cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-Pressure Isentropic Compression Experiments on the Sandiaz Accelerator

Summary form only given. A capability to produce quasi-isentropic compression of solids using pulsed magnetic loading on the Sandia Z accelerator has recently been developed and demonstrated. The accelerator is capable of producing >20 MA current pulses with ~300 ns rise-time into a short circuit load, generating intense magnetic fields within the anode cathode (AK) gap. With proper design of the short circuit load and suitable shaping of the current pulse, this technique allows planar, continuous compression of materials several hundred microns in thickness to stresses approaching 350 GPa. Development of a loading capability for direct measurement of material properties along an isentrope has been a long standing goal in the equation of state (EOS) community. Combined with more traditional Hugoniot compression data, the principal isentrope provides a more comprehensive description of the complete EOS. Furthermore, direct measurement of the isentrope, which lies very close to the room temperature isotherm, has the potential to improve the accuracy of pressure standards used to calibrate pressure scales in static high-pressure diamond anvil cell experiments. Isentropic compression experiments (ICE) are also well suited for the study of pressure induced phase transformations in materials. Since the loading path followed in the experiment is the material isentrope, even relatively small volume change transitions, which might be extremely difficult to probe in shock wave experiments, are readily observed. Furthermore, due to the low temperature increase associated with isentropic compression it is possible to study the kinetics of rapid solidification. Examples of such experiments will be discussed. As a final example, the use of ICE techniques to infer material strength at high pressures and densities will be discussed. Comparison of the loading and subsequent unloading wave profiles in a material provides a means to directly infer the strength of the material at pressure. Feasibility experiments performed on aluminum to stresses of ~150 GPa will be presented
Reflectivity, Rain Rate, and Kinetic Energy Flux Relationships Based on Raindrop Spectra

Abstract The relationships between radar reflectivity factor Z, rainfall rate R, and rainfall kinetic energy flux E were analyzed based on a multiyear raindrop spectra dataset recorded by a Joss–Waldvogel disdrometer in the Goodwin Creek research watershed in northern Mississippi. Particular attention was given to the climatological variability of the relationships and the uncertainty by which one rainfall parameter may be estimated from another. Substantial variability for the coefficients of a power-law relationship Y = AbXb between two rainfall parameters Y and X (where Y and X may stand for any paired combination of Z, R, and E) was found. The variability of the exponent b, however, was small enough to support approaches of climatologically fixed exponents to simplify radar rainfall estimation procedures. The multiplicative factor Ab should typically be adjusted on a storm basis. The uncertainty of the estimation of one rainfall parameter from another, being a function of the difference in weighting o...
Formative evaluation of a patient-specific clinical knowledge summarization tool.

Abstract Objective To iteratively design a prototype of a computerized clinical knowledge summarization (CKS) tool aimed at helping clinicians finding answers to their clinical questions; and to conduct a formative assessment of the usability, usefulness, efficiency, and impact of the CKS prototype on physicians’ perceived decision quality compared with standard search of UpToDate and PubMed. Materials and methods Mixed-methods observations of the interactions of 10 physicians with the CKS prototype vs. standard search in an effort to solve clinical problems posed as case vignettes. Results The CKS tool automatically summarizes patient-specific and actionable clinical recommendations from PubMed (high quality randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews) and UpToDate. Two thirds of the study participants completed 15 out of 17 usability tasks. The median time to task completion was less than 10 s for 12 of the 17 tasks. The difference in search time between the CKS and standard search was not significant (median = 4.9 vs. 4.5 min). Physician’s perceived decision quality was significantly higher with the CKS than with manual search (mean = 16.6 vs. 14.4; p = 0.036). Conclusions The CKS prototype was well-accepted by physicians both in terms of usability and usefulness. Physicians perceived better decision quality with the CKS prototype compared to standard search of PubMed and UpToDate within a similar search time. Due to the formative nature of this study and a small sample size, conclusions regarding efficiency and efficacy are exploratory.
Destruction of Bacterial-Spore-Laden Aqueous Aerosols in Shock-Heated Flows

Interaction between shock-waves and aqueous aerosol laden with BT spores is studied in a novel shock tube facility. Wavelength-multiplexed laser extinction provides a real-time aerosol monitor. Viability of shock-heated spores is determined by plating techniques.
Unraveling the pathophysiology of chronic stroke lesions could yield treatments for stroke-related dementia

*Department of Immunobiology, Department of Neurology, & the Arizona Center on Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Tel.: +1 520 626 7013; doylekr@email.arizona.edu
Student Paper) Experimental Verification of Models for Microfabricated Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesters

