cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Research processing of genetic antibody and the function in viral infection controll

Researchers have sought therapeutic applications in viral disease for many years. However, human anti-mouse response raises serious problems in human patients, reducing their therapeutic efficacy. Antibodies produced through the use of humanized antibody, phage display systems and genetically modified plants and animals provide researchers alternative, these antibodies can be used in the controlling of viral disease and will play a key role in many fields.
Imaging Brain Development

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a brief overview of microscopic magnetic resonance imaging (μMRI) in developmental and brain mapping studies of vertebrate embryos and neonates. Novel μMRI methods have been used to elucidate the entire vasculature including neurovasculature in normal embryos and embryos treated with teratogens, such as retinoic acid. A relatively new imaging modality, diffusion tensor imaging, gives μMRI the power to probe tissue microstructure. This method is based on quantitative voxel-by-voxel measurement of the diffusive motion of mobile water. In humans, magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging is capable of detecting millimolar levels of metabolites such as creatines, cholines, N-acetyl-aspartate, lactate, glutamate, glutamine,γ-aminobutyric acid, alanine, inositols, glycine, glucose, and ATP as well as active metabolic processes using labeled substrates. Another approach to visualizing molecular events employs the use of novel MRI contrast agents that are responsive to enzymatic activity. Such an agent can potentially visualize domains of gene expression.
STEM Stereotypes and High School Students’ Math/Science Career Goals:

This study examined negative stereotypes of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals as predictors of math/science interests and career goals in a sample of high school students. In a scale development study, results of an exploratory factor analysis (N = 341) indicated a single-factor structure best represented items for the Math and Science Stigma (MASS) Scale—a measure of negative stereotypes of STEM professionals. In a follow-up study, structural equation modeling was used to confirm the factor structure of the MASS. Further analyses showed that a model with STEM stereotypes depicted as a proximal contextual barrier to math/science career interests and goals fit the data well. STEM stereotypes were a significant predictor of math/science self-efficacy, math/science self-efficacy was a significant predictor of math/science interests, and interests predicted math/science career goals. The relationship between STEM stereotypes and math/science interests was explained by self...
Superconductors get ready for action

When I was asked to review the Handbook of Applied Superconductiviy, the invitation came as both a surprise and a sentence. The sentence was that this two-volume set weighs about 4.5 kg and is some 2000 pages long – definitely not a casual afternoon read. The surprise was that I have only been involved in applications of superconductivity for the past three or four years. Most of my career before that was spent in basic research on "exotic" superconductors, low-dimensional organic and polymeric metals, and, of course, copper-oxide perovskites.
EXPLORATION OF PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE IN SOLVING ARITHMETIC OPERATION IN FRACTION OF GRADE XI STUDENTS AT SMAN 17 IN MAKASSAR

Exploration of Procedural Knowledge in Solving Arithmetic Operation in Fraction of Grade XI Students at SMAN 17 in Makassar (supervised by Suradi Tahmir and Awi Dassa).The study aims at exploring procedural knowledge of grade XI students at SMAN 17 Makassar in solving arithmetic operation in fraction. The type of this study is explorative research with qualitative in nature. The subjects of the study were grade XI students at SMAN 17 Makassar with the total of 4 people. Data were collected by conducting written test and interview. Data were analyzed using qualitative data analysis which covered data reduction, data presentation, triangulation technique, and conclucing drawing. Data validity was conducted by employing triangulation technique. The result of the study reveals that only one out of four subject arranged and use algorithm in solving the questions by implementing appropriately; whereas, in evaluation questions, those four subjects did the counting aligned with the rules of counting the fraction.
MEASURES COMMERCIAL BANKS HAVE TAKEN TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CAPITAL ADEQUACY REQUIREMENT IN BASEL III FRAMEWORK

Purpose : The purpose of the study was to establish measures commercial banks have taken to ensure compliance with the capital adequacy requirement in Basel III framework. Methodology : A descriptive survey design was applied to a population of 43 commercial banks operating in Kenya. The target population composed of the 159 management staff currently employed at the head offices of the various commercial banks in Kenya. The population was composed of Senior, Middle and Junior or Entry level Management staff. A sample of 30% was selected from within each group. Primary data was gathered using questionnaires which were dropped off at the bank’s head offices and picked up later when the respondents had filled the questionnaires. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze quantitative data while content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Results : Based on the findings the study concluded that the commercial banks in Kenya have taken various measures to ensure compliance with capital adequacy requirement such as cutting back on lending, market rights issue/bonds, increasing revenue growth/cutting costs and withholding dividend payment. In addition, the study concluded that commercial banks, in a bid to reduce the challenges experienced in the implementation of capital adequacy requirement, they opt to purchase high quality liquid assets, increasing their maturity profile and increasing retail deposits. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that it is vital to understand the forces behind the increasing sophistication and efficiency of risk management systems, before adopting them more widely for regulatory purposes
Abstract 20762: Diesel Exhaust Induces Hyperlipidemia in Association With Downregulation of PPAR Alpha and Changes in Gut Microbiota

