cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Historical drinking water contamination at Camp Lejeune: Regulatory risk assessor and personal perspectives

ABSTRACTHistorical concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE) and other chemicals in drinking water at the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, NC, were sufficiently elevated to raise potential health concerns. The 1952–1984 mean TCE concentration (138 µg/L) exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) current maximum contaminant level (MCL) of TCE by 28-fold, with the corresponding dose (3.9E–03 mg/kg-day) exceeding all three candidate USEPA reference dose (RfD) values by 8- to 11-fold. Today, TCE hazard quotients (HQs) of 8–11 compel immediate action by USEPA. The mean dose also exceeds the supporting RfD values for toxic nephropathy and increased kidney weight, as well as the point of departure (POD) for toxic nephropathy. Furthermore, the estimated doses for 34% of the 9-month rolling averages exceed the POD for the highest RfD value for fetal heart defects. The incidences of nephropathy and fetal heart defects should be thoroughly evaluated among those who were exposed. Long-term f...
Adult emergence, courtship, mating, and ovipositional behavior of Tetrastichus gallerucae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a parasitoid of the elm leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Reproductive behavior of the egg parasitoid Tetrastichus gallerucae (Fonscolombe) is described. Males show the same distinct behavioral pattern before and after copulation. Males were aggressive toward other males on or near parasitized egg masses. No overt female courtship behavior was observed. Males mated more than once, but females were unreceptive after a successful copulation. Oviposition and associated behavior for each female was >8 h on elm leaf beetle, Xanthogaleruca (= Pyrrhalta ) luteola (Muller), egg masses of 20 eggs. Females did not show any egg guarding or external marking behavior. Possible costs of female ovipositional behavior and male guarding behavior are discussed.
Pulse Reactor Studies to Assess the Potential of La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.4X0.1O3-δ (X = Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, V) as Direct Hydrocarbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes

A pulse reactor technique was utilized to measure CH4 oxidation rates under solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode conditions. La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.4X0.1O3−δ powders (LSCMX, X = Co, Fe, Mn and Ni) were synthesized and were found to be phase-pure perovskites, space group R3C. All compositions were determined by XRD to be stable up to 800 °C in dry 20% CH4/N2, at which point small amounts of a Ruddlesden-Poepper (RP) phase A2BO4-δ were detected. At higher temperatures, MnO and metallic Fe were observed, but no Ni and Co phases could be detected. Measurements of the CH4 reaction rates on LSCMX samples provided indirect evidence for the instability of Ni and Co containing perovskites at temperatures higher than 650 and 750 °C, respectively. At 600 and 650 °C, CH4 oxidation rates for LSCMCo and LSCMNi were similar to the rates on LSCM. At higher temperatures, CO2 and CO production on LSCMCo and LSCMNi samples was enhanced, which was ascribed to the exsolution of Co and Ni from the perovskite lattice. CO2 producti...
Interpretive reporting of laboratory data. The glucose tolerance test.

A system to report glucose tolerance tests in numeric and graphic form with interpretation is presented. It requires a programmable calculator directing an electric typewriter or printer. The final report is clear, concise and authoritative.
A DECONVOLUTION-BASED METHOD FOR DETECTING JUMP FAILURES IN A CONTROL SYSTEM

This paper presents this new method and discusses in detail its suboptimal finite-memory algorithm.The method has the advantage of fast tracking the model of a control system at fault,and can be used tomonitor jump failures of states,parameters and actuators in control systems.
Evaluation of Relative Entropy for Distributed Passive Detection of Weak Acoustic Signals

Passive detection of weak signals in noise is formulated without assuming a parametric distribution of the received signal statistics. A binary likelihood-ratio test as to whether the probability densities of two candidate noise populations are the same, or significantly different, leads to the comparison of relative entropy with a Neyman-Pearson detection threshold. The method is demonstrated using the acoustical intensity of narrowband signals at the hydrophones of a bottom-mounted horizontal line array, which was deployed during the Transverse Acoustic Variability Experiment. Receiver operating characteristics of the relative entropy detector are compared with those for the mean signal-to-noise ratio on a set of hydrophones. It is found that at large false-alarm rates the relative entropy detector has comparatively inferior performance while remaining competitive in the region of small false-alarm probability. Relative entropy detection is insensitive to statistical dependence among the sensors, but is sensitive to data having nonstationary intensity statistics characteristic of the ocean environment in which it was tested.
Profiling of Cytokines Secreted by Conventional Aqueous Outflow Pathway Endothelial Cells Activated In Vitro and Ex Vivo With Laser Irradiation

