cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental Investigation of a Flat-Plate Oscillating Heat Pipe With Modified Evaporator and Condenser

The thermal performance of a flat-plate oscillating heat pipe (FP-OHP) - with modified evaporator and condenser was experimentally investigated during high heat flux conditions. The copper FP-OHP (101.6 × 101.6 × 3.18 mm3) possessed two inter-connected layers of 1.02 mm2 square channels with the evaporator and condenser possessing two parallel, 0.25 × 0.51 mm2 square microchannels. The microchannels were integrated to enhance evaporation and condensation heat transfer to improve the FP-OHP’s ability to transport high heat flux. The FP-OHP was oriented vertically and locally heated with a 14.52 cm2 heating block at its base and cooled with a water block that provided either: 20 °C, 40 °C, or 60 °C operating temperatures. A FP-OHP without embedded microchannels was also investigated for baseline performance comparison. Both FP-OHPs were filled with Novec HFE-7200 (3M) working fluid at a filling ratio of approximately 80% by volume. The maximum temperature of each FP-OHP was recorded versus time for various heat inputs for the investigated operating temperatures. The results indicate that the integrated microchannels enhance the FP-OHP’s thermal performance for all operating temperatures. At 20 °C, 40 °C, and 60 °C, the microchannel-embedded evaporator and condenser dissipated 80 W, 65 W, and 55 W more than the baseline control with a minimum thermal resistance of 0.219 °C/W, 0.205 °C/W, and 0.170 °C/W, respectively — corresponding to a percent enhancement on-the-order of 25%. This percent enhancement increased with operating temperature. It has also been shown that Novec HFE-7200 allows the FP-OHP to start at relatively lower heat inputs — as low as 35 W, demonstrating that this working fluid can enhance heat transfer even at lower heat flux applications.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Effect of some steroids and of corticotropin (ACTH) on cellular activity.

Summary and Conclusions1. Cortisone acetate (Merck) (2.5 mg in 10 cc of sea water) tends to supress the incidence of normal cleavage in fertilized Arbacia punctulata ova. This is not referable to the vehicle in which the steroid is suspended. The vehicle does not alter the cleavage pattern. Filtering the suspension of cortisone acetate yields a cortisone residue capable of suppressing the incidence of normal cleavage, whereas the filtrate which is essentially the suspending vehicle has also no such inhibitory effect. The sperms are likewise inactivated by cortisone acetate (2.5 mg or 5 mg in 10 cc of sea water). Compount F (5 mg in 10 cc of sea water). Compound suspended in propylene glycol suppresses the incidence of normal cleavage of the fertilized ova. 2. Desoxycorticosterone acetate and the glucoside tend to have the same inhibitory effect on the cleavage of ova. 3. Two to 6 mg of ACTH (corticotropin) (Armour and Organon products) directly affects the cleavage pattern of Arbacia ova. There is also a ...
MicroRNA-21 and PDCD4 expression during in vitro oocyte maturation in pigs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are small non-coding RNA molecules critical for regulating cellular function, and are abundant in the maturing oocyte and developing embryo. MiRNA-21 (MIR21) has been shown to elicit posttranscriptional gene regulation in several tissues associated with rapid cell proliferation in addition to demonstrating anti-apoptotic features through interactions with PDCD4 mRNA and other targets. In many tissues, MIR21 interacts and suppresses PDCD4 due to the strong complementation between MIR21 and the PDCD4 3′UTR. The objective of this project was to examine the relationship between MIR21 and PDCD4 expression in porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation and assess the impact of MIR21 inhibition during oocyte maturation on early embryo development. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of gonadotropins in maturation media and the presence of cumulus cells to determine their ability to contribute to MIR21 abundance in the oocyte during maturation. During in vitro maturation, expression of MIR21 increased approximately 6-fold in the oocyte and 25-fold in the cumulus cell. Temporally associated with this was the reduction of PDCD4 protein abundance in MII arrested oocytes compared with GV stage oocytes, although PDCD4 mRNA was not significantly different during this transition. Neither the presence of cumulus cells nor gonadotropins during in vitro maturation affected MIR21 abundance in those oocytes achieving MII arrest. However, inhibition of MIR21 activity during in vitro maturation using antisense MIR21 suppressed embryo development to the 4–8 cell stage following parthenogenetic activation. MIR21 is differentially expressed in the oocyte during meiotic maturation in the pig and inhibition of MIR21 during this process alters PDCD4 protein abundance suggesting posttranscriptional regulatory events involving MIR21 during oocyte maturation may impact subsequent embryonic development in the pig.
Measurement of BAEP Concentrations for the Early Evaluation of Brain Damage in Preterm Infants

