: Does Popular Music In Advertising Influence Consumption Choices?

This study empirically investigated the relationship between attitudes toward popular music in advertising, attitudes toward changing the lyrics to popular songs, and demographics with purchase behavior. Two of three hypothesized relationships found statistical significance. Attitudes toward changing the lyrics to popular songs and demographics provided insight into segmenting the market for products that use popular music in advertising schemes.
Phylogeography and demographic expansion in the widely distributed horned passalus beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus (coleoptera: Passalidae).

Dynamic climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene had profound effects on the distribution of species across North America. Although the role of historical climate change on speciation remains c...
A Stretchable Tactile Sleeve for Reaching Into Cluttered Spaces

We present a highly conformable stretchable sensory skin made of soft components. The skin uses low pressure pneumatic taxels and stretchable channels to conduct pressure signals to off-board micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensors. The force sensing range captures down to 0.01 N and has a roll-off frequency of 102 Hz. Due to pressure equilibration, the signals are substantially unaffected as the channels stretch and flex over robot joints with up to 100% elongation. The design permits additional floating taxels which, though less insensitive to stretch, provide sensing of contacts across joints and gaps. With no conductive elements or rigid components, the skin is robust to impacts and withstands many cycles of stretch and immersion in water. We apply the skin to a robotic wrist with two intersecting axes and show that it has sufficient sensitivity and bandwidth to detect the onset of sliding as the robot contacts objects. We demonstrate the skin in object acquisition tasks in a constrained environment for which extraneous contacts are unavoidable.
An Evaluation of the Connected Nation Broadband Adoption Program

Closing the digital divide and increasing broadband adoption within households and communities continue to be goals of government and nonprofit groups. While a large number of studies have examined policies and programs aimed at improving broadband infrastructure availability, little analysis to date has focused on evaluating efforts to increase adoption. One of the most well-known programs emphasizing adoption is Connected Nation, which has partnered with 14 states to provide local curricula aimed at raising residential internet connection rates. This analysis uses a generalized difference-in-difference methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of the Connected Nation program that took place in 5 states during 2012 and 2013. While the results indicate no significant initial impact, there is evidence of a linear effect resulting in increased adoption 2 to 4 years after the program began. This paper represents a rigorous evaluation of one of the most well-known adoption-oriented programs, and emphasizes that measurable impacts of such efforts may not accrue over the short term.
Standardized preservation, extraction and quantification techniques for detection of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Patients with COVID-19 shed SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool, sometimes well after their respiratory infection has cleared. This may be significant for patient health, epidemiology, and diagnosis. However, methods to preserve stool, and to extract and quantify viral RNA are not standardized. We test the performance of three preservative approaches at yielding detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA: the OMNIgene-GUT kit, Zymo DNA/RNA shield kit, and the most commonly applied, storage without preservative. We test these in combination with three extraction kits: QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit, Zymo Quick-RNA Viral Kit, and MagMAX Viral/Pathogen Kit. We also test the utility of ddPCR and RT-qPCR for the reliable quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from stool. We identify that the Zymo DNA/RNA preservative and the QiaAMP extraction kit yield more detectable RNA than the others, using both ddPCR and RT-qPCR. Taken together, we recommend a comprehensive methodology for preservation, extraction and detection of RNA from SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in stool.
Towards Three-Dimensional Active Incoherent Millimeter-Wave Imaging

Active incoherent millimeter-wave (AIM) imaging is a new technique that combines aspects of passive millimeter-wave imaging and noise radar to obtain high-speed imagery. Using an interferometric receiving array combined with small set of uncorrelated noise transmitters, measurements of the Fourier transform domain of the scene can be rapidly obtained, and scene images can be generated quickly via two-dimensional inverse Fourier transform. Previously, AIM imaging provided two-dimensional reconstructions of the scene. In this work we explore the use of active millimeter-wave imaging for automotive sensing by investigating array feasible layouts for automobiles, and a new technique to impart range estimation to obtain three-dimensional imaging information.
Modeling Effects of Spatial Heterogeneities and Layered Exposure Interventions on the Spread of COVID-19 across New Jersey