More than 3 decades ago, it was predicted that a laser instrument capable of emitting nanosecond pulses of green light would “activate” irradiated cells due to thermal effects induced by the photothermolysis of melanin granules.1 Only a decade later, the neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd-YAG) laser instrument became available, as well as the selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) procedure.2 Soon thereafter, it was shown that melanin granules in SLT-irradiated TMEs do become depigmented as they undergo “selective” photothermolysis.3,4 Later, it was also learned that SLT-irradiated trabecular meshwork cells (TMEs) and Schlemm's canal endothelial cells (SCEs) undergo the upregulation of numerous genes at the genomic-wide level as they become activated.5–7 On learning that Argon laser-irradiated TMEs secrete IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α,8 we established that SLT-irradiated TMEs and SCEs also secrete the same three cytokines.5,6 Moreover, we also learned that adding selected recombinant cytokines onto SCE monolayers induced marked increases in fluid flow.5,6 Cytokines have also been identified in the aqueous humor of glaucoma patients,9 and certain chemokines are constitutively secreted by TMEs and may maintain a population of resident mononuclear-cells in the conventional aqueous outflow pathway (CAOP).10 Moving forward, using Affymetrix microarrays, we have now identified 28 upregulated and 18 downregulated cytokine genes after exposing TMEs and SCEs to either SLT irradiation or to media conditioned by SLT-irradiated TMEs or SCEs. In addition, we identified six cytokine-receptor genes upregulated or downregulated in TMEs or SCEs after at least one of these treatments. Further, using ELISA and protein antibody arrays, we profiled at least eight upregulated cytokines in SLT-irradiated CAOP explants ex vivo representing an extensive cytokine-driven signaling pathway.
Tractor hydraulic power data acquisition system

A portable tractor hydraulic power measurement system (DUT) was developed.DUT was tested at different hose bend angles, flow rates and operating pressures.Pressure deviations from the base line ranged between 10.56kPa and 32.2kPa.Flow rate differences (<167mLmin-1) were determined to be negligible (<0.5%).Calculated power differences (<33W) were less than 1% full scale power measured. Tractor hydraulic power is used on a wide range of agricultural implements; however, the availability of operational hydraulic data at points other than full engine throttle position is limited. Operators could utilize this hydraulic data to maximize field efficiency and minimize machinery costs when determining suitable machinery for field operations. A field usable hydraulic test apparatus capable of measuring tractor hydraulic pressure and flow rate data was developed. The goal of this study was to determine if a hydraulic flow and pressure measurement device could be installed on the rear of a tractor to provide implement hydraulic power consumption at different hydraulic hose orientations. The measurement system installed allowed hydraulic lines from the tractor hydraulic remote ports to be attached to the flowmeter and pressure sensors at multiple angles of 0°, 45°, and 90° in different configuration layouts. Tests were performed at different flows and pressures for each hose configuration. The pressures were compared across configurations to a base line reading from a hydraulic pressure and flow rate measurement apparatus used by the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory (NTTL). Pressure deviations from the base line were small and ranged between 10.56kPa and 32.2kPa. Flow rate differences (<167mLmin-1) were determined to be negligible (<0.5%). Calculated power differences (<33W) were less than 1% full scale power measured. This small power loss suggested that using the hydraulic measurement apparatus developed as part of this study would enable accurate measurements of tractor hydraulic power provided to implements regardless of hydraulic hose bend angles.
Human Security: US Leadership on Counter-Proliferation

Among myriad transnational challenges, the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation surely ranks among the more perilous. At a March 2012 summit in Seoul, President Obama laid out his longer-term vision for a nuclear free world, stating that “Nuclear terrorism is one of the most urgent and serious threats to global security” and “this is one of those challenges in our interconnected world that can only be met when we work as an international community.” Seven years earlier, Senator Richard Lugar had conducted a survey assessing the chances of a nuclear attack somewhere in the world within the next ten years. Some 60 per cent of experts placed the risk between 10 and 50 per cent (Lugar, 2005). Indeed, “it’s hard to find an analyst or commentator on nuclear proliferation who is not pessimistic about the future” (Potter and Mukhatzhanova, 2008).
Steam Engines and Heat Flow

Nicolas Leonard Sadi Carnot (1796–1832) was born in the Palais du Petit- Luxembourg in Paris. His father, a famous mathematician and minister of war under Napoleon, named his son after the eminent medieval Persian poet Sadi of Shiraz. Carnot attended the Charlemagne Lycee before enrolling at the age of 16 in the Ecole Polytechnique, the elite military academy which attracted many famous scientists and mathematicians during the age of the French Revolution: Biot, Arago, Laplace, Fourier, Gay-Lussac, Ampere, and Poisson. After his graduation in 1814, Carnot served as a cadet sub-lieutenant in the engineer corps at Metz, a position which he found increasingly frustrating and confining after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and his father’s consequent retirement and exile to Magdeburg, Germany. So in 1819 Carnot took an examination and was appointed a lieutenant in the French general staff. After attaining a furlough he increasingly turned his attention to the study of scientific matters, particularly the writings of Pascal and the design of steam engines. This latter interest would eventually lead to his only publication in 1824. Carnot’s Reflexions sur la puissance mortice du feu went largely unnoticed until after his death from cholera at the age of 36. Several years later, Clausius and Kelvin developed Carnot’s seminal ideas on heat engines into one of the foundations of modern science: the second law of thermodynamics. The reading selections that follow are from an 1897 English translation by Robert Henry Thurston (Fig. 3.1).
Political Censorship of the Opera