Objective To investigate the changes of Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Potential(BAEP) concentrations and their relationship with brain damage in preterm infants.Methods The BAEP of 124 preterm infants and 65 full term infants,which were used as control.we measured at 3d after birth.At the same time,routine clinical observations,neurologic patterns and ultrasound srceens were recorded.The value of BAEP and brain damage were evaIuated in pretenm infants with different gestational age.Results The differences of BAEP were statistical significance between the preterm infants and full term infants.The differences of BAEP were statistical significance between the preterm infants and full term infants.BAEP has some relationship with the degree of brain damage in those who were diagnosed with brain damage.Conclusion It will be helpful to identify preterm infants with brain damages by measurement of BAEP early after birth.
Fourier iteration techniques in antenna measurement applications using limited data

We present results of our investigation on the use of Fourier iteration techniques to determine the antenna boresight far field from limited Fresnel region measurements in one or two planes. Measurements on two planes are well-suited to antennas not characterized by planes, such as those enclosed by radomes. Fourier iteration between two near field measurement planes also has the potential to remove multiple reflections when measuring aperture antennas.
The socio-geography of heart failure: why it matters.

Morbidity and mortality rates from heart failure are staggering and continue to pose daunting challenges to patients, providers, researchers, and the health care system. As populations age, the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease portends a humbling future, particularly for heart failure. Despite advances in medical care, heart failure prevalence, hospitalizations, and mortality rates have not declined; in 2007, more than 250 000 Americans died of heart failure, and the number of heart failure hospitalizations has tripled from about 1.3 million in 1979 to nearly 4 million in 2004.1,2 The burden of heart failure admissions and frequent readmissions are also costly to the health care system. Corresponding to the projected increase in heart failure prevalence, real medical costs for heart failure are projected to increase by ≈200% over the next 20 years.3 Articles see p 308 and 317 Reports from the Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recognize geographic variation in heart failure hospitalizations.4 Regional variations have been associated with number of primary care physicians per population, regional income level, and the proportion of Medicare payment.5 The mere presence of this variation implies that some, maybe even most, heart failure rehospitalizations are avoidable. Potential contributors to admission may include barriers at the system or individual level such as difficulties accessing primary or outpatient medical care services, poor quality of this care when accessed, or lack of patient adherence.5 However, optimal outpatient care may reduce avoidable hospitalizations and medical expenditures and improve quality of life, suggesting a potential opportunity.5 ### Geography Matters In this issue of Circulation: Heart Failure , two reports highlight associations of geography with heart failure service utilization and outcomes, …
Bandwidth-tunable ultrafast mid-infrared source using a dual-chirped optical parametric amplifier

We demonstrate efficient generation of bandwidth-tunable ultrafast mid-infrared laser pulses at 5 μm in a dual-chirped optical parametric amplification scheme based on ZnGeP 2 crystals using material dispersion to introduce chirp, resulting in low optical loss.
Increased Antithrombotic and Bleeding Effects of Contaminated Heparins; Hematological Implications

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is widely used for hemodialysis, plasmapheresis and surgical/procedural anticoagulation. Earlier this year several batches of unfractionated heparin (UFH) were recalled due to the presence of contaminants which mediated severe adverse events and deaths in over 100 patients. One of the main contaminants is reported to be a semi-synthetic oversulfated condroitin sulfate (OSCS) of mammalian origin. While the structure and molecular characteristics of the contaminant are reported, no data on the presence of the contaminant in UFH on the antithrombotic and bleeding effects is available. The purpose of this investigation is to investigate the effects of OSCS on the relative safety and efficacy of contaminated heparin (CH) in animal models. CH represented a specific batch of recalled heparin (Baxter; lot 117050). Contaminant free UFH (CFH) preparation (Abraxis; lot 405651) was used for comparison purposes. The USP potency of both CH and CFH exhibited similar USP potency and were compared in gravimetric dosing in intravenous studies. A rat model of jugular vein clamping induced thrombosis was used for the antithrombotic studies. A rat tail transaction model was used for the bleeding studies. Ex vivo studies were carried out to measure the anticoagulant, (aPTT) and anti-Xa effects. The CH was found to contain 30% OSCS were as the CFH did not contain any OSCS. Other studies were carried out in individual groups of 12 animals at 2.0mg/kg and 5.0mg/kg IV dosages. The bleeding studies were carried out 5 minutes after each agent were as the anticoagulation studies were measured with in a 45 to 60 minutes window. All results were compiled as mean and standard deviation and analyzed in appropriate statistical programs. In the bleeding studies a lower dosage of 2mg/kg produced no differences between the CH (37.0 +/− 1.48 min.) and the CFH (35.0 +/− 5.7 min.). However in the higher dosage of 5mg/kg the CUFH (67.8 +/− 1.8 min.) produced stronger bleeding effects than the CFH (57.1 +/− 1.9 min.) In the jugular vein clamping model the CH produced stronger antithrombotic effects (6.2 +/− 1.2 clamps) in comparison to the CFH (5.2 +/− 0.25 clamps) at 2mg/kg. At the %mg/kg groups the CH produced an even stronger antithrombotic effect (7.6 +/− 0.8 clamps) in comparison to CFH (6.2 +/− 0). The ex vivo analysis showed a stronger anticoagulant effect with the CH in the aPTT assay at the higher dose. Similarly the anti-Xa activity and anti-IIa activities were higher in the CH groups. At both the 2mg/kg IV and 5mg/kg IV dosage no physiologic distress was noted. These results demonstrate that while potency adjusted the CH produced stronger anticoagulation and bleeding effects in the comparison to the CFH. Therefore the presence of the OSCS contaminant augmented the anticoagulant and bleeding efefcts of CH and may have contributed to the increased clinical bleeding observed in patients treated with these agents.
Advancing Research in the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education Program