Experiments have been performed to verify power-optimized modal models of piezoelectric vibration harvesters for microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Such harvesters can power a variety of sensors, and there have been recent national workshops dedicated to harvesting. Detailed experimental results, including displacement histories and electrical output, are provided over a range of frequencies and electrical loadings to compare with (optimized) modal models. The harvester geometry considered is that of a symmetric bimorph macro-scale cantilever. While some experimental work for cantilevered bi-morph harvesters has been published, key testing and/or device parameters needed for model veriflcation are missing and/or data at and near power optima (the most interesting operating points) are not provided. Therefore, a detailed set of experiments was performed using power-optimized modeling results to guide the test matrix. Over the broad range of parameters tested, the models accurately predicted all trends and device performance away from device resonances (resonance and anti-resonance frequencies). Near the resonance frequencies, the model consistently underpredicted electrical performance, which is satisfactorily attributed (and experimentally supported) to the well-known piezoelectric coupling nonlinearity in the large-strain region. The data presented herein can serve as benchmark data to verify other modeling efiorts. The verifled models have been used to optimally design MEMS harvesters for commercial aircraft and microfabrication is ongoing.
Elevation of basolateral K+ induces K+ secretion by apical maxi K+ channels in Ambystoma collecting tubule.

We previously reported that exposure of aquatic-phase Ambystoma tigrinum to a solution containing 50 mM K+(K+ adaptation) caused a nearly 10-fold increase in the number of detectable maxi K+ channe...
An incremental analog-to-digital converter with multi-step extended counting for sensor interfaces

Integrated sensor interface circuits require power-efficient high-accuracy data converters. In many applications, the best choice is the incremental A/D converters (IADCs) incorporating extended counting. In this paper, we discuss the operation and design of single- and multi-stage IADCs. By using a direct-input feed-forward modulator, the IADC accumulates the residue voltage, and it is easy to implement a hybrid scheme of extended counting. Several hybrid schemes are reviewed and discussed. The energy efficiency c an be improved significantly by re-using the hardware to perform extended counting. A multi-step extended counting scheme is proposed for high-resolution power-efficient conversion. A design example with OSR=320 is described in this paper. By using multi-step extended counting, the SQNR performance is boosted to 108 dB, which is much better than that of a second-order IADC of the same OSR, 94 dB.
Pd-Catalyzed Carboamination of Alkylidenecyclopropanes: Synthesis of Congested Pyrrolidines and Piperidines

The synthesis of densely functionalized N-heterocycles is an ongoing challenge in chemical synthesis. Herein, we report an efficient method for the construction of pyrrolidine and piperidine scaffolds using a palladium-catalyzed carboamination of alkylidenecyclopropanes.
Characterization of temperature-dependent tensile and flexural rigidities of a cross-ply thermoplastic lamina with implementation into a forming model

This paper discusses the characterization of temperature-dependent tensile and flexural rigidities for Dyneema® HB80, a cross-ply thermoplastic lamina. The low coefficient of friction of this material posed a challenge to securing specimens during tensile testing. Therefore, modification to the standard gripping method was implemented to facilitate the collection of meaningful test data. Furthermore, a long gauge length was selected to moderate the influence of slippage on the measure of the elastic modulus. A new experimental setup is presented to characterize the bending behavior at elevated-temperature conditions based on the vertical cantilever method. The material properties derived from the test data were implemented in a finite element model of the cross-ply lamina. The finite element model is generated using a hybrid discrete mesoscopic approach, and deep-draw forming of the material is simulated to investigate its formability. Simulation results are compared with an experimental forming trial to demonstrate the capabilities of the model to predict the development of out-of-plane waves during preform manufacturing.
RECENT GEOLOGY OF COASTAL LOUISIANA

Recent, in a technical geological sense, refers to the latest episode of geological time. Definitions vary. Northern European geologists are likely to refer to about the last 10,000 years for the reason that only the sedimentary deposits of such an interval are available for study. Geologists in the United States commonly regard the Recent as a post-glacial period of somewhat longer duration. Studies of materials containing the carbon isotope, C14, are resulting in time determinations in years. Louisiana geologists define Recent as that period of time during -which sea level made its last general rise. This may have lasted about 30,000 years. Sedimentary layers deposited during that period are regarded as Recent in age.
Glucocorticoids increase skeletal muscle NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK): Links to muscle atrophy