Introduction: Air pollution is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Inhalation of ambient particulate matter has been shown to induce functional changes in plasma lipop...
What Factors Drive Taper Corrosion

Abstract Adverse local tissue reactions to corrosion products can lead to total hip arthroplasty failure. Although this problem has been well known for more than 25 years, it has seemingly increased in frequency over the recent years. The occurrence of corrosion is multifactorial—depending on implant, patient, and surgeon factors. As of now, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to prevent corrosion in total hip arthroplasty devices. Thus, it is imperative to fully understand the exact mechanisms of modular junction corrosion to prevent premature implant failure. This review highlights a few key concepts that need to be explored to minimize the impact of corrosion. The key concepts include (1) the prevention of micromotion, (2) the role of implant alloy metallurgy in the corrosion process, (3) the in vivo generation of a corrosive environment, and (4) potential unanticipated problems.
Role of heat treatment and build orientation in the microstructure sensitive deformation characteristics of IN718 produced via SLM additive manufacturing

Abstract The benefits of additive manufacturing have been well documented, but prior to these materials being used in critical applications, the deformation mechanisms must be properly characterized. In this work, the role of heat treatment and build orientation of selective laser melting IN718 is investigated through detailed characterization. The microstructure of this material is probed through a combination of electron microscopy to identify the precipitate structure, electron backscatter diffraction to quantify the grain-level features, and synchrotron-based X-ray microcomputed tomography to detect porosity. A high degree of porosity is observed spatially near the free surface of the part, where the contour during the build process meets the interior hatch. Further, microstructure based deformation mechanisms are explored through digital image correlation relative to the grain features after monotonic and cyclic loading and in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction to identify the lattice strain evolution in these materials. Demarcations between the behaviors of the as-built versus post-processed materials are discussed; specifically, in terms of anisotropy with respect to build direction and values of the strength properties, based on the grain morphology, coherent twin formation, and precipitate structure. Lastly, the presence of dislocation sub-structures within the grains is observed to homogenize deformation within the as-built sample, while strain partitioning is observed during loading of the post-processed sample.
Family Social Support Networks of African American and Black Caribbean Adolescents

Although family social support has been linked to numerous psychological, behavioral, and academic outcomes for Black adolescents, little research investigates the family support networks of these youths. Using nationally representative data from the National Survey of American Life Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), this study examines the family social support exchanges of African American and Black Caribbean adolescents. We focus specifically on the frequency of instrumental and emotional support provided by and offered to adolescents and the sociodemographic and family correlates of this support. Findings indicate that both African American and Black Caribbean adolescents provide and receive a substantial amount of support from family, though there is significant variation by age, gender, income, ethnicity, region, and country of origin within and across these populations. Further, subjective family closeness was related to both the receipt and provision of support. Overall, findings affirm the importance of investigating adolescent family support networks, as well as examining ethnic differences within the U.S. Black population.
Serotonin and serotonin receptors in hallucinogen action

Abstract Hallucinogens (psychedelics) are substances that induce profound changes in perception and cognition. The closely related 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces euphoria and a feeling of empathy, with minimal sensory distortion. Both of these classes of substances produce their effects by interacting with the serotonergic system. This chapter will review the receptor interactions that contribute to the behavioral effects of serotonergic hallucinogens and MDMA. Importantly, recent human studies confirm that the 5-HT2A receptor plays a primary role in mediating the subjective effects of psilocybin. Evidence from rodent studies, however, suggests that 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, and dopamine receptors may play a secondary role. By contrast, the effects of MDMA are largely attributable to its potent release of monoamines in serotonergic, dopaminergic, and noradrenergic systems. There is a growing consensus that these drugs are likely to show therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders such as PTSD, depression, and some addictions.
Interactions of Diarrhea and Malnutrition

The diarrheal diseases are a major cause of death in all poor societies. Typically, these populations have a youthful age structure, with nearly half under 15 years of age and one-sixth under age 5.1 Yet over half of all deaths occur in children under 5 years, the age group at highest risk for diarrhea and malnutrition.2,3 In Latin America, for example, diarrhea was found to be by far the major infectious cause of death in children below age 5, and malnutrition was noted to be a direct or underlying cause of most deaths.3 In-depth longitudinal surveillance in rural Bangladesh has shown diarrhea to be responsible for 28.6% of all deaths in children under 5. Diarrhea accounted for 13.7% of all infant deaths, while among children 1 to 4 years of age, diarrhea was responsible for 44%.2
Further Studies on the Effect of Chronic Alpha-Methyldopa Administration Upon the Central Nervous System and Sexual Function in Male Rats