ABSTRACTAdvanced Technological Education is distinct from typical National Science Foundation programs in that it is essentially a training—not research—program, and most grantees are located at technical and two-year colleges. This article presents empirical data on the status of research in the program, discusses the program’s role in supporting NSF’s values of intellectual merit and broader impacts, and offers strategies for enhancing research within the program.
Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger Flow

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) is a fundamental fluid instability which occurs when a heavy fluid is accelerated into a lighter one. While the RTI in classical fluids is a textbook problem, the instability in quantum fluids has received little attention. Here, we observe the instability directly in the equivalent optical system and show that the wave dynamics is strongly nonlinear and compressible from the start. The interpenetration is effectively supersonic, with density fingering always accompanied by vortex generation. The growth rate for perturbations, obtained analytically, shows that inhibition due to wave diffraction has the same spectral form as viscosity and diffusion, despite the fact that the system is dispersive rather than dissipative. This gives formal support for the observation that turbulence in quantum fluids has the same scaling as that in normal fluids. The results hold for any Schr?dinger flow, e.g. superfluids and quantum plasma, and introduce a new class of fluid-inspired instabilities in nonlinear optics. Joint work with Shu Jia.
Co-teaching in the college classroom

This paper serves as a phenomenological reflection about the meaning of a co-teaching experience at the college level for two graduate teaching assistants. When two teachers combine planning and te...
Content‐based image retrieval based on binary signatures cluster graph

In this paper, we approach a method of clustering binary signature of image in order to create a clustering graph structure for building the content-based image retrieval. First, the paper presents the segmentation method based on low-level visual features including colour and texture of image. On the basis of segmented image, the paper creates binary signature to describe location, colour, and shape of interest objects. In order to match similar images, the paper presents a similarity measure between the images based on binary signature. From that, the paper proposes the method of clustering binary signature to quickly query similar images. At the same time, the graph data structure is built using the partition cluster technique and the rules of binary signatures' distribution of images. On the basis of data structure, we propose a graph creation algorithm, a cluster splitting/merging algorithm, and a similarity image retrieval algorithm. To illustrate the proposed theory, we build an image retrieval application and assess the experimental results on the image datasets including COREL (1,000 images), CBIR images (1,344 images), WANG (10,800 images), MSRDI (15,720 images), and ImageCLEF (20,000 images).
An integrated chance-constrained stochastic model for efficient and sustainable supplier selection and order allocation

Effective allocation of scarce resources across supply chain environments is an emerging issue, as enterprises face shortfalls in raw materials, human labour, budgetary resources, equipment, energy and capacity. We consider these related objectives in designing efficient and sustainable supply networks using a multi-objective mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model for efficient and sustainable supplier selection and order allocation with stochastic demand. Our approach considers sustainability dimensions including economic, environmental and social responsibility, but also seeks to design the most efficient supply network given constraints of the supply market. Enterprise efficiency is assessed using a bi-objective data envelopment analysis (DEA) whose inputs include raw materials, current expenses and labour force capacity. The resulting model is non-convex because of the presence of bilinear terms in DEA-related constraints, so we introduce a multi-stage solution procedure that first uses pi...
Automation of Structural Sizing of Aircraft Concepts Under Static Aeroelastic Constraints

This paper presents an automation process for structural sizing of subsonic and supersonic aircraft concepts under static aeroelastic constraints. The automation process starts with an OpenVSP geometry and ends with a PATRAN plot of a NASTRAN solution for static aeroelastic analysis or optimization. ModelCenter is used to integrate all analysis codes with easy-to-use interfaces. Automation tools are developed to streamline the setup process and avoid user errors. Fuel is distributed by solving an optimization problem to match the center of gravity of aircraft at a specified flight condition. Fuel weights are also automatically attached to the structural model as point masses. All other weights used in FLOPS mission analysis (excluding fuselage and wing structural weights) are automatically attached to or smeared on the structural model. For any given OpenVSP geometry and FLOPS analysis data, a static aeroelastic sizing model for NASTRAN analysis can be generated in a couple of hours. The empirical fuselage and wing structural weights from FLOPS are replaced by structural panel weights from the sized finite-element model. Three supersonic and two subsonic aircraft concepts are used to demonstrate the automation process as a physics-based weight estimation tool for aircraft conceptual design.
A perturbation approach on buckling and postbuckling of circular rings under nonuniform loads