Glucocorticoids (GC) are a frontline therapy for numerous acute and chronic diseases because of their demonstrated efficacy at reducing systemic inflammation. An unintended side effect of GC therapy is the stimulation of skeletal muscle atrophy. Pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for GC-induced skeletal muscle atrophy have been extensively investigated, and the ability to treat patients with GC without unintended muscle atrophy has yet to be realized. We have reported that a single, standard-of-care dose of Methylprednisolone increases in vivo expression of NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK), an important upstream regulatory kinase controlling NF-κB activation, along with other key muscle catabolic regulators such as Atrogin-1 and MuRF1 that induce skeletal muscle proteolysis. Here, we provide experimental evidence that overexpressing NIK by intramuscular injection of recombinant human NIK via adenoviral vector in mouse tibialis anterior muscle induces a 30% decrease in the average fiber cross-sectional area that is associated with increases in mRNA expression of skeletal muscle atrophy biomarkers MuRF1, Atrogin-1, myostatin and Gadd45. A single injection of GC induced NIK mRNA and protein within 2 h, with the increased NIK localized to nuclear and sarcolemmal locations within muscle fibers. Daily GC injections induced skeletal muscle fore limb weakness as early as 3 days with similar atrophy of muscle fibers as observed with NIK overexpression. NIK overexpression in primary human skeletal muscle myotubes increased skeletal muscle atrophy biomarkers, while NIK knockdown significantly attenuated GC-induced increases in NIK and Atrogin-1. These results suggest that NIK may be a novel, previously unrecognized mediator of GC-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.
Breaking the sound barrier: exploring parents’ decision-making process of cochlear implants for their children

Abstract Objective To understand the dynamic experiences of parents undergoing the decision-making process regarding cochlear implants for their child(ren). Methods Thirty-three parents of d/Deaf children participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and coded using iterative and thematic coding. Results The results from this study reveal four salient topics related to parents’ decision-making process regarding cochlear implantation: 1) factors parents considered when making the decision to get the cochlear implant for their child (e.g., desire to acculturate child into one community), 2) the extent to which parents’ communities influence their decision-making (e.g., norms), 3) information sources parents seek and value when decision-making (e.g., parents value other parent's experiences the most compared to medical or online sources), and 4) personal experiences with stigma affecting their decision to not get the cochlear implant for their child. Conclusion This study provides insights into values and perspectives that can be utilized to improve informed decision-making, when making risky medical decisions with long-term implications. Practical implications With thorough information provisions, delineation of addressing parents’ concerns and encompassing all aspects of the decision (i.e., medical, social and cultural), health professional teams could reduce the uncertainty and anxiety for parents in this decision-making process for cochlear implantation.
Neighborhood social environment as risk factors to health behavior among African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study

Abstract Background Few studies have focused on the impact of neighborhood social environment on changes in smoking and alcohol use over time among African Americans. Method Jackson Heart Study participants were recruited from the Jackson, MS metropolitan area from 2000 to 2004. Neighborhood social environment was characterized using census-based neighborhood socio-economic status (NSES) and survey-derived perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion, disorder, and violence. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the associations of neighborhood social environment with prevalence of smoking and alcohol use and with changes in these behaviors over time adjusted for individual sociodemographic characteristics. Results Participants (N=3166) resided in 108 census tracts. All neighborhood social environment variables were consistently associated with prevalence of current smoking at baseline (11%) and with persistence of smoking over a median of 8-years follow-up (8%). The odds of being a consistent smoker relative to never smoking was about 30% higher per 1 SD higher neighborhood violence (aOR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.16–1.46) and disorder (aOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08 – 1.47) and at least 16% lower per 1 SD higher in neighborhood social cohesion (aOR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74–0.95) and NSES (aOR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67–0.95). Heavy alcohol use at baseline (17%) and consistent heavy use over the study period (8%) were negatively associated with higher NSES (aOR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73–0.99 per 1 SD increase in NSES). Conclusion Favorable neighborhood social environments may reduce unhealthy behaviors among African Americans.
A Soft Computing Prefetcher to Mitigate Cache Degradation by Web Robots

This paper investigates the feasibility of a resource prefetcher able to predict future requests made by web robots, which are software programs rapidly overtaking human users as the dominant source of web server traffic. Such a prefetcher is a crucial first line of defense for web caches and content management systems that must service many requests while maintaining good performance. Our prefetcher marries a deep recurrent neural network with a Bayesian network to combine prior global data with local data about specific robots. Experiments with traffic logs from web servers across two universities demonstrate improved predictions over a traditional dependency graph approach. Finally, preliminary evaluation of a hypothetical caching system that incorporates our prefetching scheme is discussed.
Impact of soil organic carbon on monosodium methyl arsenate (MSMA) sorption and species transformation