‘Musicians are lucky, they don’t have to bother about the censors’, wrote the Austrian dramatist Franz Grillparzer in a ‘conversation book’ of his friend the deaf composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Grillparzer, who had frequently been outraged by the Austrian censors’ butchery of his plays, added, ‘But if only the censors knew what the musicians are thinking as they compose.’ One of Beethoven’s would-be collaborators, Christoph Kuffner, made a similar comment in the conversation books, noting that, ‘although words are subject to the censorship, the sounds that represent and give force to words are not’. Grillparzer even wrote a poem to another musician friend, the Bohemian composer Ignaz Moscheles, celebrating what he viewed as the freedom of music from the censorship imposed on the written word: But music speaks a loftier tone To tyrant and to spy unknown, And free as angels walks with men Can pass unscathed the gaoler’s ken.1
IgA and IgG Hypogammaglobulinemia Persists in Most Patients with Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Despite Therapeutic Responses, Including Complete Remissions.

Abstract Recurrent infections are common in pts with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) and may be related to IgA and IgG hypogammaglobulinemia. The impact of therapy and therapeutic responses on humoral immunity in WM is therefore of clinical interest. We examined IgA and IgG levels before and after therapy in 92 serially treated and responding WM patients. Their median age was 59 yrs and 70/92 (76.1%) were previously untreated. Median follow-up for all patients was 11 (range 3-134) months. Pre-therapy, 72/92 (78.2%) and 70/92 (76.1%), and post-therapy 82/92 (89.1%) and 80/92 (86.9%) pts demonstrated IgG ( N= Pre-IgG Post-IgG T-Test Pre-IgA Post-IgA T-Test Nucleoside analogue 5 438 399 0.63 32 38 0.35 Rituximab 17 455 358 0.29 35 29 0.43 Rituximab/Thalidomide 19 388 374 0.3 28 24 0.32 Rituximab/Nucleoside 21 571 423 0.006 55 29 0.05 CHOP 3 702 568 0.62 48 30 0.82 CHOP/Rituximab 14 537 383 0.1 61 36 0.21 Chlorambucil ± steroids 5 837 659 0.57 129 66 0.52 Campath-1H 7 521 444 0.62 28 27 0.61 HD Dexamethasone 1 269 173 NA 27 28 NA All therapies 92 480 398 0.008 38 28 0.01 Changes in median IgG and IgA levels by response category were as follows: N= Pre-IgG Post-IgG T-Test Pre-IgA Post-IgA T-Test CR 8 644 472 0.05 75 37 0.08 PR 70 415 349 0.09 27 28 0.91 MR 14 474 394 0.01 38 26 0.02 These studies demonstrate that IgA and IgG hypogammaglobulinemia persists despite therapeutic responses, including complete remissions in patients with WM. Futhermore, the therapeutic regimen employed may aggravate persistent IgA and IgG hypogammaglobulinemia.
Modelling of spatial causality among distinctive properties of an image using conditional random field for image classification

In this paper, we proposed an ordered patch-based method using conditional random field (CRF) in order to encode local properties and their spatial relationship in the images to address texture cla...
A Hybrid Switching and Proportional Control Framework for Planar Under-Actuated Manipulators

Abstract This paper presents a hybrid control scheme for planar under-actuated manipulators. The proposed hybrid control combines simple switching control and proportional control into one framework. The result is obtained by simplifying early discussion on hybrid control of the Pendubot (Zhang and Tarn, 2002), where derivative control part was also included as part of the hybrid control. Our recent studies show that it may not be necessary to include the derivative control part for hybrid control of planar under-actuated manipulators. The advantages of the derivative control part, such as decreasing overshoot and setting time, can be reached through switching control. However, the proportional control part is still necessary. It is helpful for decreasing the rising time. A proof of the proposed hybrid control design criteria and an example are given in this paper.
Diophantine Approximation by Numbers of Small Height

As is well known, Roth’s Theorem says that given algebraic ξ ∈ ℝ, and given δ > 0, there are only finitely many rationals p/q with |ξ − p/q| < q−2−δ. More generally, it has been shown that given a number field K ⊂ ℂ, and given algebraic ξ ∈ ℂ, there are only finitely many elements α ∈ K with $$|\xi - \alpha | < H{(\alpha )^{ - 2 - \delta }}$$ (1) where H(α) denotes the absolute multiplicative Height of α. Even more generally, there is a version due to Lang involving a finite number of absolute values of K. Let us call α an exceptional approximation if it does satisfy (1). The number of exceptional approximations was first estimated by Davenport and Roth [3], then by Bombieri and Van der Poorten [1], also by Luckhardt [8] and Schmidt [10]. See also Section 6.5 in Bombieri and Gubler [2]. In all these works good estimates were given only for approximations α of large Height.
Preclinical rationale leading to clinical benefit: Multiple myeloma as a poster child

