cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baseline behavioral assessment for the new Jersey Health Wellness Promotion Act.

Abstract Purpose. To determine baseline use rates for health-promoting behaviors of the recently adopted New Jersey Health Wellness Promotion Act and to examine the effects of demographic and socioeconomic factors on the use of preventive services included in the Act. Design. A random telephone survey of 3094 households was conducted using questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System supplemented by questions related to provisions of the Act. Setting. All New Jersey households. Subjects. State representative adult sample of 1246 subjects. Measures. Rates for getting timely screening tests, for obtaining influenza immunizations, and engaging in selected health-promoting behaviors. Results. Rates for receiving recommended screening tests ranged from 0.88 for blood pressure testing to 0.29 for osteoporosis screening. According to bivariate analysis, having insurance was the most consistent determinant associated with receiving preventive services but was associated only with sigmoidoscopy, m...
Spatial augmented reality for environmentally-lit real-world objects

One augmented reality approach is to use digital projectors to alter the appearance of a physical scene, avoiding the need for head-mounted displays or special goggles. Instead, spatial augmented reality (SAR) systems depend on having sufficient light radiance to compensate the surface's colors to those of a target visualization. However, standard SAR systems in dark room settings may suffer from insufficient light radiance causing bright colors to exhibit unexpected color shifts, resulting in a misleading visualization. We introduce a SAR framework which focuses on minimally altering the appearance of arbitrarily shaped and colored objects to exploit the presence of environment/room light as an additional light source to achieve compliancy for bright colors. While previous approaches have compensated for environment light, none have explicitly exploited the environment light to achieve bright, previously incompliant colors. We implement a full working system and compared our results to solutions achievable with standard SAR systems.
Nonthermal Plasma Reactions of Dilute Nitrogen Oxide Mixtures: NOx in Nitrogen

A lumped kinetic model of a pulsed corona discharge reactor, where the high-voltage discharge-induced electron density fluctuation and hence the electron collision rate fluctuation are approximated with a uniform electron distribution and a new Arrhenius-type rate model, is found to capture the effect of power input, NOx composition, and residence time. An N atom and N2(A) are found to control the conversion of nitrogen oxides and the evolution of byproducts; the N atom controls the NO conversion, N2(A) controls the N2O conversion, and the N atom and N2(A) control the NO2 conversion.
Substantial cardiac parasympathetic activity exists during heavy dynamic exercise in dogs

We investigated the extent of functional parasympathetic and sympathetic activity to the heart at rest and during mild to heavy dynamic exercise in conscious dogs. The animals were chronically instrumented to monitor mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and terminal aortic blood flow (TAQ) and trained to run on a motor-driven treadmill. MAP, HR, and TAQ were monitored at rest and during steady-state dynamic exercise ranging from mild [3.2 kilometers per hour (kph), 0% grade] to heavy exercise (8 kph, 15% grade). Experiments were performed before and after blocking the effects of either the parasympathetic nerves (atropine 0.2 mg/kg iv) or sympathetic nerves (atenolol 2.0 mg/kg iv) to the heart. In addition, blood samples were taken at rest and at steady state during exercise, and plasma levels of vasopressin and renin activity were assessed. At rest and during all levels of exercise, muscarinic cholinergic receptor blockade caused a marked increase in HR over control (saline treated) levels with little effect on MAP or TAQ. β-Adrenergic receptor blockade had no significant effect on HR at rest and during mild exercise. At moderate to heavy workloads, β-receptor blockade significantly reduced MAP, HR, and TAQ and increased plasma vasopressin levels. We conclude that, even during heavy dynamic exercise, significant functional parasympathetic tone to the heart exists. Thus, over a wide range of exercise workloads, HR is under the tonic control of both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves.
Exploring the Dimensions of Public Attitudes Toward the Police

Public attitudes toward the police (PATP) have become a key area of policing research. Even a cursory review of the literature shows that few studies pay attention to the development of theoretical...
On the optimality of direct sequence for arbitrary interference rejection

Communication over a waveform channel corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise, and by an unknown and arbitrary interfering signal of bounded power is considered. For this channel, the authors derive an upper bound to the worst case error probability of direct-sequence spread spectrum communication with a correlation receiver, and also a lower bound applicable to any binary signaling technique and any receiver. By comparing these two bounds, it is shown that, if a small error probability is required, then no other binary signaling scheme or receiver can substantially improve upon the performance of direct-sequence with a correlation receiver for the same power and bandwidth. >
The proportion of fixed interval trials to probe trials affects acquisition of the peak procedure fixed interval timing task.