Monosodium methyl arsenate (MSMA), a common arsenical herbicide, is a major contributor of anthropogenic arsenic (As) to the environment. Uncertainty about controls on MSMA fate and the rates and products of MSMA species transformation limits effective MSMA regulation and management. The main objectives of this research were to quantify the kinetics and mechanistic drivers of MSMA species transformation and removal from solution by soil. Laboratory MSMA incubation studies with two soils and varying soil organic carbon (SOC) levels were conducted. Arsenic removal from solution was more extensive and faster in sandy clay loam incubations than sand incubations, but for both systems, As removal was biphasic, with initially fast removal governed by sorption, followed by slower As removal limited by species transformation. Dimethylarsinic acid was the dominant product of species transformation at first, but inorganic As(V) was the ultimate transformation product by experiment ends. SOC decreased As removal and enhanced As species transformation, and SOC content had linear relationships with As removal rates (R2 = 0.59-0.95) for each soil and reaction phase. These results reveal the importance of edaphic conditions on inorganic As production and overall mobility of As following MSMA use, and such information should be considered in MSMA management and regulatory decisions.
Examination of α-exosite inhibitors against Botulinum neurotoxin A protease through structure-activity relationship studies of chicoric acid.

Abstract Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) are among the most toxic known substances and currently there are no effective treatments for intraneuronal BoNT intoxication. Chicoric acid (ChA) was previously reported as a BoNT/A inhibitor that binds to the enzyme’s α-exosite. Herein, we report the synthesis and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of a series of ChA derivatives, which revealed essential binding interactions between ChA and BoNT/A. Moreover, several ChA-based inhibitors with improved potency against the BoNT/A were discovered.
An Evidence-Based Protocol for Antibiotic Use Prior to Cystoscopy Decreases Antibiotic Use without Impacting Post-Procedural Symptomatic Urinary Tract Infection Rates.

Purpose: Symptomatic urinary tract infection is a complication of office based cystourethroscopy. Studies are mixed regarding the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent urinary tract infections. Our aim was to develop and evaluate an evidence-based protocol that reduces unnecessary antibiotic use while avoiding an increase in urinary tract infections.Materials and Methods: We created a clinic antibiogram based on all urology office visits performed during a 2-year period. Bacterial resistance rates, institutional risk related data and clinical guidelines were applied to create a protocol for antibiotic administration before cystourethroscopy. We then analyzed 1,245 consecutive patients without a renal transplant who underwent outpatient cystourethroscopy, including 610 after protocol initiation. Urinary tract infection rates and antibiotic use were analyzed for an association with the protocol change using the Fisher exact test.Results: Cultures had an overall 20% rate of resistance to fluoroquinol...
Population Health for CKD and Diabetes: Lessons From the Indian Health Service

Despite extensive clinical guidelines, innovative efforts to improve care, and well-funded efforts to raise awareness, limited progress has been made in reducing the burden of kidney disease in the United States, and the prevalence continues to increase worldwide. The Indian Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a 54% decrease in the incidence of kidney failure among American Indian and Alaska Native people with diabetes. This decrease in end-stage renal disease incidence was associated with a population health approach to diabetes care based in the community and the primary clinical setting. The effort focused on integrating better care for kidney disease within the context of routine diabetes care. Although the American Indian population and the Indian Health Service may be unfamiliar to many clinicians and health system administrators, the demonstration that simple evidence-based interventions implemented in a comprehensive and consistent way can reduce the burden of end-stage renal disease suggests that population-based approaches to chronic disease offer significant potential benefits. Large pragmatic trials may offer the best way to rigorously test this hypothesis.
Increased whole blood FFA2/GPR43 receptor expression is associated with increased 30-day survival in patients with sepsis

Sepsis is a condition associated with a dysregulated inflammatory response to infection with significant morbidity. Recent advances have elucidated the vital role that the short chain fatty acid glycoprotein receptor 43 (FFA2/GPR43) plays in inflammatory and immunomodulatory pathways. We hypothesized that elevated whole blood GPR43 RNA expression would be associated with increased 30-day survival in patients admitted with sepsis. Patients (n = 93) admitted to the intensive care unit with the diagnosis of sepsis underwent quantitative real time PCR within 48 h of intensive care unit admission. Clinical and demographical parameters were retrospectively extracted from the chart and compared to quantitative measurements of GPR43 RNA expression. Utilizing logistic regression, we found that the odds of mortality decreased for every one-unit increase in GPR43 RNA expression for patients that survived to 30 days [OR = 0.71; 95% CI (0.50, 0.99) p = 0.049]. Using linear regression, we determined that the increase in whole blood GPR43 expression was not associated with whole blood white cell count [r = 0.04; 95% CI (−0.16, 0.24); p = 0.70] or body mass index [r = − 0.07; 95% CI (− 0.23, 0.18); p = 0.81]. We conclude that the GPR43 receptor plays an integral role in survival during and after sepsis.
Dose coefficients for children and young adolescents exposed to external neutron fields