Abstract Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that alpha-methyldopa, a potent inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis, reduced both libido and erectile function in sexually mature male rats as it does in humans. In this report, those studies were extended to identify the drug’s effect upon catecholamine content in the brain, spinal cord and penile erectile tissue in mature male rats. Because many men report that the adverse effects of alpha-methyldopa upon their sexual performance continue after withdrawal from the drug, a 2nd group of animals was retested after the drug was stopped. Results of the group I study showed diminished copulatory and erectile activity as well as penile and brain norepinephrine content. In the group II rats there was a continued significant reduction in erectile and copulatory activity. At the same time, brain, spinal cord and penile tissue content of norepinephrine returned to normal levels. In another experiment an alpha2-receptor antagonist was administered with alpha-methyldopa and no inhibition of the effects of alpha-methyldopa was observed. These findings imply that the effect of alpha-methyldopa on sexual function is mediated in the central nervous system as an abnormality of receptor function.
The Politics of Information: Informed Consent in Abortion and End-of-Life Decision Making:

The politics of reproduction dominate the political landscape now more than ever. One area of controversy has been informed consent statutes for abortion, which have been praised by the pro-life movement but derided by the pro-choice movement. More recently, legislatures have begun to enact informed consent statutes with respect to end-of-life decision making, an area almost as politically controversial as abortion. Like many abortion disclosure laws, some of these have been entitled "Right to Know" statutes. Yet, the supporters and opponents of each set of statutes tend not to be the same, aligning to a large extent based on their place in the culture wars over life and death. In this Article, I strive not only to show the remarkably similar critiques each side marshals but also to use these concerns to think in more nuanced ways about the goals of informed consent and whether the disclosure mandates achieve those goals. I first argue in favor of the aspirational goals of informed consent as a process that allows patients to participate in their medical decision making. While conceding the inherently political nature of abortion and end-of-life care, I also contend that the significance of decisions regarding those matters warrants, at least in theory, legislative efforts to ensure that patients have the opportunity to engage in deliberative and informed decision making. In describing and responding to the similar critiques of both sets of laws--the political bias of the statutes; the efforts to persuade, especially with non-medical information; the potential vulnerability of the targeted audience; and the interference with physician discretion--I uncover and challenge some of the presumptions about informed consent inherent in those critiques. Although information that persuades or influences is not per se problematic, I argue that disclosure of information that is inaccurate, untrue, or emotionally inflammatory harms informed consent. Even well-crafted informed consent mandates, however, are insufficient to promote truly deliberative decision making because they oversimplify the complexity of these decisions and fail to respond to the fact that informed consent is a process that requires more than simply the delivery of information; it also requires dialogue and discussion. This Article ends with suggestions for ways to try to promote such a dialogue.
Plant Abiotic Stress: Water

Fresh water is increasingly becoming a scarce resource. Owing to unpredictable rainfall and limited fresh water resources, water stress has become a greater limiting factor affecting crop productivity than it was previously. We reviewed concepts related to (1) plant water uptake and loss; (2) molecular, metabolic, and physiological changes imposed by water stress in crop species; (3) responses that aid in reducing yield loss under water stress; and (4) industry efforts to develop drought-tolerant hybrids and varieties to aid farmers. Future efforts to combat water stress include combining best agronomic practices, superior genetics, and a multitude of biotechnology-derived traits.
Tumors of the Reticuloendothelial and Hematopoietic Systems

The localization of 67-Ga in nonosseous tumors was first observed in a patient with Hodgkin’s disease (70). Since that first case, 67-Ga has been applied to the investigation of the malignant lymphomas more intensively than to any other disease. The interest in 67-Ga scintigraphy was based on the established importance of accurate staging in the management of these tumors.
Stability analysis for discrete event dynamic systems and the state space decomposition techniques

Abstract In this paper, stability and stable behavior of discrete event dynamic systems (DEDS) are further researched. In DEDS, stability is charaterized by periodicity. It has been proved that the state space of a stable DEDS can be divided into some different stable regions according to periodic characters (order and initial step) of states, and stable regions with same periodic order correspond to identical stable equilibrium region. In the paper, a method to decomposite state space and to determine equilibrium region is given. The results of the paper has a certain theoretic and applied worth, especially, for organizing reasonably production of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). Finally, an example is taken to illustrate the conclusions given in the paper.
An Extended Resource-Based View on Corporate Political Activities