CN02-03 For many years the clinical advances for patients with myeloma were limited. The recent approval of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide has revolutionized patient care and outcomes for patients at all phases of their disease. Preclinical investigations have led to clinical trials that seek to optimally combine emerging agents with approved agents, as well as to define which new agents are best suited for Phase I/II trials in myeloma. Targets such as HSP-90, HDACs, monoclonal antibodies, CDK inhibitors, and many others were interrogated in preclinical models, and have now yielded clinical benefit for patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma. Further preclinical evaluation is critical to designing rational clinical trials and to developing appropriate correlative studies for these innovative clinical trials.
Adolescent Back Pain and Associated Backpack Loading, Locker Use, and Online Textbook Alternatives

Background: The incidence of childhood back pain is well established. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between adolescent back pain and characteristics of load carrying, and behaviors such as locker and online textbook use. Methods:Data was collected from adolescents at three different schools. Students and their backpacks were weighed to determine backpack weight relative to body weight (RBW). Students completed a written survey designed by the authors; the survey gathered details of backpack wear and usage including carry time, activity level, locker use, and potentially associated back pain. Results: A majority (66.7%) of students (N = 78) reported back pain. Discriminant function analysis revealed RBW does not predict reported frequency of back pain (P = 0.96), nor did the percent of online textbooks (P = 0.23). However, a crosstab analysis showed that adolescents who carried a loaded backpack more frequently between classes reported greater frequency of back pain (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Back pain is a noted complaint amongst adolescents. The results of this study challenge the literature highlighting RBW as responsible for back pain in adolescents and asserts, instead, that longer wear time attributed to infrequent locker use for storage is responsible for back pain in this middle school sample of adolescents. Students should be encouraged to use lockers between classes to decrease carrying time of loaded backpacks.
Gait biomechanics of skipping are substantially different than those of running

Abstract The inherit injury risk associated with high-impact exercises calls for alternative ways to achieve the benefits of aerobic exercise while minimizing excessive stresses to body tissues. Skipping presents such an alternative, incorporating double support, flight, and single support phases. We used ground reaction forces (GRFs), lower extremity joint torques and powers to compare skipping and running in 20 healthy adults. The two consecutive skipping steps on each limb differed significantly from each other, and from running. Running had the longest step length, the highest peak vertical GRF, peak knee extensor torque, and peak knee negative and positive power and negative and positive work. Skipping had the greater cadence, peak horizontal GRF, peak hip and ankle extensor torques, peak ankle negative power and work, and peak ankle positive power. The second vs first skipping step had the shorter step length, higher cadence, peak horizontal GRF, peak ankle extensor torque, and peak ankle negative power, negative work, and positive power and positive work. The first skipping step utilized predominately net negative joint work (eccentric muscle action) while the second utilized predominately net positive joint work (concentric muscle action). The skipping data further highlight the persistence of net negative work performed at the knee and net positive work performed at the ankle across locomotion gaits. Evidence of step segregation was seen in distribution of the braking and propelling impulses and net work produced across the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Conclusions Skipping was substantially different than running and was temporally and spatially asymmetrical with successive foot falls partitioned into a dominant function, either braking or propelling whereas running had a single, repeated step in which both braking and propelling actions were performed equally.
Perceptual Topography: Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Prepyriform, Visual, Auditory, and Somesthetic EEGs in Perception by Trained Rabbits

We tested the hypothesis that perceptually-related spatio-temporal patterns of neural activity are manifested in the EEG of neocortex. Arrays of 64 electrodes were fixed onto the epidural surfaces of the prepyriform, visual, auditory, and somesthetic cortices of 18 rabbits. After recovery, the subjects were trained to respond to simple conditioned stimuli in a classical aversive paradigm. The 64 EEG traces were recorded in 6 second trials, stored on disk, segmented, and decomposed by FFT or RMS analysis. Spatial pattern differences were determined by a Euclidean distance in 64-space and assigned a probability value. Differences between CS+ and CS- segments were found in narrow time windows post-stimulus. Perceptual activity was broad-band in nature. We conclude that the neural processes for perception are similar for sensory paleo-and neocortex, and that in all of these systems, perceptions are constructed by chaotic dynamics.
Simultaneous fluorescence and surface charge measurements on organic semiconductor-coated silica microspheres in (non)polar liquids

We present an experimental platform which combines spectroscopic capabilities with time-resolved measurements of effective surface charge at solid-liquid interfaces. Silica microspheres, pristine and coated with various organic semiconductor molecules, were optically trapped either in water or in toluene. Adsorption of organic semiconductor molecules on the microspheres was observed via appearance of fluorescence and dramatic reduction in the effective surface charge, measured concurrently on individual spheres, with elementary charge resolution. The versatile platform accommodates possibilities to study a variety of photoinduced processes simultaneously with measurements of surface charge and can be incorporated in devices such as microreactors and microfluidics.
Architectural Features of Houses at the Mitchell Site (39Dv2), Eastern South Dakota