The risks associated with exposure to external fields of ionising radiation are important to quantify in order to provide guidance towards public and worker protection. In Publication 116 of 2010, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) published adult male and female fluence-to-dose coefficients (henceforth referred to as dose coefficients) for external exposures to six types of idealised neutron fields. However, ICRP 116 dose coefficients are not appropriate for applications involving children due to their smaller body weight and stature. Our current work details dose coefficient calculations for children and young adolescents using the UF-NCI pediatric hybrid phantoms at all neutron energies considered in ICRP 116 (0.001 eV to 10 GeV); those dose coefficients with energy up to 150 MeV are discussed. The hybrid UF-NCI phantoms are divided into five separate age groups: newborn, 1, 5, 10, and 15 years. For these phantoms, we calculated dose coefficients for the six idealised neutron fields for 28 organs, two bone tissues, and the overall whole body effective dose. All calculations were performed using the MCNP6 radiation transport code. To validate our methodology, we first calculated dose coefficients for the ICRP adult male and female phantoms and confirmed our ability to reproduce the values published within ICRP 116. The same methodology was then applied to calculate dose coefficients for the UF-NCI pediatric phantoms. Energy-dependent trends were observed in the neutron dose coefficients for pediatric phantoms: below 100 keV, dose increases with phantom age (a proxy for body size); however, above 100 keV, the opposite trend was observed. Comparisons between field geometries showed varying trends depending on the location of the organ within the body. Explanations for these trends are also explored within. Our results are the first comprehensive set of neutron dose coefficients derived for children and young adolescents using the newest generation of hybrid phantoms. The primary application of the pediatric neutron dose coefficients presented in this work will be for a planned effort to update the dosimetry for the Japanese atomic bomb survivors.
Program Innovation and Design in an Era of Accountability: EdD Faculty Work as a Community of Practice

The essay describes how a task team of Drexel EdD faculty worked as a community of practice (Wenger, 1998) to conduct a crosswalk to align program principles, known as the Keystones, with national and university standards including the six Guiding Principles for Program Design contained in the CPED Framework (Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, n.d.-a). In accordance with the study institution’s planning tool, the EdD crosswalk also demonstrates alignment with the National Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Advanced Program Standards (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, n.d.-a), Drexel University Student Learning Priorities (DSLPs), and Drexel School of Education Program Themes. Discussion examining the task team’s work is framed around the four interlinking components of community of practice: meaning, practice, community, and identity. Wenger (1998) describes these components as “deeply interconnected and mutually defining” (p. 5). While uncommon, the process described in this essay represents the intent of assessment scholars (Banta & Palomba, 2014) and contributes to deepening understanding of higher education assessment work.
Symptom Rating Scales in Schizophrenia

Standardized psychiatric symptom rating scales were originally developed for research purposes such as in pharmacological clinical trials; however, they can be used by clinicians to reliably document symptoms. Rating scales can be useful tools for establishing the initial levels of symptoms and assessing the response to an intervention. The most useful symptom rating scales provide clinical interview questions with follow-up probes to be used during a 20to 30-minute semistructured interview to assess psychopathology. The clinician should draw on all sources of information including direct observation of patient behavior, reports from the patient, observations from nurses, and reports from the patient’s family. Psychiatric symptom rating scales differ in the breadth of type of symptoms that can be assessed, but generally use the same format. Each scale has an instructional manual with symptom definitions, a rating scale with anchor point definitions, and a set of standardized interview questions with suggested follow-up probes. The anchor points of a rating scale describe the severity of a particular symptom; for example, on a scale of 1–7, 1 being ‘not present,’ which represents the absence of psychopathology, ratings of 2 or 3 are considered mild, clinically sub-threshold, or generally within normal limits, while ratings of 4 or 5 are considered at a moderate level and therefore clinically significant. Ratings of 6 or 7 are considered a severe level of psychopathology. The proper reference group for conducting symptom rating assessments is a group of individuals who are not psychiatric patients, who are living and working in the community, who are not receiving psychiatric medication and, who are relatively free of psychiatric symptoms. As the clinician evaluates patients, he or she should have in mind a group of individuals who are able to function either at work or school, socially or as a homemaker, and at levels appropriate to the person’s age and socioeconomic status. Clinicians assessing symptoms should not use other psychiatric patients previously interviewed, especially those with severe symptoms, as the reference standard because this approach will systematically bias ratings toward lower scores. If symptom ratings are to be used for monitoring symptoms over time then selecting an appropriate period or interval for rating symptoms is important; for example, just prior to hospitalization versus following a reasonable course of treatment. Good interviewing skills, interpersonal rapport, sensitivity to the patient’s mental state, and empathy are of paramount importance in obtaining valid ratings of symptoms. The use of empathy
The Entrepreneurial Opportunity Construct: Dislodge or Leverage?