This paper aims to advance our understanding of firm level differences in corporate political activities (CPA). An extended resource-based view is taken as a theoretical lens, by integrating social...
A novel approach to calibrating a photoacoustic absorption spectrometer using polydisperse absorbing aerosol

Abstract. A new technique for calibrating photoacoustic aerosol absorption spectrometers with multiple laser passes in the acoustic cavity (multi-pass PAS) has been developed utilizing polydisperse and highly absorbing aerosol. This is the first calibration technique for multi-pass PAS instruments that utilizes particles instead of reactive gases and does not require knowledge of the exact size or refractive index of the absorbing aerosol. In this new method, highly absorbing materials are aerosolized into a polydisperse distribution and measured simultaneously with a multi-pass PAS and a cavity-attenuated phase shift particulate matter single-scattering albedo (CAPS PM SSA , Aerodyne Inc.) instrument. The CAPS PM SSA measures the bulk absorption coefficient through the subtraction of the scattering coefficient from the extinction coefficient. While this approach can have significant errors in ambient aerosol, the accuracy and precision of the CAPS PM SSA are high when the measured aerosol has a low single-scattering albedo (SSA) and particles are less than 300 nm in size, in which case truncation errors are small. To confirm the precision and accuracy of the new calibration approach, a range of aerosol concentrations were sent to the multi-pass PAS and CAPS PM SSA instruments using three different absorbing substances: Aquadag, Regal Black, and Nigrosin. Six repetitions with each of the three substances produced stable calibrations, with the standard deviation of the calibration slopes being less than 2 % at 660 nm and less than 5 % at 405 nm for a given calibration substance. Calibrations were also consistent across the different calibration substances (standard deviation of 2 % at 660 nm and 10 % at 405 nm) except for Nigrosin at 405 nm. The accuracy of the calibration approach is dependent on the SSA of the calibration substance but is roughly 6 % for the calibration substances used here, which all have an SSA near 0.4 at 405 nm. This calibration technique is easily deployed in the field as it involves no toxic or reactive gases and it does not require generation of a monodisperse aerosol. Advantages to this particle-based calibration technique versus techniques based on ozone or nitrogen dioxide absorption include no reactive losses or impact from carrier gases and the broad absorption characteristics of the particles, which eliminate potentially significant errors in calibration that come with small errors in the peak wavelength of the laser light when utilizing gas-phase standards.
Base-10 Blocks: a study of iPad virtual manipulative affordances across primary-grade levels

The purpose of the inquiry was to understand how children in primary grades (i.e., preschool, kindergarten, and second grade) engaged with affordances and constraints of features in a Base-10 Blocks virtual manipulative mathematics app designed to promote learning opportunities. Researchers conducted one-to-one interviews with 100 primary grade children as they interacted with the Montessori Number Base-10 Blocks iPad app. The video data were qualitatively analyzed using open descriptive, thematic, and structured coding. Results show that children’s actions when interacting with app features can affect their engagement with designed mathematics constraints and affordances. Results also identified three emergent themes around children’s engagement with the app’s simultaneous linking features: verification, self-correction, and making connections. Findings suggest the importance of helping children identify and reflect on affordances within virtual manipulative mathematics apps. These findings also indicate that as designers, educators and researchers design or select virtual manipulative mathematics apps for classroom use; they should to consider children’s prior achievement as well as in-app perceptions and engagement with design features in the apps.
Drug development using pancreatic and lung organoid models

Abstract Human and mouse organoids have been successfully and routinely established for a number tissues reflecting normal and disease states. Organoids reflecting human pancreas and lung tumors have been established and used in target validation studies, overexpressing and knocking down target genes and increasingly in drug discovery studies, seeking context-specific inhibitors of these tumor types. Validation of cancer drug target engagement in animal models is a critical step in drug discovery and development. This review examines the utility and challenges of drug development and precision medicine for organoid cultures in these two cancer types.
Populations’ Experience of Earthquakes and Possible Resilient Responses to Disasters

Chapter 8 presents and analyzes the 19 interviews collecting life stories from ordinary people who lived through the dramatic experiences of the Umbria, Molise, and Abruzzo earthquakes. This chapter explains the choice of life stories as an interesting method for social interviews because of their ethnographic and biographical assumptions.
Parallel co-location mining with MapReduce and NoSQL systems