AbstractWhile gathering economic and environmental data from the Mitchell site in 1971, one house and part of anotherwere excavated. The more completely excavated structure had burned, and provided...
The Senate Cannot Refuse to Seat Roy Moore and Will Not Vote to Expel Him

If Roy Moore is elected to the Senate by the voters of Alabama, the Senate is required to seat him. The Supreme Court has held that the House and the Senate cannot refuse to seat a person who has been elected to the House or the Senate and who possesses the constitutional requirements of age, citizenship and residence. The Court has also held that a constitutional challenge to the actions of the House or Senate in refusing to seat a person who has been elected to that body or to expel that person is fully justiciable by the federal courts. Since Moore possesses the constitutional requirements of age, citizenship, and residency, the Senate cannot refuse to seat him. The question then arises whether after Moore has been seated, the Senate could then turn around and by a two-thirds vote, decide to expel him. On the one hand, it could be contended, that under Art. I, sec. 5, cl.2, the Senate could only expel him for improper conduct that he had engaged in while a Senator and that expelling him for conduct that he allegedly had engaged in prior to his election to the Senate is the equivalent of refusing to seat him and so is unconstitutional. The contrary argument is that expulsion is different from a refusal to seat, and that the only constitutional limitation on the power of the Senate to expel is that it requires a two-thirds vote. The constitutional question is unlikely to arise, because the Senate will not vote to expel Moore. The Senate follows its own precedents, and under those precedents, the Senate will only vote to expel a Senator for improper conduct taking place while that person was serving as a Senator. It is for the voters of Alabama to decide whether Moore will serve in that venerable body.
Phase unwinding for dictionary compression with multiple channel transmission in magnetic resonance fingerprinting.

Abstract Purpose Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting reconstructions can become computationally intractable with multiple transmit channels, if the B1+ phases are included in the dictionary. We describe a general method that allows to omit the transmit phases. We show that this enables straightforward implementation of dictionary compression to further reduce the problem dimensionality. Methods We merged the raw data of each RF source into a single k-space dataset, extracted the transceiver phases from the corresponding reconstructed images and used them to unwind the phase in each time frame. All phase-unwound time frames were combined in a single set before performing SVD-based compression. We conducted synthetic, phantom and in-vivo experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of SVD-based compression in the case of two-channel transmission. Results Unwinding the phases before SVD-based compression yielded artifact-free parameter maps. For fully sampled acquisitions, parameters were accurate with as few as 6 compressed time frames. SVD-based compression performed well in-vivo with highly under-sampled acquisitions using 16 compressed time frames, which reduced reconstruction time from 750 to 25 min. Conclusion Our method reduces the dimensions of the dictionary atoms and enables to implement any fingerprint compression strategy in the case of multiple transmit channels.
Rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H functionalization of C-alkenyl azoles with sulfoxonium ylides for the synthesis of bridgehead N-fused [5,6]-bicyclic heterocycles.

Abstract The synthesis of bridgehead N-fused [5,6]-bicyclic heterocycles via rhodium(III)-catalyzed C–H functionalization of C-alkenyl azoles with sulfoxonium ylides is disclosed. Reactions proceeded in good to high yields for a range of aryl, heteroaryl and alkyl sulfoxonium ylides. In addition, 2-alkenyl imidazoles with different substitution patterns as well as C-alkenyl triazoles were effective inputs. The reaction could also be performed under straightforward bench top conditions.
Impact of lung-function measures on cardiovascular disease events in older adults with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

BACKGROUND Individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes (DM) are more likely to have decreased lung function and are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). HYPOTHESIS Lung-function measures can predict CVD events in older persons with MetS, DM, and neither condition. METHODS We followed 4114 participants age ≥ 65 years with and without MetS or DM in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Cox regression examined the association of forced vital capacity (FVC) and 1-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1 ; percent of predicted values) with incident coronary heart disease and CVD events over 12.9 years. RESULTS DM was present in 537 (13.1%) and MetS in 1277 (31.0%) participants. Comparing fourth vs first quartiles for FVC, risk of CVD events was 16% (HR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.59-1.18), 23% (HR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.60-0.99), and 30% (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58-0.84) lower in DM, MetS, and neither disease groups, respectively. For FEV1 , CVD risk was lower by 2% (HR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.70-1.37), 26% (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59-0.93), and 31% (HR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.57-0.82) in DM. Findings were strongest for predicting congestive heart failure (CHF) in all disease groups. C-statistics increased significantly with addition of FEV1 or FVC over risk factors for CVD and CHF among those with neither MetS nor DM. CONCLUSIONS FEV1 and FVC are inversely related to CVD in older adults with and without MetS, but not DM (except for CHF); however, their value in incremental risk prediction beyond standard risk factors is limited mainly to metabolically healthier persons.
Exploring MBA student perceptions of their preparation and readiness for the profession after completing real-world industry projects