COVID-19 created an unprecedented global public health crisis during 2020–2021. The severity of the fast-spreading infection, combined with uncertainties regarding the physical and biological processes affecting transmission of SARS-CoV-2, posed enormous challenges to healthcare systems. Pandemic dynamics exhibited complex spatial heterogeneities across multiple scales, as local demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral and environmental factors were modulating population exposures and susceptibilities. Before effective pharmacological interventions became available, controlling exposures to SARS-CoV-2 was the only public health option for mitigating the disease; therefore, models quantifying the impacts of heterogeneities and alternative exposure interventions on COVID-19 outcomes became essential tools informing policy development. This study used a stochastic SEIR framework, modeling each of the 21 New Jersey counties, to capture important heterogeneities of COVID-19 outcomes across the State. The models were calibrated using confirmed daily deaths and SQMC optimization and subsequently applied in predictive and exploratory modes. The predictions achieved good agreement between modeled and reported death data; counterfactual analysis was performed to assess the effectiveness of layered interventions on reducing exposures to SARS-CoV-2 and thereby fatality of COVID-19. The modeling analysis of the reduction in exposures to SARS-CoV-2 achieved through concurrent social distancing and face-mask wearing estimated that 357 [IQR (290, 429)] deaths per 100,000 people were averted.
Korean-American mothers' self-reported parenting patterns and children's social competence

Because most of studies in parenting have been based on middle-class western cultural norms, relatively little is known about parenting patterns in minority families living in the United States. The literature review that follows will describe the major characteristics of cultures that are categorized as individualism and collectivism. Research concerning the importance of parental beliefs is presented, followed by a discussion of influential factors of parental beliefs. The review of the belief and behavior connection is presented to indicate the relationships between parental beliefs and parental behaviors in temris of behavioral outcomes. Aspects of parental control, which are based on the Asian culture, are presented to illustrate how parental control may be viewed differently cross-culturally. Finally, children's social competence, as the major dependent variable in this study, is discussed as well as results of cross-cultural studies on social competence. Introduction Since there are so many influential factors on parenting, it is difficult to identify one best way of raising children. Among the influential factors, each culture possesses its unique impact and environmental setting; comparisons of parenting
Loss of Intracellular Antioxidant Enzyme Activity During Sperm Cryopreservation: Effects on Sperm Function After Thawing

Despite advances in cryopreservation methodology, one of the main detrimental effects of cryopreservation on human spermatozoa is a marked reduction in motility. The primary cause of cellular damage during cryopreservation is the formation of intracellular ice. The concentration of solutes remaining in the unfrozen fraction increases, thereby both depressing the freezing point and increasing the osmotic pressure of the remaining solution. Hence, biological systems freeze progressively over a wide temperature range, during which the solute becomes gradually more concentrated as the temperature falls. This leads to irreversible rupturing of plasma and nuclear membranes and disturbance of cellular organelles. The nucleus has generally been considered to be a stable constituent of the cell. However, recent studies have suggested that this is not the case and that inappropriate chromatin condensation can occur with freezing. Cryoprotectants such as glycerol or propanediol can be added to cells to reduce freezing damage by lowering the salt concentrations and increasing the unfrozen water fraction, thereby reducing osmotic stress. Further cellular damage may be caused during the thawing process as the ice melts or recrystallizes. Slow thawing is most likely to induce injury, as it allows time for consolidation of microscopic ice crystals into larger forms which are known to be damaging. The production and dissolution of ice is associated with the actual rate of freezing and thawing. Slow freezing and gradual dehydration may accommodate cell survival, whereas rapid freezing and thawing is more likely to result in cell death.
Optical rotation and the conformation of polypeptides and proteins.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the capacity of the optical rotatory methods to discern mixtures of this conformation with disordered regions. It discusses the manner in which theoretical considerations have provided the forms into which rotatory data are currently cast, the calibration of their constants by studies of synthetic polypeptides in known conformation, and then, the application of these equations and scales in the structural interpretation of the rotatory dispersion of proteins. This pattern of analysis undergoes refinement and revision as these methods are applied to new species of polypeptide and protein in concert with other means of conformational assignment. An extension of the spectral range of measurement toward optically active absorption bands in the far ultraviolet is expected to yield new information about the rotatory power of the peptide bond and thus enhance the interaction of theory and observation that has already proved fruitful.
Factors associated with physical activity levels in African–American women with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Purpose: To examine how family/friend social support, exercise self-efficacy, physical environment, sense of community, social issues and roles, socioeconomic status, and body image discrepancy influence physical activity levels in African American females with type 2 diabetes. Data sources: A sample of 50 African American females with type 2 diabetes was recruited from a Midwest diabetes center for this descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study. A series of self-report instruments were administered to examine the relationships between the independent study variables and physical activity levels. Conclusions: Results of the study suggested that higher levels of exercise self-efficacy, family social support for exercise, and a decrease in physical environmental barriers may serve to increase physical activity levels in this population. No significant relationships were observed between the other study variables and physical activity levels. Implications for practice: Nurse practitioners working with African American females with type 2 diabetes need to assess family social support, exercise self-efficacy, and physical environmental barriers and plan interventions that incorporate family support and the principles of self-efficacy while minimizing environmental barriers. Further exploration is warranted to examine the relationship between body image discrepancy and physical activity in this population.
METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS INFECTIONS OF THE EYE AND ORBIT (AN AMERICAN OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SOCIETY THESIS)