Abstract Thin elastic circular rings can be subject to various loading profiles when used to stiffen long pipes or aboveground cylindrical storage tanks. Specific nonuniform loading profiles have been used by many researchers in theoretical analyses. However, real loading patterns may deviate slightly from the theoretical approximation. The sensitivity of rings to initial imperfections is highlighted in this work. This study investigates the effect of small imperfections in nonuniform loading of the cosine form. A Duffing-type nonlinear differential equation was solved using a perturbation technique to describe the effects of a “follower” loading normal to a ring with large deformations. It is found that the lower buckling mode will govern with the existence of any magnitude of imperfection corresponding to the shape of the fundamental mode.
Usefulness of pace mapping in catheter ablation of left ventricular papillary muscle ventricular arrhythmias with a preferential conduction

Introduction Preferential conduction from an origin to breakout sites can occur during ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) originating from the left ventricular papillary muscles (LVPMs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, electrophysiological characteristics, and relevance to radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of such a preferential conduction demonstrated by pace mapping. Methods and results We studied 34 consecutive patients undergoing RFCA of 40 LVPM VAs. Among 78 QRS morphologies during these VAs, pace mapping was performed for 67 QRS morphologies during 37 VAs, and revealed VA-matched pace maps (M-PMs) with a latency for 14 QRS morphologies during 11 VAs (30%). Among 47 QRS morphologies with activation mapping, RFCA at the earliest activation site (EAS) was successful in 39, but not successful in 8 despite M-PMs with no latency. In these cases, RFCA was successful at remote sites of the M-PMs with latency (n = 6) and a site located between the EAS and site of that with latency (n = 1). Among the remaining 31 QRS morphologies with pace mapping only, RFCA was successful at M-PM sites with no latency in 17, and at M-PMs sites with latency in 7. In 3 of those 7 QRS morphologies, M-PMs were recorded at multiple remote sites, and RFCA was not successful at M-PM sites with no latency (n = 2) or a shorter latency (n = 1). Conclusions When an M-PM with latency was recorded in LVPM VAs, RFCA at that site was highly successful. Attention should be paid to latency as well as the score during pace mapping of LVPM VAs.
Spatial Spectrum Analysis of Proposed Two-Dimensional Nested Cylindrical Array

In this paper, a new two-dimensional nested cylindrical array is proposed. According to the characteristic of cylindrical array, the two-dimensional rectangular nested array is extended to build the 2D sparse cylindrical array. Comparing with the one-dimensional sparse cylindrical arrays, this new structure could save more elements than the 1D sparse cylindrical array. Moreover, simulation results show that through augmented matrix MUSIC approach, 2D sparse cylindrical array could also detect all targets in the range, even if the number of targets is larger than the number of real elements in the array. However, both the uniform cylindrical array and the 1D sparse cylindrical arrays couldn’t find all the sources.
Irreducible Continua and a Reduction Theorem

A set K is said to be irreducible with respect to a property P if and only if K has property P but no nonempty proper closed subset of K has property P.
Enforcing More with Less: Formalizing Target-Aware Run-Time Monitors

Run-time monitors ensure that untrusted software and system behavior adheres to a security policy. This paper defines an expressive formal framework, based on I/O automata, for modeling systems, policies, and run-time monitors in more detail than is typical. We explicitly model, for example, the environment, applications, and the interaction between them and monitors. The fidelity afforded by this framework allows us to explicitly formulate and study practical constraints on policy enforcement that were often only implicit in previous models, providing a more accurate view of what can be enforced by monitoring in practice. We introduce two definitions of enforcement, target-specific and generalized, that allow us to reason about practical monitoring scenarios. Finally, we provide some meta-theoretical comparison of these definitions and we apply them to investigate policy enforcement in scenarios where the monitor designer has knowledge of the target application and show how this can be exploited to make more efficient design choices.
The 2018 VGTC Virtual Reality Technical Achievement Award

The 2018 Virtual Reality Technical Achievement Award goes to Gregory F. Welch of the University of Central Florida, USA, in recognition for his contributions to human motion tracking and to mixed reality applications in medicine and training. Professor Welch has been working in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for more than 25 years. His method for single- constraint-at-a-time tracking with continuous automatic calibration has been cited as the reason UNC Chapel Hill’s HiBall tracking system was the fastest, lowest latency, most precise, and most accurate wide-area tracking system. Among his many publications, his “Introduction to the Kalman Filter” report has been cited over 8,000 times. Professor Welch co-developed the ideas and methods for unified image-based modeling and spatially immersive displays, Spatial Augmented Reality, and Shader Lamps. He later applied these methods to humanoid forms to achieve physical-virtual avatars, and groundbreaking patient simulators for training healthcare practitioners. The IEEE VGTC is pleased to award Gregory F. Welch the 2018 Virtual Reality Technical Achievement Award.
Doing it the Community College Way: Community College-Specific Programming