With the rapid growth of georeferenced data, large-scale data processing and analysis methods are needed for spatial big data. Spatial co-location pattern mining is an interesting and important issue in spatial data mining area which discovers the subsets of features whose objects are frequently located together in geographic proximity. There are several works for efficiently processing co-location pattern discovery; however, they may be insufficient for large dense spatial data because the mining task takes up a lot of processing time and memory. In this work, we leveraged the power of a modern distributed computing platform, Hadoop, and developed an algorithm (called ParColoc) for parallel co-location mining on the MapReduce framework. This study explored challenge issues in designing the parallel co-location mining algorithm and solved them with adopting a spatial declusteirng technique and a NoSQL system. We conducted an experimental evaluation with real-world data and synthetic data to examine the effectiveness of proposed methods. The experiment result shows that ParColoc is a promising method for parallel co-location mining in cloud computing environment.
Sex differences in adult mood and in stress-induced transcriptional coherence across mesocorticolimbic circuitry

Women are approximately two times as likely to be diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) compared to men. While sex differences in MDD might be driven by circulating gonadal hormones, we hypothesized that developmental hormone exposure and/or genetic sex might play a role. Mice were gonadectomized in adulthood to isolate the role of developmental hormones. We examined the effects of developmental gonadal and genetic sex on anhedonia-/depressive-like behaviors under non-stress and chronic stress conditions and performed RNA-sequencing in three mood-relevant brain regions. We used an integrative network approach to identify transcriptional modules and stress-specific hub genes regulating stress susceptibility, with a focus on whether these differed by sex. After identifying sex differences in anhedonia-/depressive-like behaviors (female > male), we show that both developmental hormone exposure (gonadal female > gonadal male) and genetic sex (XX > XY) contribute to the sex difference. The top biological pathways represented by differentially expressed genes were related to immune function; we identify which differentially expressed genes are driven by developmental gonadal or genetic sex. There was very little overlap in genes affected by chronic stress in males and females. We also identified highly co-expressed gene modules affected by stress, some of which were affected in opposite directions in males and females. Since all mice had equivalent hormone exposure in adulthood, these results suggest that sex differences in gonadal hormone exposure during sensitive developmental periods program adult sex differences in mood, and that these sex differences are independent of adult circulating gonadal hormones.
Benchmark Natural Convection/Radiation Simulations Within an Enclosed Array of Horizontal Heated Rods

Experiments performed by others measured the temperature of an 8x8 array of horizontal heated rods in air within a constant temperature enclosure. That apparatus was a scaled-down model of a spent boiling water reactor fuel assembly in a transport package. In the current work, threedimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations of natural convection and radiation heat transfer within this domain were conducted to determine appropriate boundary conditions and benchmark the results. Initial simulations employed nearly equal specified temperatures on the walls and endplates, and insulated rod ends. They accurately reproduced the shapes of the temperature profiles in the midplane between the rod ends, but over-predicted the temperature level at the highest heat load. Simulations that included conduction within the endplates and convection from their outside surfaces more accurately modeled heat losses. They brought the midplane temperatures at the highest heat load to the measured data once an appropriate convection coefficient was determined. The simulation technique will be used to design future experiments that model heat transfer from spent fuel assemblies to highlynon-isothermal support structures.
Analysis of measles antibody levels of healthy people and IgM antibody test of suspected case

Objective To understand the planed immunization and measles antibody level in healthy adults in Luoping and providing scientific basis for measles elimination. Methods IgM antibody test was performed by ELISA on blood specimens of suspected cases from 2010 to June, 2015.And IgG antibody test was performed by ELISA on blood specimens of 416 healthy persons in Jiulong, Dashuijing, Banqiao and Laochang in 2015. Results Measles IgM antibodies of totaling 174 specimens from 2010 to June, 2015 were detected, which found out that measles IgM antibody positive rate was 33.33%; babies under eight months accounted for the highest detection rate, which was 68.57%; the main epidemic season was the spring season(positive detection rate is 44.83%); 4~7 days from rash onset was most advisable for blood sampling(positive detection rate is 45.05%); gender failed to determine the association with measles detection rate (χ2﹦0.49, P>0.05). 416 healthy persons were enrolled in this research in 2015, among which 396 blood specimens were detected as positive results(positive rate is 95.19%); measles IgG antibody protection rate was 84.86%; GMC was 1168 mIU/ml; antibodies positive rate, protection level rate and GMC of 8~17 months children are all low; there was no significant difference among positive rates of Luoping healthy population measles antibody in gender distribution(χ2﹦1.56, P>0.05) and geography distribution (χ2=0.98, P>0.05). Conclusions There was no significant difference among positive rates of Luoping healthy population measles antibody in gender distribution and geography distribution, while there is a difference in age, especially for 8~17 months children antibody level is considerably low. Key words: Measles; IgM antibody; IgG antibody; suspected cases; healthy population
Reframing the Blues as a Performance Strategy in after august

An analysis and review of Patrick Maley’s a fter august regarding the topic of blues and how the subject is used in a variety of methods associated with August Wilson’s American Century Cycle and other related works.
Isolating the effects of oxidizer characteristics and catalytic additives on the high-pressure exponent break of AP/HTPB-Composite propellants