Purpose To ascertain if methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA) ophthalmic infections are increasing.
On decomposing Knapsack constraints for length-lex bounds consistency

The length-lex representation for set variables orders all subsets of a given universe of values according to cardinality and lexicography. To achieve length-lex bounds consistency for Knapsack constraints it has been proposed to decompose the constraint into two sum constraints. We provide theoretical and practical evidence which shows that decomposition increases the problem of computing a fixpoint which is intrinsic to the length-lex representation:1. The fixpoint problem for this domain representation is NP-hard in general. 2. For a tractable sub-family of Knapsack decomposition takes more time than exponential brute-force enumeration. 3. Experimental results on decomposed Knapsack constraints show that exponential-time fixpoint computation is the rule and not some pathological exception.
Automated writing evaluation for non-native speaker english academic writing: the case of iade and its formative feedback

This dissertation presents an innovative approach to the development and empirical evaluation of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) technology used for teaching and learning. It introduces IADE (Intelligent Academic Discourse Evaluator), a new web-based AWE program that analyzes research article Introduction sections and generates immediate, individualized, discipline-specific feedback. The major purpose of the dissertation was to implement IADE as a formative assessment tool complementing L2 graduate-level academic writing instruction and to investigate the effectiveness and appropriateness of its automated evaluation and feedback. To achieve this goal, the study sought evidence of IADE’s Language Learning Potential, Meaning Focus, Learner Fit, and Impact qualities outlined in Chapelle’s (2001) CALL evaluation conceptual framework. A mixed-methods approach with a concurrent transformative strategy was employed. Quantitative data consisted of Likert-scale, yes/no, and open-ended survey responses; automated and human scores for first and last drafts; pre-/post test scores; and frequency counts for draft submission and for access to IADE’s Help Options. Qualitative data contained students’ first and last drafts as well as transcripts of think-aloud protocols and Camtasia computer screen recordings, observations, and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that IADE can be considered an effective formative assessment tool suitable for implementation in the targeted instructional context. Its effectiveness was a result of combined strengths of its Language Learning Potential, Meaning Focus, Learner Fit, and Impact qualities, which were all enhanced by the program’s automated feedback. The strength of Language Learning Potential was supported by evidence of noticing of and focus on discourse form, improved rhetorical quality of writing, increased learning gains, and relative helpfulness of practice and modified interaction. Learners’ focus on the functional meaning of discourse and construction of such meaning served as evidence of strong Meaning Focus. IADE’s automated feedback characteristics and Help Options were appropriate for targeted learners, which speaks of adequate Learner Fit. Finally, despite some negative effects caused by IADE’s numerical feedback, overall Impact, exerted at affective, intrinsic, pragmatic, and cognitive levels, was found to be positive due to the color-coded type of feedback. The results of this study provide valuable empirical knowledge to the areas of L2 academic writing, formative assessment, AWE, and I/CALL. They have important practical and theoretical implications and are informative for future research as well as for the design and application of new learning technologies.
Extracting Advantage Phrases That Hint at a New Technology's Potentials

Technical literature such as patents, research papers, whitepapers, and technology news articles are widely recognized as important information sources for people seeking broad knowledge in technology fields. However, it is generally a labor intensive task to survey these resources to track major advances in a broad range of technical areas. To alleviate this problem, we propose a novel survey assistance tool that focuses on a novel semantic class for phrases, advantage phrases, which mention strong, advantageous points of technologies or products. The advantage phrases such as "reduce cost," "improve PC performance," and "provide early warning of a future failure" can help users to grasp the capabilities of a new technology and to come up with innovative solutions with large business values for themselves and their clients. The proposed tool automatically extracts and lists up those advantage phrases from large technical documents, and places the phrases that mention novel technology applications high on the output list. The developed prototype of the tool is now available for consultants analyzing patent disclosures. In this paper, a method to identify advantage phrases in technical documents and a scoring function to give a higher score to novel applications of a technology are proposed and evaluated.