A common procedure for studying the ability of animals to time is the peak procedure. With the peak procedure, animals are first trained on a fixed interval schedule (i.e., 30 s). After the animals have been well trained on the fixed interval schedule, probe trials are introduced. On probe trials, the stimulus is presented longer (i.e., 90 s) and the animal does not receive reinforcement for responding. When animals are first presented with probe trials responding remains flat following the point that reinforcement normally occurs on fixed interval trials. The descending slope that eventually emerges is acquired with experience with probe trials. The present experiments manipulated the percentage of probe trials compared to FI trials across groups of rats. It was hypothesized that the descending limb of peak responding would be acquired more quickly when there were many probe trials per session as this might facilitate extinction of responding beyond the interval that reinforcement normally occurs. It was found, however, that acquisition of peak responding occurred best when there were few probe trials per session.
Reinforcement Learning for Average Reward Zero-Sum Games.

We consider Reinforcement Learning for average reward zero-sum stochastic games. We present and analyze two algorithms. The first is based on relative Q-learning and the second on Q-learning for stochastic shortest path games. Convergence is proved using the ODE (Ordinary Differential Equation) method. We further discuss the case where not all the actions are played by the opponent with comparable frequencies and present an algorithm that converges to the optimal Q-function, given the observed play of the opponent.
Beta Blockers and the Sensitivity of the Thallium Treadmill Test

The effect beta blockers (BB) may have on the sensitivity of the thallium treadmill test (Th-TMT) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that BB decrease the sensitivity of the Th-TMT. Two hundred three patients over a two-year period were identified who satisfied the following criteria. All had symptom-limited upright treadmill exercise tests with stress and redistribution thallium imaging, as well as coronary angiography within two months of the Th-TMT. Of 58 patients with CAD not on BB, 52 had an abnormal Th-TMT scan (sensitivity 90 percent). In comparison, the sensitivity of the Th-TMT scan in the 88 patients with CAD receiving BB was 76 percent (p vs 10 percent) for patients on BB and consider cautious withdrawal prior to diagnostic studies.
Meaningful Gesture in Monkeys? Investigating whether Mandrills Create Social Culture

Background Human societies exhibit a rich array of gestures with cultural origins. Often these gestures are found exclusively in local populations, where their meaning has been crafted by a community into a shared convention. In nonhuman primates like African monkeys, little evidence exists for such culturally-conventionalized gestures. Methodology/Principal Findings Here I report a striking gesture unique to a single community of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) among nineteen studied across North America, Africa, and Europe. The gesture was found within a community of 23 mandrills where individuals old and young, female and male covered their eyes with their hands for periods which could exceed 30 min, often while simultaneously raising their elbow prominently into the air. This ‘Eye covering’ gesture has been performed within the community for a decade, enduring deaths, removals, and births, and it persists into the present. Differential responses to Eye covering versus controls suggested that the gesture might have a locally-respected meaning, potentially functioning over a distance to inhibit interruptions as a ‘do not disturb’ sign operates. Conclusions/Significance The creation of this gesture by monkeys suggests that the ability to cultivate shared meanings using novel manual acts may be distributed more broadly beyond the human species. Although logistically difficult with primates, the translocation of gesturers between communities remains critical to experimentally establishing the possible cultural origin and transmission of nonhuman gestures.
Stable isotopes evaluate exploitation of anthropogenic foods by the endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica)

Abstract The unprecedented rate of urbanization over the past several decades is a major concern for conservation globally and has given rise to the multidisciplinary field of urban ecology. This field explores the direct and indirect effects of human activities on food-web dynamics, community structure, and animal behavior in highly modified urban ecosystems. Urban ecosystems are typically characterized by reduced species diversity but increased abundance of a few species able to exploit anthropogenic food sources. For many urban mammalian and avian species direct resource subsidization is difficult to assess using traditional means such as scat analysis. Here we show how stable isotope analysis can be used to assess the exploitation of anthropogenic foods in an endangered carnivore, the San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) inhabiting the southern San Joaquin Valley in California. Examination of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope data shows that kit foxes living in urban Bakersfield, Calif...
School refusal and psychiatric disorders: a community study.