As part of the current debate about the scholarly value of the entrepreneurial opportunity construct, some critics have suggested that the construct be dislodged. We challenge this position by desc...
Improving Speed and Security When Sharing Protected Health Information of Deceased Organ Donors.

Because extensive data from medical records are gathered by organ procurement teams, the process of data transfer between sites created a data security risk. This includes the use of fax machines, ...
Comparison of Two Series Elastic Actuator Designs Incorporated into a Shoulder Exoskeleton

Low impedance and torque control are critical for movement rehabilitation using robotic exoskeletons. A grounded 3 degree of freedom shoulder exoskeleton was designed for movement assistance in shoulder abduction/adduction, flexion/extension, and shoulder internal/external rotation. Two series elastic actuators designs were developed using a linear spring arrangement with a global nonlinear stiffness behavior. RMS errors during application of constant torque were less than.06 Nm in shoulder add/abd and less than.04 Nm in arm rotation as the limb was moved in sinusoidal trajectories up to 3.5 Hz. For abd/adduction, the step response rise time was.05 s, and free mode impedance peaked at.007 Nm/deg during 3.5 Hz oscillations. For arm rotation, the step response rise time was.03 s, and impedance peaked at.023 Nm/deg during 3.5 Hz oscillations. Both SEA designs had performance measurements that were similar to other SEA designs in terms of torque tracking, but with much lower impedance than previously reported.
Educational Attainment and Self-Rated Oral Health among American Older Adults: Hispanics’ Diminished Returns

Background: Minorities’ diminished returns (MDRs) refer to systemically weaker effects of socioeconomic status (SES), particularly educational attainment, on the health of non-Whites compared to Whites. Aim: Using a nationally representative sample, we aimed to investigate ethnic differences in the effect of SES (educational attainment) on the self-rated oral health of Hispanic older adults in the US. Methods: This study analyzed the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (UM-NPHA) 2017 data, which included 2131 older adults who were 50 to 80 years old (202 Hispanics and 1929 non-Hispanics). Ethnicity, race, educational attainment (SES), age, gender, employment, retirement, and self-rated oral health (single item) were measured. Logistic regressions were applied for data analysis. Results: High educational attainment was associated with lower odds of poor oral health in the pooled sample, net of all covariates. The effect of educational attainment on poor self-rated oral health was found to be weaker for Hispanics than for non-Hispanics. Conclusion: We observed MDRs of educational attainment (SES) on oral health for Hispanic older adults. In other words, compared to non-Hispanics, Hispanics gain less oral health from their educational attainment (SES).
Red Cell Shearing between Transcatheter Heart Valves? Acute Hemolysis after Emergency TAVR-in-TAVR

A 72-year-old man with end-stage renal failure on hemodialysis and prior (21 months) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using a 29 mm Evolut R (Medtronic), presented with refractory card...
A review of current phase III clinical trials of plaque psoriasis: under-representation of nonwhite participants and need for reform.

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects an estimated 0.91% to 8.5% of the global population.1 The prevalence of psoriasis varies based on ethnoracial and geographic distribution. In the United States, psoriasis affects approximately 3.6% of Caucasians (non-Hispanic white), 1.9% of African Americans (non-Hispanic black), and 1.6% of Hispanic-identifying adults.2 Population-based studies in East and Southeast Asia have estimated a prevalence ranging from 0.05 to 0.47%.3.
Ultrasound-enhanced diffusion and streaming of colloids in porous media

Abstract Diffusion of colloidal particles in porous media is critical for the development of specially engineered colloids used to aid the recovery of oil from a petroleum reservoir. However, shielded structures, such as dead-end pores, prevent these colloids from reaching the available oil. This article examines the use of ultrasound fields as a mechanism for increasing the mobility of colloidal particles in porous media. Particle tracking of optical video microscopy experiments performed in micromodels of varying porosity are used to construct mean square displacement, from which effective diffusion coefficients and average particle velocities can be measured. We introduce an acoustic field by sweeping a phase space that consists of multiple voltages, frequencies and porosities. Our experiments show that diffusion scales linearly with voltage, while average particle velocity scales quadratically. We found that the diffusion and average velocity peaked near a frequency of ~40 kHz for porosities of 0.62, 0.76 and 0.9, suggesting the presence of a natural frequency. A second natural frequency with a value close to ~90 kHz was also observed in experiments conducted at 0.62 and 0.76. The effective diffusion at 40 kHz has a maximum value ~0.4 μm2/s, which is a factor of 5.5 times greater than in the absence of an acoustic field. Outside of the 40 kHz resonance peak, diffusion remains enhanced, with a measured coefficient of ~0.15 μm2/s. This is still a factor of 2 greater than when no acoustic field is present. Overall, our results demonstrate that ultrasound enhances the transport of colloidal particles through porous media. Future work aims to use these results as the foundation for improved modelling of acoustically stimulated transport through porous media as well as applying these results to problems related to particulate separation.
Improving Medication Regimen Recommendation for Parkinson’s Disease Using Sensor Technology