ABSTRACTCommunity colleges are often boxed into university models despite the unique nature of their institutional missions and student populations. We believe community colleges need to develop their own models, rooted in their distinctive missions, to encourage student success. We illustrate this through our experience with a short-term research assistantship program. The program created a brief, but important, way to enhance the student–professor relationship and engage students in applied research practices. It also provided a resource to assist community college faculty in conducting their own, original research. We hope others will not only develop similar programs, but perhaps more importantly, that this article will spur bottom-up, creative thinking to engage time-constrained, community college students in meaningful ways.
Measurement of Heat of Vaporization for Research Gasolines and Ethanol Blends by DSC/TGA

The heat of vaporization (HOV) is a relatively poorly studied fuel property that can be related to a fuel’s evaporation characteristics and knock resistance and, therefore, the emissions and effici...
Sub-external oblique placement of inflatable penile prosthesis reservoirs—initial experience

Multiple-component inflatable penile prostheses (IPPs) consist of paired intracorporal cylinders, a scrotal pump, and an abdominal fluid reservoir. In recent years, ectopic (e.g., non-space of Retzius) reservoir insertion techniques have become more popular among implanting urologists. The aim of this study was to describe our technique of sub-external oblique (SEO) placement of IPP reservoirs, and to review our initial experience with this technique. We carried out a retrospective review of the first 50 patients who underwent insertion of a Coloplast Titan® IPP via a scrotal incision, employing a newly developed SEO reservoir insertion technique. All procedures were carried out by a single high-volume surgeon (BBG), and retrospective chart review was carried out. Patients were seen and evaluated on the first post-operative day, then at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, as needed, and periodically thereafter. All 50 patients were available for short-term post-operative follow-up (average 6.6 months, range 3–12 months). The SEO technique was only used if there was no prior inguinal canal surgery, and no evidence of an inguinal hernia. The SEO technique was easy to carry out, and there were no instances of bowel, bladder, blood vessel, nerve, or spermatic cord injury. There were also no cases of reservoir herniation, intraperitoneal insertion, or reservoir visibility. One patient had prolonged pain (4 weeks) related to the reservoir; however, this completely resolved after treatment with non-steroidal analgesics. In asthenic patients, the reservoir could be detected with deep, careful palpation. However, no patients have required or requested IPP revision or removal to date. With short-term follow-up, we found that SEO reservoir insertion has been an easily-performed and safe option for ectopic reservoir insertion. The SEO method has avoided the infrequent but severe complications seen with previously described reservoir insertion techniques. Longer duration of follow-up, and trials by other implanting urologists, will be required to confirm or refute these initial promising results.
Proximity to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Allergic Disease

Background: Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) are increasing in number and may contribute to increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Despite these concerns, few state regulations ...
Optimizing materials for energy harvesting: in search for descriptors

We will discuss the results of first principles simulations of materials for energy harvesting, including nanostructured materials for solar energy conversion, and photo-absorbers and catalysts for solar to fuel applications. We will focus on the identification of useful descriptors for the optimization of photo-conversion processes, and on the role of complex morphologies present in materials used for energy harvesting.
Book Review: Visual Voyages: Images of Latin American Nature from Columbus to Darwin by Daniela Bleichmar

Visual Voyages: Images of Latin American Nature from Columbus to Darwin , by Daniela Bleichmar. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2017, 240 pp., 153 color illus. $50 (cloth), ISBN 9780300224023. Reviewed by Amy Buono. Of the nearly eighty Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA exhibitions, only a
Towards Design of a 3D Printable Prandtl Box-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

This paper explores the design of a 3D printable Prandtl Box-Wing UAV suitable for long-endurance solar powered flight. Long-endurance UAVs, enabling extended imaging campaigns and beyond-horizon communication in support of remote exploration, environmental assessment, disaster and post-disaster reconnaissance and assistance, hold great promise for data-driven decision making. Yet, they also create a range of unique challenges for the vehicle design, propulsion system and power source, navigation and guidance, and payload package. The presented UAV design is a joined box-wing monocoque, a biplane with oppositely swept wings, with wing tips interconnected by winglets, offering a range of structural and aerodynamic design optimization opportunities, aimed at providing a balance between, flight performance, efficiency, flutter resistance, and adequate surface area for solar power generation, with a wingspan allowing for easy field deployment. The wing and its payload oriented fuselage are the result of aerodynamic, topology, and structural optimization, focused on enhancing structural resilience and weight, hand-in-hand with efficiency and sustainability of the resulting airframe. The aerodynamics of the wing were analyzed using high fidelity Computer Fluid Dynamic (CFD) with the goal of optimizing the Lift/Drag ratio of the wing, winglet and fuselage. In addition we performed high fidelity Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis on spars, ribs, skins, the box wing and the assembly of all the structural components. This allowed us to optimize material allocation in order to reduce weight and maximize the flight time of the vehicle. Mechanical and electrical components were chosen to optimize vehicle autonomy and automatically placed by an optimization algorithm aimed at properly placing all components inside the fuselage envelope, while maintaining the center of gravity target where desired, allowing for tasks specific optimization functions for the overall system. Using a combination of additive and composite manufacturing, the UAV can be entirely built using thermoplastics and fiber reinforced polymer.
Assessing the Influence of Living and Working Conditions on Alcohol Consumption in Migrant Farmworkers in Mexico