Abstract This paper describes the development and evaluation of a capstone project implemented in an MBA level Operations Management course being offered at an AACSB accredited College of Business in the Pacific Northwest. The capstone project was designed with two constructs that influence professional preparation: authentic learning and student choice. We surveyed 20 graduate business students to evaluate how the proposed artifact, The Process Improvement Capstone Project, supports student learning. Using a survey with six open-ended questions, students were asked to reflect on the project, their experience working with a real-world client, and their preparedness for the workforce. The authors mined the text of the survey responses and developed a co-occurrence network to identify potential relationships between terms that students used and the major constructs of the instructional design. The paper discusses implications for this correspondence in designing authentic projects that integrate industry partners in MBA classes.
Culture and Parenting

This chapter is concerned with how culture is involved in parenting. It discusses some theoretical and methodological issues in the study of culture and parenting. The chapter reviews research on parental socialization goals and attitudes in cultural contexts. It also discusses how cultural values affect the main aspects or dimensions of parenting, followed by a section on cultural involvement in determining the developmental significance of parenting in terms of its relations with developmental outcomes. The chapter describes the implications of social and cultural changes for parenting. It deals with the future directions in the study of culture and parenting. There are a number of theoretical and methodological issues in the study of culture and parenting. The parenting attitudes of African American parents and corresponding strategies they use may serve to prepare their children to function in social settings in which others might treat them harshly. A number of cross-cultural studies have been conducted concerning specific parenting styles and behaviors.
Chess, Shira. Ready Player Two: Women Gamers and Designed Identity. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2017. 240 pp. $27 paperback. ISBN 978-1-4529-5499-8.

To theorize how the gaming industry imagines its female audience, Ready Player Two examines a wide variety of games—from Mystery Case Files, Diner Dash, and Candy Crush Saga to Wii Fit and Kim Kard...
Immune‐Related Adverse Events in the Setting of PD‐1/L1 Inhibitor Combination Therapy

In 2018, a multi‐disciplinary workshop was held at the Massachusetts General Hospital to discuss challenges in defining, diagnosing, and treating immune‐related adverse events (irAE), including those that occur in patients administered PD‐1/L1 inhibitor combination therapy. In this commentary, the workshop participants present a clinical case that illustrates the complexity of irAE diagnosis and management in a patient receiving PD‐1/L1 combination therapy, summarize the current state of PD‐1/L1 combination therapy, and discuss challenges and opportunities for the evaluation of irAEs as these combinations become more widely used to treat patients with cancer.
Physical Function and Frailty Tools in Mortality Prediction of Middle-Aged Adults With HIV.

BACKGROUND Frailty and physical function impairments occur at an earlier than expected age in people with HIV (PWH). The goal of this study was to determine which tools or combination of tools assessing frailty/physical function were most predictive of mortality in a middle-aged population of PWH. METHODS Using electronic health records, we determined survival, death, or loss to follow-up for 359 PWH, aged 45-65 years originally enrolled in a 2009-2010 cross-sectional cohort study. The predictive accuracy of various physical function measures [frailty score, Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) index, 400-m walk, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), grip strength, and falls] were compared using integrated time-dependent receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) in single variable models. Two-variable models were compared with the best single-variable model to determine if AUC improved with additional physical function variables. RESULTS At 8-year follow-up, frailty, 400-m walk pace, SPPB, chair rise pace, VACS score, and falls were associated with increased hazard of mortality; grip strength was only predictive in sex-adjusted models. The VACS index and 400-m walk pace were the best individual predictors of mortality with time-dependent receiver operating characteristic AUC scores of 0.82, followed by SPPB (0.73), chair-rise pace (0.68), falls (0.65), frailty (0.63), and grip strength (0.55). Addition of the 400-m walk to VACS index yielded the only significant improvement in the prediction of survival compared with the VACS index alone (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION Our study highlights several clinically applicable physical function measures predictive of mortality in middle-aged PWH that can be tailored to specific patient subpopulations and clinical or research encounters.
Mobility Mode Evaluation of a Wheel-on-Limb Rover on Glacial Ice Analogous to Europa Terrain