Objective: To examine the association between anxious school refusal and truancy and psychiatric disorders in a community sample of children and adolescents using a descriptive rather than etiological definition of school refusal. Method: Data from eight annual waves of structured psychiatric interviews with 9- to 16-year-olds and their parents from the Great Smoky Mountains Study were analyzed. Results: Pure anxious school refusal was associated with depression (odds ratio [OR] = 13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4, 42) and separation anxiety disorder (OR = 8.7, 95% CI 4.1, 19). Pure truancy was associated with oppositional defiant disorder (OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.2, 4.2), conduct disorder (OR = 7.4, 95% CI 3.9, 14), and depression (OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.2, 56). Of mixed school refusers (children with both anxious school refusal and truancy), 88.2% had a psychiatric disorder. They had increased rates of both emotional and behavior disorders. Specific fears, sleep difficulties, somatic complaints, difficulties in peer relationships, and adverse psychosocial variables had different associations with the three types of school refusal. Conclusions: Anxious school refusal and truancy are distinct but not mutually exclusive and are significantly associated with psychopathology, as well as adverse experiences at home and school. Implications of these findings for assessment, identification, and intervention for school
Neural substrates of inhibitory and emotional processing in adolescents with traumatic brain injury

PURPOSE: Disturbances of emotional regulation and social difficulties are common in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Recent research suggests that developments within ''socio-emotional'' brain systems during early adolescence and more protracted development of ''cognitive control'' systems have implications for emotional and behavioral regulation during adolescence. However, few functional neuroimaging studies have directly examined the interaction of these neuropsychological processes in adolescents with TBI. The current study examined how affective processing might modulate inhibitory processing in an Emotional Go/NoGo paradigm. METHOD: The study uses a cross-sectional, age, gender, and maternal education matched design.A response inhibition paradigm (i.e., the Go/NoGo task with emotional faces) was used to examine emotional-cognition interaction in 11 adolescents with complicated mild to moderate TBI, at least 12 months post injury, and 14 typically-developing (TD) adolescents using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants saw adult facial expressions of emotions (happy, sad, fearful, and angry) and were instructed to respond (''go'') on all expressions other than angry (''no-go''). RESULTS: Preliminary results (p= 0.001 uncorrected, cluster size = 50) showed higher levels of inhibition-related activation in TD adolescents than in adolescents with TBI in several brain regions including anterior cingulate and motor/premotor regions. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TBI in adolescence might alter brain activation patterns and interrupt the development of brain networks governing emotion-cognition interactions. Language: en
Scattering strength of the scatterer inducing variability in graphene on silicon oxide

Large variability of carrier mobility of graphene-based field effect transistors hampers graphene science and technology. We show that the number of the scatterer responsible for the observed variability on graphene devices on silicon oxide can be determined by finding the number of hydrogen that can be chemisorbed on graphene. We use the relationship between the number of the scatterer and the mobility of graphene devices to determine that the variability-inducing scatterer possesses scattering strength 10 times smaller than that of adsorbed potassium atoms and 50 times smaller than that of ion-beam induced vacancies. Our results provide an important, quantitative input towards determining the origin of the variability.
Beads on a Chain (BOC) Polymers Formed from the Reaction of NH2PhSiO1.5]x[PhSiO1.5]10–x and [NH2PhSiO1.5]x[PhSiO1.5]12–x Mixtures (x = 2–4) with the Diglycidyl Ether of Bisphenol A

We recently reported that catalytic amounts of F– cause rapid rearrangement of silsesquioxane (SQ) T8 cages in THF at room temperature. These rearrangements lead primarily to the T10 and T12 cages ...
Spinal Cord Involvement in Brachial Plexus Injury

The role of spinal cord plasticity after birth injury and recovery from obstetric brachial plexus lesions was investigated in newborn rats with selective crush injury to spinal roots C5 and C6, in a study at University Clinics of Vienna School of Medicine, Austria.
Cell Filling in Gravure Printing for Printed Electronics