Background and Purpose: Inadequate working and living conditions are associated with alcohol consumption in farmworkers in the U.S. However, the influence of these factors on alcohol consumption patterns in migrant farmworkers in Mexico remains unclear. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the influence of housing and working conditions on alcohol use in migrant farmworkers in Mexico. Methods: We used logistic and ordinal logistic regression to examine the association of living and working conditions on alcohol consumption and frequency in 3,132 farmworkers in Mexico with data from a Mexican national farmworker’s survey. Results: Living in inadequately built homes (OR=0.84; 95% CI=0.72, 0.98; p<0.05) and limited access to luxury items (OR=0.69; 95% CI=0.52, 0.94; p<0.01), were associated with a decreased likelihood to consume alcohol compared to living in better conditions. In contrast, living in employer provided housing (OR=1.79; 95% CI=1.40, 2.31; p<0.0001) and experiencing hazards related to safety (OR= 1.69; 95% CI= 1.35, 2.12; p<0.0001), work organization (OR= 1.29; CI= 1.03, 1.63; p<0.05), and ergonomics (OR= 2.04; CI= 1.18, 3.52; p<0.05) increased the likelihood of consuming alcohol. Conclusion: Living and working conditions of farmworkers may affect alcohol consumption. However, these findings require replication and specific mechanisms, which may influence these results warrants investigation.
Racial Patterns in Mortgage Lending Outcomes During and After the Subprime Boom

The racial contours of the United States’ subprime lending boom, foreclosure crisis, and subsequent recovered market illustrate that the benefits and risks of homeownership were unevenly distribute...
Prospective evaluation of the effect of adherent perinephric fat on outcomes of robotic assisted partial nephrectomy following elimination of the learning curve.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the association of adherent perinephric fat (APF) on perioperative outcomes of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) following elimination of the surgical learning curve. Materials and Methods: 305 consecutive RAPNs performed by a single experienced surgeon were analyzed. The first 100 RAPNs were considered the learning curve and therefore excluded. APF was defined as the necessity of subcapsular renal dissection to mobilize the tumor from surrounding perinephric fat. Perioperative outcomes were evaluated including operative time, warm ischemia time (WIT), postoperative complications, length of stay, margins, ischemia, and complications score (MIC), estimated blood loss (EBL), and change in pre-operative to postoperative day 1 (POD 1) laboratory values. After correction for multiple comparisons, P values ≤0.0045 were considered statistically significant but associations with P values ≤0.05 were also mentioned in the study results. Results: Fifty-eight (28.3%) patients had APF. Patients with APF had longer operative times compared to those without APF (median, 213 vs. 192 minutes, P <0.001). There was some evidence of higher increase in change in creatinine from preoperative to POD 1 among those with APF compared to those without APF, although this was not statistically significant (median, 0.2 vs. 0.1mg/dL, P=0.03). There were no other statistically significant associations between presence of APF and perioperative outcomes. Conclusions: APF is associated with increased operative time but no change in other perioperative outcomes. Surgeon experience does not affect perioperative outcomes associated with APF.
The sense of should: A biologically-based framework for modeling social pressure

What is social pressure, and how could it be adaptive to conform to others' expectations? Existing accounts highlight the importance of reputation and social sanctions. Yet, conformist behavior is multiply determined: sometimes, a person desires social regard, but at other times she feels obligated to behave a certain way, regardless of any reputational benefit-i.e. she feels a sense of should. We develop a formal model of this sense of should, beginning from a minimal set of biological premises: that the brain is predictive, that prediction error has a metabolic cost, and that metabolic costs are prospectively avoided. It follows that unpredictable environments impose metabolic costs, and in social environments these costs can be reduced by conforming to others' expectations. We elaborate on a sense of should's benefits and subjective experience, its likely developmental trajectory, and its relation to embodied mental inference. From this individualistic metabolic strategy, the emergent dynamics unify social phenomenon ranging from status quo biases, to communication and motivated cognition. We offer new solutions to long-studied problems (e.g. altruistic behavior), and show how compliance with arbitrary social practices is compelled without explicit sanctions. Social pressure may provide a foundation in individuals on which societies can be built.
Entrepreneur in a Can: A Qualitative Review of Small Business Opportunities