Parkinson's disease medication treatment planning is generally based on subjective data obtained through clinical, physician-patient interactions. The Personal KinetiGraph™ (PKG) and similar wearable sensors have shown promise in enabling objective, continuous remote health monitoring for Parkinson's patients. In this proof-of-concept study, we propose to use objective sensor data from the PKG and apply machine learning to cluster patients based on levodopa regimens and response. The resulting clusters are then used to enhance treatment planning by providing improved initial treatment estimates to supplement a physician's initial assessment. We apply k-means clustering to a dataset of within-subject Parkinson's medication changes-clinically assessed by the MDS-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (MDS-UPDRS-III) and the PKG sensor for movement staging. A random forest classification model was then used to predict patients' cluster allocation based on their respective demographic information, MDS-UPDRS-III scores, and PKG time-series data. Clinically relevant clusters were partitioned by levodopa dose, medication administration frequency, and total levodopa equivalent daily dose-with the PKG providing similar symptomatic assessments to physician MDS-UPDRS-III scores. A random forest classifier trained on demographic information, MDS-UPDRS-III scores, and PKG time-series data was able to accurately classify subjects of the two most demographically similar clusters with an accuracy of 86.9%, an F1 score of 90.7%, and an AUC of 0.871. A model that relied solely on demographic information and PKG time-series data provided the next best performance with an accuracy of 83.8%, an F1 score of 88.5%, and an AUC of 0.831, hence further enabling fully remote assessments. These computational methods demonstrate the feasibility of using sensor-based data to cluster patients based on their medication responses with further potential to assist with medication recommendations.
Effects of Physical Activity Programs on Health Outcomes of Family Caregivers of Older Adults with Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Abstract This systematic review was conducted to analyze and capture the most recent trends in physical activity interventions for family caregivers of older adults with chronic disease as found in randomized clinical trials over the last 10 years (2010–2020). We used PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library. We synthesized participants’ demographics, physical activity interventions and family caregivers’ health outcomes. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess risk of bias of the included studies. Sixteen studies were included and most studies (n = 11) had a moderate risk of bias. Physical activity programs with mixed modes (e.g., aerobic and resistance exercise), mixed delivery methods (e.g., in-person and telephone) and mixed settings (e.g., supervised gym-based sessions and unsupervised home-based sessions) were used most frequently. Physical activity interventions significantly improved psychological health but had inconsistent effects on physical health. This review provides current trends and research findings that suggest types of physical activity interventions and components that improve family caregivers’ health and wellness.
Campu: A Podcast. By Hana and Noah Maruyama. Seattle, WA: Densho: The Japanese

Established in 1996, Densho preserves stories from the World War II Japanese American incarceration experience to foster democracy and equality for future generations. Covering topics from immigrat...
Reaching Out by Looking Within: The #WellnessWednesdays Initiative at Texas Tech University

Academic library outreach initiatives that focus on wellness include movement-based fitness programs such as yoga. These programs offer students, staff and faculty who participate a chance to de-stress, lessening the impacts of tension, anxiety, and depression. Academic libraries are suited for these types of programs because we already provide space for other de-stress events, and research of the academic library literature shows that yoga programs in these spaces are increasing. However, the COVID19 pandemic forced changes in outreach programming. In January 2021, Texas Tech University Libraries started offering a yin and restorative yoga program that met weekly in the evenings online via Zoom. Because the university was previously offering these sessions for free to on-campus students, there was a need for a different type of yoga programming that also included online students, as well as staff and faculty. Designated “#WellnessWednesdays”, this program allowed the Texas Tech University Libraries to facilitate yoga sessions for members of the university community by creating a therapeutic environment that is both inclusive and accessible in an online setting.
Health Indicators to Estimate Health of Magnetic Wheel Encoder