Abstract AP/HTPB-composite propellants are widely used in the field of energetics due to their burning rate controllability using a variety of formulation variables. At higher pressures, the burning rate becomes less controllable as it experiences a transition regime often referred to as an “exponent break” typically between 20.7 and 34.5 MPa. The pressure exponent drastically increases to values greater than 1, making the burning rate extremely sensitive to pressure fluctuations. This study systematically evaluated the effects of catalysts on the exponent break and high-pressure burning rates of AP/HTPB-composite propellants containing a variety of AP particle sizes, distributions, and concentrations. The burning rates of seven formulations with varying AP characteristics and either Mach I iron oxide or titania nanoparticles or in-situ titania as a catalyst were evaluated between pressures of 6.89 MPa and 68.9 MPa. All formulations with the exception of two, 46.0-µm AP with Mach I titania and 138.9-µm AP with 0.50% in-situ titania, showed an exponent break. For the others, the characteristic pressure where the exponent break occurred changed with the inclusion of the catalysts, increasing it to 34.5 MPa and higher. The characteristic pressure was found to be dependent on the corresponding baseline burning rates, occurring where the additive burning rate curve intersected with its respective baseline burning rate curve. Additionally, all the burning rates fell above the AP deflagration rate curve, corroborating the existence of an AP barrier and the general theory in the literature that AP decomposition dominates in the very-high-pressure regime. This study adds new data to the severely limited database for very-high-pressure, AP-based, composite propellant burning rates in the open literature and provides one of the first fundamental studies on the exponent break feature with emphasis on the role of mixture variables and catalytic additives on the characteristic break pressure and the post-break pressure exponent.
Optimal allocation of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of the first epidemic wave in the United States

In this paper, we propose a two-group SIR epidemic model to simulate the outcome of stay-at-home policy and wearing face masks during the first COVID-19 epidemic wave in the United States. Based on our proposed model, we further use the optimal control approach (with the objective of minimizing total deaths) to find the optimal dynamical distribution of face masks between the healthcare workers and the general public. It is not surprising that all the face masks should be solely reserved for the healthcare workers if the supply is short. However, when the supply is indeed sufficient, our numerical study indicates that the general public should share a large portion of face masks at the beginning of an epidemic wave to dramatically reduce the death toll. This interesting result partially contradicts with the guideline advised by the US Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in March 2020. The optimality of this sounding CDC guideline highly depends on the supply level of face masks that changes frequently, and hence it should be adjusted according to the supply of face masks.
Nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide attempts are uniquely associated with eating disorder pathology and behaviors over and above negative urgency.

Abstract Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behaviors are prevalent in individuals with eating disorders (EDs). Negative urgency (NU; the tendency to act rashly when distressed) is a common correlate of NSSI, suicide, and ED pathology. The aim of this study was to examine whether lifetime history of NSSI and suicide attempts (SA) contributed unique variance to current ED pathology after controlling for the variance accounted for by NU. Undergraduate students (N = 871; 25.4% male) self-reported lifetime SA and completed a modified Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory to assess lifetime NSSI, the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), and the NU scale of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale-Revised. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that lifetime NSSI but not SA was associated with higher Global EDE-Q scores (NSSI: β = 0.11, p .05) and restrictive eating (NSSI: β = 0.10, p .05) after controlling for NU. In addition, lifetime NSSI (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.54–5.76) and SA (OR = 5.68, 95% CI = 1.90–17.02) were significantly associated with past month purging but not binge eating after controlling for NU. Results suggest that NSSI is uniquely associated with increased likelihood of past month ED pathology in a nonclinical sample. Study limitations included low rates of behavioral problems in the sample and no measures of suicidal ideation. Clinicians who treat EDs should regularly assess NSSI and suicidal ideation.
Wearable Electrically Small Loop Antennas for Monitoring Joint Kinematics: Guidelines for Optimal Frequency Selection

We have recently reported a new class of wearable electrically small loop antennas (ESLAs) that can seamlessly monitor joint kinematics (i.e., flexion and rotation). In this paper, we aim to provide generic guidelines for optimally selecting the operating frequency of such designs. Key to our approach is to first establish crucial performance benchmark criteria (i.e., received power level, angular resolution, and effect of tissue dielectric property variation). The frequency range we consider spans from the antenna mode of operation to the electrically small antenna mode (24 MHz to 1028 MHz chosen here). Based on the frequency-specific tradeoffs for each of the aforementioned performance benchmark criterion, a suitable optimal operating frequency is eventually selected (34 MHz identified as optimal in our example demonstration).
Increased testosterone and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome correlate with elevated GnRH receptor autoantibody activity assessed by a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based bioassay