Opportunities for the entrepreneurial minded individual abound. Yet, traditional marketing literature has given little attention to the types of opportunities that exist. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively review and classify small business opportunities. Review of popular literature reveals that four basic types of small business opportunities exist. These include: franchising, direct/party type sales, new ventures, and "get-rich-quick" schemes. Each of these types of opportunities offers unique features that generally attract different types of entrepreneurs. Propositions regarding the individual characteristics of individuals involved in each of these types of small business opportunities are also presented.
Pediatric PK/PD Phase I Trial of Pexidartinib in Relapsed and Refractory Leukemias and Solid Tumors Including Neurofibromatosis Type I-Related Plexiform Neurofibromas

Purpose: Simultaneously targeting the tumor and tumor microenvironment may hold promise in treating children with refractory solid tumors. Pexidartinib, an oral inhibitor of tyrosine kinases including colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R), KIT, and FLT3, is FDA approved in adults with tenosynovial giant cell tumor. A phase I trial was conducted in pediatric and young adult patients with refractory leukemias or solid tumors including neurofibromatosis type 1–related plexiform neurofibromas. Patients and Methods: A rolling six design with dose levels (DL) of 400 mg/m2, 600 mg/m2, and 800 mg/m2 once daily for 28-day cycles (C) was used. Response was assessed at regular intervals. Pharmacokinetics and population pharmacokinetics were analyzed during C1. Results: Twelve patients (4 per DL, 9 evaluable) enrolled on the dose-escalation phase and 4 patients enrolled in the expansion cohort: median (lower, upper quartile) age 16 (14, 16.5) years. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Pharmacokinetics appeared linear over three DLs. Pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation determined a weight-based recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Two patients had stable disease and 1 patient with peritoneal mesothelioma (C49+) had a sustained partial response (67% RECIST reduction). Pharmacodynamic markers included a rise in plasma macrophage CSF (MCSF) levels and a decrease in absolute monocyte count. Conclusions: Pexidartinib in pediatric patients was well tolerated at all DL tested, achieved target inhibition, and resulted in a weight-based RPD2 dose.
Physical Therapy for Gait, Balance, and Cognition in Individuals with Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Analysis.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine if a pragmatic physical therapy (PT) program was associated with improved cognition, gait, and balance in individuals with cognitive impairment. This study investigated these associations for individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in order to better characterize outcomes to PT for each diagnostic group. Methods. Data before and after one month of physical therapy were extracted from patient records (67 with AD, 34 with VaD, 35 with DLB, and 37 with MCI). The mean number of PT sessions over a month was 3.4 (±1.8). Outcomes covered the domains of gait, balance, and cognition with multiple outcomes used to measure different constructs within the balance and gait domains. Results. All groups showed improvements in balance and at least one gait outcome measure. Those with MCI improved in every measure of gait and balance performance. Lastly, cognition as measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment improved in individuals in the AD, VaD, and MCI groups. Conclusion. While this retrospective analysis is not appropriate for causal inference, results of one month of physical therapy were associated with decreases in gait, balance, and cognitive impairment in individuals with AD, VaD, DLB<, and MCI. Clinical Implications. While physical therapy is not typically a primary treatment strategy for individuals with cognitive impairment, the results of this study are consistent with the literature that demonstrates improvement from physical therapy for other neurodegenerative diseases. Further clinical and research exploration for physical therapy as a primary treatment strategy in these populations is warranted.
Generation of Casp8FL122/123GG Mice Using CRISPR-Cas9 Technology.

Summary The purpose of this protocol is to describe the generation of missense mutations in mice using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The current protocol focuses on the generation of a Casp8FL122/123GG missense mutation, but it can be adapted to introduce any missense or nonsense mutation. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tummers et al. (2020) .
Fractography of Long Bones with High-Velocity Projectile Trauma

Previous studies of bone fractography have examined only cases of blunt trauma. Here we assess whether fracture surface features are also found on bones subjected to high-velocity projectile trauma. Civil War–era long bones were assessed for the presence of fracture surface features identified in previous studies. Of 60 bones examined, which included all major long bones, fracture surface features were identified on 57 (95%). Arrest ridges and cantilever curl were located most often and were observed on most specimens (85% and 72% of cases, respectively). Bone mirror was observed, though less frequently (2% of cases); no instances of bone hackle or wake features were found. There does not appear to be a relationship between the number of observed features and bone type or projectile type. These results demonstrate that fractography features are observed in fractures related to high-velocity projectile trauma, but additional research is needed to understand the relationship between projectile trauma and the location and orientation of these features.
A machine learning framework for predicting the shear strength of carbon nanotube-polymer interfaces based on molecular dynamics simulation data