Mobile, in-situ exploration of Europa's rugged, icy surface holds the potential for enabling discovery across multiple geologic units outside the exhaust-contaminated landing zone. The spatial and compositional diversity of surface salts and organics are of significance to our understanding Europa's history and biological potential. Our knowledge of Europa's surface properties, both topographic and mechanical, is extremely limited. Furthermore, additional data will not become available prior to the arrival of the Europa Clipper spacecraft. If the exploration of Europa continues to be an area of high science-value, this work postulates that solutions to the challenges of mobility on uncertain, but likely challenging, surfaces should be developed now. In this paper, we discuss the development of a multi-modal locomotion system and the results of field trials performed on fractured, glacial ice. Work was performed using the RoboSimian rover: a 32 degree-of-freedom, actively articulated mobility system. Three modes of mobility are compared: wheel-rolling, inchworming (push-rolling) and wheel-walking. Each mobility mode is designed to operate with articulated suspension whereby the normal load per wheel, body orientation, and available limb workspace are actively controlled. Each mode is presented individually alongside a discussion of its performance on terrain of varied slope and topographic roughness. Further, the utility of a multi-modal approach is presented, whereby rover immobilization was avoided during field trials through the selection of appropriate mobility modes as a function of terrain properties. Lastly, the results of trials performed using a body-mounted sampling system and its ability to collect and process samples taken 10 cm beneath the surface are discussed.
Defining a Connectome-Based Predictive Model of Attentional Control in Aging

With advancing age, declines in the executive control of attention are accompanied by shifts in the functional topology of brain networks. However, there is increasing recognition of the considerable individual variability in the extent and types of attentional deficits that older adults exhibit, with results from neuroimaging investigations paralleling behavioral heterogeneity. Emerging computational methods leverage whole-brain functional connectivity to predict individual-level behaviors. These approaches are well-suited to the cognitive aging context, as they may elucidate configurations of functional connections that best explain group- and individual-level differences across older adults. Two independent samples of neurologically and psychiatrically healthy older adults were used to separately derive a predictive model of attentional control and test the model9s external validity. Here we show that despite challenges posed by heterogeneity in these aging samples, select functional connections carried meaningful variance, allowing for successful prediction of attention in a novel sample of older individuals.
A Kinetic Model for Blood Biomarker Levels after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) imposes a significant economic and social burden. The diagnosis and prognosis of mild TBI, also called concussion, is challenging. Concussions are common among contact sport athletes. After a blow to the head, it is often difficult to determine who has had a concussion, who should be withheld from play, if a concussed athlete is ready to return to the field, and which concussed athlete will develop a post-concussion syndrome. Biomarkers can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood after traumatic brain injury and their levels may have prognostic value. Despite significant investigation, questions remain as to the trajectories of blood biomarker levels over time after mild TBI. Modeling the kinetic behavior of these biomarkers could be informative. We propose a one-compartment kinetic model for S100B, UCH-L1, NF-L, GFAP, and tau biomarker levels after mild TBI based on accepted pharmacokinetic models for oral drug absorption. We approximated model parameters using previously published studies. Since parameter estimates were approximate, we did uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. Using estimated kinetic parameters for each biomarker, we applied the model to an available post-concussion biomarker dataset of UCH-L1, GFAP, tau, and NF-L biomarkers levels. We have demonstrated the feasibility of modeling blood biomarker levels after mild TBI with a one compartment kinetic model. More work is needed to better establish model parameters and to understand the implications of the model for diagnostic use of these blood biomarkers for mild TBI.
Mapping wet vs gel spinning in Hansen space

Abstract The composition of coagulation baths for solution spun fibers are typically established through trial and error. No method currently exists to quantifiably differentiate wet from gel fiber spinning. Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs) characterize materials using a 3-dimensional coordinate system for dispersive ( δ D ), dipole-dipole ( δ P ), and hydrogen bonding ( δ H ) forces. This coordinate system was used to quantify the affinity of coagulation baths with respect to the polymer in the spinning solution. A correlation based on radial energy distribution (RED) was seen to consistently differentiate wet from gel spinning. If the HSP distance between the coagulation bath and polymer (Ra) is less than or equal to the inherent interaction radius (Ro) of the polymer (RED ≤ 1), coagulant diffusion inward is observed, which is critical for wet spinning. If Ra is greater than Ro (RED > 1), negligible amounts of coagulant diffusion inward is observed, which is critical for gel spinning. This quantitative approach has applicability to a range of polymeric materials such as fiber, film, and membrane technologies.
Use of variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) sequences for monitoring chromosomal instability.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the monitoring of chromosomal instability by using variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) sequences. Highly dispersed VNTR families may be useful in assaying the genetic stability of cellular lineages, especially neoplastic ones. The possibility that these sequences are themselves involved in rearrangements that drive the neoplastic process should be considered. Such a possibility could explain the persistent generation of translocations, rearrangements, and deletions commonly seen in solid tumors. Some cytogenetic changes that appear to represent nondisjunctive changes in the number of copies of normal chromosomes are difficult to envision in this way. The data present in the chapter also suggest that fingerprinting may offer the detection of gross chromosomal changes that are not obvious on conventional cytogenetic inspection. Loss of heterozygosity could be extremely important in the neoplastic process, as it could result in the expression of recessive genes such as mutated tumor suppressor genes. The use of VNTR probes would appear to be an ideal way to follow such phenomena, especially if large chromosomal pieces or whole chromosomes are involved.
Maternal Stressors and Social Support as Risks for Delivering Babies with Structural Birth Defects