Performance of several vehicle safety features, such as anti-lock brake system (ABS), traction control system (TCS) and electronic stability control (ESC) rely on the quality of the wheel speed signal. One potential failure mode for the wheel speed encoders is gradual deposition of foreign paramagnetic debris on the surface of the magnetic encoder. This results in reduced strength of the magnetic field and impacts the quality of the wheel speed signal. Noisy wheel speed signals may lead to false activations or poor performance of ABS, leading to poor drivability, longer brake distance, etc. Therefore, it can negatively impact several safety critical features and the customer’s experience. Data collected from several faulty encoders with various levels of faults were used to develop the prognostics methodology proposed here to evaluate a magnetic wheel encoder’s health. This method leverages time domain and frequency domain-based health indicators to monitor the deterioration in wheel encoder. Time domain-based health indicators include VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) signals that are generated by advanced wheel speed sensors, and an enveloping filter of the wheel speed signal’s noise. The frequency domain-based health indicator include root mean square amplitude of average order spectrum of wheel speed noise. The performance of individual health indicators as well as a combination of them are compared to assess the separation between healthy and degraded encoders. Results indicate that the degradation process due to magnetic debris accumulation can be monitored using the proposed method.
Anisotropic Superconductors: Fundamentals of Vortices in Layered Superconductors

Some fundamentals of the magnetic structure in anisotropic superconductors are presented. The approach focuses on the vortex structure in layered superconductors, the most important example being the high-Tc cuprates. The GinzburgLandau theory is discussed, as well as its extensions to include anisotropy via an anisotropic effective mass tensor. The Lawrence-Doniach theory is introduced, and it is used to show that a vortex parallel to the layers has a Josephson core confined to the interlayer junction. Two-dimensional (2D) pancake vortices are discussed, and the fields and currents generated by them are presented. The Josephson coupling energy between 2D pancake vortices in adjacent layers is estimated. Some basics of flux pinning in the layered superconductors are examined. Finally, an explanation is given of why the activation energy is much larger than the single-pancake pinning energy in strongly coupled superconductors but is approximately equal to the single-pancake pinning energy in weakly coupled superconductors.
Numerical study of complex fracture geometries for unconventional gas reservoirs using a discrete fracture-matrix model

Abstract Unconventional gas reservoirs have become the focus of considerable attention as primary energy resource over the past decades worldwide. Numerical modeling technique plays a critical role in providing the essential tools for evaluating, optimizing and managing the development of such complex systems. In this work, we implement a lower-dimensional discrete fracture and matrix (DFM) model in our previously established multi-continuum numerical simulator (Jiang and Younis, 2015) which incorporates several storage and transport mechanisms for unconventional gas reservoirs. The DFM model is based on unstructured gridding, and could handle the non-ideal geometries of hydraulic fracture in stimulated unconventional formation. Mimetic finite difference (MFD) method is applied to provide a consistent spatial discretization under the unstructured framework. We examine the effects of the irregular fracture pattern with multiple orientations on the production profile of multiple-fractured horizontal well in unconventional gas reservoir. High-fidelity numerical solutions are provided to simulate rate transient from several fracture topologies, and three-dimensional studies are performed for inclined fracture geometry.
Clinical Use of PPARgamma Ligands in Cancer.

The role of PPARγ in adipocyte differentiation has fueled intense interest in the function of this steroid nuclear receptor for regulation of malignant cell growth and differentiation. Given the antiproliferative and differentiating effects of PPARγ ligands on liposarcoma cells, investigation of PPARγ expression and ligand activation in other solid tumors such as breast, colon, and prostate cancers ensued. The anticancer effects of PPARγ ligands in cell culture and rodent models of a multitude of tumor types suggest broad applicability of these agents to cancer therapy. This review focuses on the clinical use of PPARγ ligands, specifically the thiazolidinediones, for the treatment and prevention of cancer.
CHARACTERIZATION AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF A NOVEL 90-KDA PROTEIN UNIQUE TO SKELETAL MUSCLE JUNCTIONAL SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies were used to identify and characterize a novel 90 kDa protein that was specifically localized to the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle. Biochemical experiments show that the 90 kDa protein is an integral membrane protein of the junctional face membrane and is a substrate for the intrinsic protein kinase in triads. Immunofluorescence staining of serial transverse sections of skeletal muscle with a monoclonal antibody to the 90 kDa protein showed preferential staining of type II "fast" fibers. Specific labeling was confined to the interphase between the A- and I-bands, where the triad structure is localized. Immunoelectron microscopical labeling further indicates that the 90 kDa protein, like the ryanodine receptor/Ca(2+)-release channel and triadin, is confined to the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Western blot analysis with a combination of monoclonal antibodies against the 90 kDa protein shows that it is specifically expressed in skeletal muscle but not in cardiac muscle or brain. Similarly, specific immunofluorescence labeling to the 90 kDa protein was not detected in ventricular myocytes or vascular smooth muscle cells. The junctional localization and phosphorylation of this protein suggest that it may play an important regulatory or structural role in the skeletal muscle triad junction.