The recently identified agonistic autoantibodies (AAb) to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) are a novel investigative and therapeutic target for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this study, we used a new cell-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) bioassay to analyze serum GnRHR-AAb activity and examine its relationship with testosterone and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with PCOS. Serum samples from 33 PCOS patients, 39 non-PCOS ovulatory infertile controls and 30 normal controls were tested for GnRHR-AAb activity and proinflammatory cytokines in a FRET-based bioassay and multiplex bead-based immunoassay, respectively. Correlation was analyzed using the Spearman’s correlation test. Serum GnRHR-AAb activity was significantly higher in the PCOS patients than for the ovulatory infertile (p < 0.05) and normal (p < 0.01) controls. GnRHR-AAb were positive in 39% of PCOS patients, 10% of ovulatory infertile controls, and 0% of normal controls. PCOS IgG-induced GnRHR activation was specifically blocked by the GnRHR antagonist cetrorelix. Serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-2, interleukin-6, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly increased in PCOS patients compared with ovulatory infertile and normal controls (p < 0.01). Correlation analysis demonstrated positive correlations of GnRHR-AAb activity with testosterone and proinflammatory cytokine levels in the PCOS group. Elevated GnRHR-AAb activity, as assessed by a new FRET assay, is associated with increased testosterone and proinflammatory cytokines in PCOS, suggesting autoimmune activation of GnRHR may contribute to the pathogenesis of this common disorder.
“Finding the Other Half of Me”: Culture-Based Approaches to Music Education in Hawaiʻi:

The purpose of this study was to examine how Hawaiian music teachers describe their uses of Hawaiian culture–based educational approaches in the music classroom. The theoretical lens of culture-bas...
Parametric modeling of a solid state Ericsson cycle heat engine

Abstract The Johnson Thermoelectric Converter (JTEC) operates as an approximation of an Ericsson cycle thermodynamic heat engine with no moving parts. During operation, hydrogen flows from a high-temperature high-pressure region to a low-pressure region by way of a membrane-electrode assembly. In passing through the assembly, the hydrogen is stripped of its electrons which flow through the circuit and reform with protons to the recover hydrogen on the low-pressure side. Some of the electrical power extracted is used to electrochemically “pump” the hydrogen back to the low-temperature high-pressure side and sustain the pressure differential. The objective of the work presented here was to mathematically characterize a JTEC system and to develop the coupled relationships between design goals like efficiency, net power production, and power density; and design parameters like high versus low operating temperatures and pressures, device geometry, and thermophysical properties of the device materials and working fluid. Power production is related to the operating pressure ratio, the ratio of high to low device operating temperatures, the high operating temperature, and the effective heat transfer area of the hot end. The efficiency is related to several non-dimensional and dimensional number groups (especially the recuperator effectiveness). The power density or volume of the device is related to a different recuperator parameter, the high temperature of the heat addition source, the cold temperature of the thermal rejection source, and the internal device geometry. Even with reasonable simplifications and assumptions, the design space contains a large number of variable parameters. The model equations were exercised over the large parametric trade space.
Everything Is Faster: How Do Land-Grant University-Based Plant Diagnostic Laboratories Keep Up with a Rapidly Changing World?

Plant diagnostic laboratories (PDLs) are at the heart of land-grant universities (LGUs) and their extension mission to connect citizens with research-based information. Although research and techno...
Clinicopathologic correlations of superficial esophageal adenocarcinoma in endoscopic submucosal dissection specimens.