Several observational studies have examined the association of maternal stressful life events with risks of orofacial clefts among offspring.1–12 Most but not all2,6 reported increased risk of clefts among offspring born to women who experienced higher stress during pregnancy. Few studies have examined this association with birth defects other than orofacial clefts; they have reported increased risks of neural tube defects (NTD)1,10,13 and conotruncal heart defects1,10,14 among women with higher stress during pregnancy. Measurement of stress has tended to be very limited in scope, for example two or three stressful life events (e.g. death of a family member, divorce). Biological plausibility for an association of stress during pregnancy with orofacial clefts has been demonstrated in animal models where administration of corticosteroids – a natural product of the stress response – can induce orofacial clefts.15–17 In addition, increased risk of orofacial clefts has been reported among women taking corticosteroid medications in early pregnancy.18,19 Social support (i.e., the various forms of assistance received from one’s social relationships) represents an important potential buffer against the negative impacts of the stress response. We are aware of two previous studies examining social support and birth defects. Both studies observed lower risk of NTDs among women with more social support.13,20 In light of the potential buffering effects that increased social support may have on risk of birth defects, it is important to consider stress indicators and social support indicators not just as separate influences but also as combined influences on risk. Maternal health-related behaviours and characteristics are also an important consideration. Negative health behaviours, such as cigarette smoking, may co-occur with stress as part of a coping mechanism and should therefore be investigated as confounders of associations between stress and birth defects. Other behaviours and characteristics may modify associations with stress; for example, intake of supplements could protect against its adverse effects,15,16,21 and body mass index may impact the physiologic response to stress.22 The objective of the current study was to examine the association of maternal stressful life events and social support in early pregnancy with risks of orofacial clefts, NTDs and conotruncal heart defects among offspring. We used recent data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), a large, multi-center population-based case-control study that includes information on several potentially stressful life events, social support, and a variety of maternal characteristics and behaviours.
ABNORMALITIES OF CIRCULATING LIPIDS. AN APPRAISAL OF CURRENT METHODS OF STUDY.

Abstract In studies of 537 sets of determinations of serum lipids and lipoproteins in 247 subjects, a high degree of correlation was found among methods which measure beta-lipoprotein by preparative ultracentrifugation, paper electrophoresis or immunoprecipitation. A lower correlation was found between beta-lipoprotein levels and either triglycerides or cholesterol. The lowest correlation was found between the two classes of lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol. In lipoprotein analyses, methods which permit quantitation of alpha- as well as beta-lipoprotein offered more significant information. It appeared important to have information about lipoprotein distribution in addition to obtaining levels of the lipid classes. These data were useful in describing changes occurring with age, weight gain, cessation of ovarian function and in various disease states including hyperlipidemias, thyroid dysfunction and gout. In a study comparing 60 patients with coronary heart disease separated into 34 patients selected for normal cholesterol levels and 26 patients with hypercholesteremia, a similar degree of hyperbeta-lipoproteinemia and hypertriglyceridemia was observed. These data support the importance of these substances in contrast to hypercholesteremia in association with manifest clinical coronary heart disease.
Damage Effects on the Dynamic Response of Hot‐Pressed SiC‐N

The dynamic compressive responses of a hot-pressed silicon carbide, SiC-N, have been determined at various damage levels. We employed a novel dynamic compressive experimental technique modified from a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) to determine the dynamic properties of ceramics under loading conditions simulating those encountered in ceramic armors subjected to impact, in which a ceramic specimen was loaded by two consecutive stress pulses. The first pulse determines the dynamic response of the intact ceramic material and then crushes the specimen to a desired damage level. The second pulse then determines the dynamic compressive constitutive behavior of the damaged but still interlocked ceramic specimen. The first pulses were slightly varied to control the damage levels in the ceramic specimen while the second pulse was maintained identical. The results show that the compressive strengths of damaged ceramics depend on a critical level of damage, below which the specimen retains its load-bearing capacity.
Composite semiconductor nanoclusters

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some important features of chemically synthesized semiconductor heterostructures. By controlling the methods of preparation it is possible to tailor the photocatalytic property of these composite semiconductor nanoclusters. Their ability to carry out redox processes, with greater efficiency and selectivity than the single component systems has made them potential candidates for the conversion and storage of solar energy, and in the mineralization of chemical pollutants. These systems have potential applications in designing novel microheterogeneous assemblies, microelectronics, and chemical sensors. The feasibility of synthesizing composite semiconductor nanoclusters, by chemical precipitation or electrochemical deposition, opens up a wide array of possibilities, in utilizing these materials for chemical sensors, electrooptics, microelectronics, imaging technology, and photovoltaics. The chapter classifies composite semiconductor nanoclusters into two categories— namely, capped and coupled type heterostructures. The capped nanoclusters essentially have a coreshell geometry, while in a coupled system two semiconductor nanoclusters are in contact with each other. Photo-induced charge transfer processes in single and multicomponent semiconductor nanostructures are discussed in the chapter.