Abstract Modern aerospace applications require lightweight materials with exceptionally high strength and stiffness. Carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced composites have great potential in addressing these requirements. However, one critical factor limiting the potential of CNT-reinforced composites is the limited load transfer capability between CNTs through a polymer matrix, which arises due to low CNT-polymer interfacial shear strength at a molecular scale. While molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can be employed to investigate the CNT-polymer interface, such simulations are computationally expensive. It is thus intractable to explore a sufficiently large design space for interface modifications and optimization using MD simulations alone, motivating the use of surrogate models to efficiently map CNT-polymer interfacial configurations to interfacial strength. In this paper, we develop a surrogate machine learning model trained with MD models of functionalized CNT-epoxy and the corresponding interfacial shear strength. The proposed ML model consists of (i) a feature representation of CNT-epoxy based on radial distribution functions; (ii) a convolutional neural network model to map feature representations to a metric of interfacial shear strength; and (iii) a data augmentation method to maximize the use of limited training data. The proposed ML model can predict the CNT pullout force quite well despite a large variation associated with the pullout force.
Estimating the Probability of Early Afterdepolarization and Predicting Arrhythmic Risk associated with Long QT Syndrome Type 1 Mutations

Early after-depolarizations (EADs) are action potential (AP) repolarization abnormalities that can trigger lethal arrhythmias. Simulations using biophysically-detailed cardiac myocyte models can reveal how model parameters influence the probability of these cellular arrhythmias, however such analyses can pose a huge computational burden. We have previously developed a highly simplified approach in which logistic regression models (LRMs) map parameters of complex cell models to the probability of ectopic beats (EBs). Here, we extend this approach to predict the probability of early after-depolarizations (P(EAD)). We use the LRM to investigate how changes in parameters of the slow-activating delayed rectifier current (IKs) affect P(EAD) for 17 different Long QT syndrome type 1 (LQTS1) mutations. We compare P(EAD) for these 17 LQTS1 mutations with two other recently proposed model-based arrhythmia risk metrics. These three model-based risk metrics yield similar prediction performance; however, they all fail to predict relative clinical risk for a significant number of the 17 studied LQTS1 mutations. The consistent successes and failures of all three risk metrics suggest that important functional characteristics of LQTS1 mutations may not yet be fully known.
The effects of individual-level espoused national cultural values on the willingness to use Bitcoin-like blockchain currencies

Abstract Some have called bitcoin a real bubble, while, according to others, it is the most radical invention of the twenty-first century. Nevertheless, there is a consensus regarding the disruptive potential of blockchain technology, which is the basis of bitcoin and other similar cryptocurrencies. As the interest in these digital currencies is growing, many vendors around the globe now accept payments in blockchain-based currencies. However, not much is known about how individuals around the world would react to using blockchain-based currencies as spending currencies. Given the global reach of these currencies, in this study, we explore the role of national cultural values in influencing individuals’ willingness to use blockchain-based currencies. To do so, we collected survey data from the U.S. and India. We found that national cultural values (collectivism, power distance, masculinism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation) significantly affect blockchain-based currency usage.
EMI Filter Design for a 100 kW SiC PV Inverter without Switching Harmonics Filter

The design of electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter with smaller size and lightweight for a high efficiency and high power density 100 kW SiC five-level T-type (5LT2) photovoltaic (PV) inverter becomes more challenging due to the increased EMI noise resulted by high switching frequency, fast switching transients, and the removal of LCL filter. This paper proposes an unbalanced Wheatstone bridge and a two-stage notch filter to attenuate the increased common mode (CM) and differential mode (DM) noise respectively. The conventional Wheatstone bridge will suffer size and weight penalty for 100 kW PV converter due to the high parasitic capacitance of the 100 kW PV panel. An unbalanced Wheatstone bridge with a one-stage LC filter is therefore developed to address this issue and reduce the total CM inductance. The proposed two-stage notch filter is designed to achieve high attenuation, solve its parameter variation issue and help reduce the size and weight of DM filter. The total weight of the designed EMI filter for this 100 kW PV inverter is 3.54 kg. The measured conducted EMI spectrum of the 100 kW SiC PV inverter with and without proposed EMI filter are provided to validate the effectiveness of the EMI filter design.
Fellow-Initiated Clinical Trials: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies

Research during cardiology fellowship is important for fellows-in-training, advancing knowledge on cardiovascular diseases and improving quality of patient care. However, the challenges are real and have been well outlined [(1,2)][1]. Individualized and systematic strategies to overcome these
Towards database firewalls

Authentication based access control and integrity constraints are the major approaches applied in commercial database systems to guarantee information and data integrity. However, due to operational mistakes, malicious intent of insiders or identity fraud exploited by outsiders, data secured in a database can still be corrupted. Once attacked, database systems using current survivability technologies cannot continue providing satisfactory services according to differentiated information assurance requirements. In this paper, we present the innovative idea of a database firewall, which can not only serve differentiated information assurance requirements in the face of attacks, but also guarantee the availability and the integrity of data objects based on user requirements. Our approach provides a new strategy of integrity-aware data access based on an on-the-fly iterative estimation of the integrity level of data objects. Accordingly, a policy of transaction filtering will be dynamically enforced to significantly slow down damage propagation with minimum availability loss.