Background Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a novel endoscopic treatment for early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The western pathologists' experience with ESD specimens remains limited. This study aimed to correlate histopathologic features of Barrett's esophagus (BE)-associated adenocarcinoma in ESD resections with clinical outcomes to determine whether they aid future management decisions. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 49 consecutive ESD resection specimens from 42 patients with BE-associated adenocarcinoma (24 intramucosal and 18 submucosal EAC) at a single tertiary referral center. Pathologic evaluation included presence of dysplasia, invasive adenocarcinoma, peritumoral inflammation, desmoplasia, lymphovascular and perineural invasion; tumor differentiation, depth of invasion, morphology, and budding; and margin status for dysplasia or carcinoma. Follow up data included endoscopic biopsies in 35 patients and pathology reports of esophagectomies in 11 patients. Poor outcomes were defined as recurrence or residual invasive adenocarcinoma at esophagectomy, metastasis on imaging, or R1 resection in patients undergoing ESD for tumor debulking. Results Two patients (8%) with intramucosal adenocarcinoma and 9 patients (50%) with submucosal adenocarcinoma had poor outcomes. Histopathologic features associated with poor outcomes included poor differentiation, lymphovascular invasion, submucosal invasion > 500 μm, tumor budding, and tubuloinfiltrative histologic pattern. Four patients had positive deep margin away from the deepest tumor invasion and did not show residual tumor on follow up. Conclusions Our results validated European Society of Gastroenterology (ESGE) guidelines of high-risk pathologic features for additional therapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma and identified tumor budding frequently in association with other high-risk features. Positive deep margin distant from deepest tumor invasion could be procedural and warrants endoscopic correlation for management.
Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as one of the most important and successful applications of interferometry in the biomedical sciences. This is due, in part, to its simplicity, but also because its advantages are well matched to applications on transparent or translucent media, particularly in ophthalmology. OCT is a form of laser ranging, somewhat like radar. But where radar seeks to isolate distant reflections based on time of flight, OCT isolates reflections based on distance of flight, while rejecting the predominant noncoherent diffuse light that arises in dense turbid media. As we saw in the previous chapter, light propagating in tissue retains partial coherence as unscattered or minimally scattered photons, which can be reflected by structures inside the tissue and returned to the surface. OCT uses coherence-domain detection, namely interferometry, to isolate these coherent returns and to measure how far the reflected light has traveled.
Environmental Ethics from the Perspective of NEPA and Catholic Social Teaching: Ecological Guidance for the 21st Century

Over the years, a substantial body of Catholic social teaching has arisen to offer guidance as to the obligations that humanity has as stewards of creation. With ancient roots in Biblical text, and modern exploration in more recent texts, the connection between religious obligation and ecological responsibility has garnered much attention among Catholic thinkers - as well as among religious leaders of other faiths. This article explores the principles of Catholic social thought with respect to the environment and traces the development of those principles from their Biblical origins through the papacy of Pope John Paul II. In tandem with this discussion, the paper also explores the National Environmental Policy Act - the leading secular statement of environmental goals in American law. The paper compares and contrasts the principles of environmental responsibility as found in both Catholic social thought and in the National Environmental Policy Act, and addresses the ways in which they are consistent with each other - and the areas in which they present real tension.
Two-dimensional materials: Lift off for graphene

The finding that a graphene sponge structure can undergo light-driven levitation exposes both fundamentally interesting physics and thought-provoking potential for next-generation space propulsion.
Thermophysical property measurement and materials research in the NASA/MSFC electrostatic levitator

Containerless processing is an important tool for thermophysical property measurements and materials research. The freedom from a crucible allows processing of liquid materials in a metastable undercooled state, as well as allowing processing of high temperature and highly reactive melts. Electrostatic levitation (ESL) is a containerless method which provides a number of unique advantages, including the decoupling of positioning force from sample heating, the ability to operate in ultra-high vacuum or at moderate gas pressure (∼3 atm), and the ability to process non-conducting materials. ESL also has the potential to reduce internal flow velocities below those possible with electromagnetic, acoustic, or aeroacoustic techniques. The ESL facility at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is in use for thermophysical property measurements and materials research by a number of different internal and external investigators. The methods for obtaining access to the facility, as well as a summary of current capabilities and some future directions will be discussed.
The accelerations of stars orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole

Recent measurements1,2,3,4 of the velocities of stars near the centre of the Milky Way have provided the strongest evidence for the presence of a supermassive black hole in a galaxy5, but the observational uncertainties poorly constrain many of the black hole's properties. Determining the accelerations of stars in their orbits around the centre provides much more precise information about the position and mass of the black hole. Here we report measurements of the accelerations of three stars located ∼0.005 pc (projected on the sky) from the central radio source Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*); these accelerations are comparable to those experienced by the Earth as it orbits the Sun. These data increase the inferred minimum mass density in the central region of the Galaxy by an order of magnitude relative to previous results, and localize the dark mass to within 0.05 ± 0.04 arcsec of the nominal position of Sgr A*. In addition, the orbital period of one of the observed stars could be as short as 15 years, allowing us the opportunity in the near future to observe an entire period.
Bispectrality of N-Component KP Wave Functions: A Study in Non-Commutativity

A wave function of the N-component KP Hierarchy with continuous flows de- termined by an invertible matrix H is constructed from the choice of an MN-dimensional space of finitely-supported vector distributions. This wave function is shown to be an eigen- function for a ring of matrix differential operators in x having eigenvalues that are matrix functions of the spectral parameter z. If the space of distributions is invariant under left multiplication by H, then a matrix coefficient differential-translation operator in z is shown to share this eigenfunction and have an eigenvalue that is a matrix function of x. This paper not only generates new examples of bispectral operators, it also explores the consequences of non-commutativity for techniques and objects used in previous investigations.