Highly scaled direct gravure is a promising printing technique for printed electronics due to its large throughput, high resolution, and simplicity. Gravure can print features in the single micron range at printing speeds of ∼1 m/s by using an optimized cell geometry and optimized printing conditions. The filling of the cells on the gravure cylinder is a critical process, since the amount of ink in the cells strongly impacts printed feature size and quality. Therefore, an understanding of cell filling is crucial to make highly scaled gravure printed electronics viable. In this work we report a novel experimental setup to investigate the filling process in real time, coupled with numerical simulations to gain insight into the experimental observations. By varying viscosity and filling speed, we ensure that the dimensionless capillary number is a good indicator of filling regime in real gravure printing. In addition, we also examine the effect of cell size on filling as this is important for increasing prin...
Viruses and renal carcinoma of Rana pipiens

Abstract A study has been made of the relationship between input multiplicity of infection and cytoplasmic inclusion body formation in BHK 21 13 cells infected with FV 3. The frequency of infected cells which contained Feulgen-positive or immunofluorescent inclusions decreased with decreasing input multiplicities of infection. Both types of inclusions were detected with essentially the same sensitivity. The frequency of inclusion-containing cells followed a Poisson distribution corresponding to the distribution for at least one particle required to produce infection. At low multiplicities of infection (
The role of trust in new SME creation Differences in motivations and opportunities

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key to economic growth, and yet comparatively little research has examined the relationship between the level of societal trust and the motivations and...
Properties of Aqueous Mixtures of Pure Salts. Thermodynamics of the Ternary System: Water-Calcium Chloride-Magnesium Chloride at 25°C.

Isopiestic vapor pressure measurements have been made to determine some thermodynamic properties of the system: water-sodium chloride-calcium chloride at 25 °C. Equations are derived for the activity coefficient of each salt in the presence of the other when the total ionic strength is kept constant. The limiting conditions in very dilute solutions are considered and "trace" activity coeffi- cients calculated. A comparison with previous work is made. The excess free, energy of mixing is calculated. The experimental results are given in table 1. The second column gives the molality (MB) of the reference solution of sodium chloride. The next two columns give the molalities of sodium chloride (mB) and of calcium chloride (me), respectively, in the mixed solu- tions. The fifth column gives values of the ionic fraction, yc of calcium chloride in the mixed solution, defined as yc=1.5mc/m, where m=mB+ 1.5mc. The sixth column gives values of the isopiestic ratio, defined as R^Mslm. Figure 1 is a plot of isopiestic ratio versus the ionic fraction of calcium chloride for some sets of results in table 1. These isopiestic ratios are much higher than those encountered in the sodium chloride-barium chloride system. For example, in the latter system, a solution of 2.7147m sodium chloride was found to be in isopiestic equilibrium with a solution of 1.7610m barium chloride, R = 1.0277; we now find that a solu- tion 2.7546m sodium chloride has the same vapor pressure as a solution of 1.5498m calcium chloride,
Measurement of elastic 12 C + α scattering: Above the proton separation energy

Background: Reactions that probe the compound nucleus structure of ${}^{16}$O near the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and proton separation energies have important implications for nuclear astrophysics. New, more sensitive measurements of the reaction ${}^{15}$N${(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{16}$O have motivated the need for improved compound-nucleus reaction data in other channels. A previous work [P. Tischhauser et al., Phys. Rev. C 79, 055803 (2009)] reported extensive $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-scattering data over the energy region from ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=2.6$ to ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=6.6$ MeV. During this experiment data for higher energies, from ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=6.6$ to ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=8.2$ MeV, were also recorded but were not analyzed. The unpublished data cover the excitation energy range from the proton separation energy at ${E}_{x}$ $=$ 12.13 MeV up to 13.31 MeV, the same energy range important for the reaction ${}^{15}$N${(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{16}$O.Purpose: These previously unpublished data for ${}^{12}$C${(\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{12}$C as well as the reactions ${}^{12}$C${(\ensuremath{\alpha},{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1})}^{12}$C and ${}^{12}$C${(\ensuremath{\alpha},p)}^{15}$N are analyzed in order to provide additional data for a comprehensive $R$-matrix analysis of compound-nucleus reactions populating ${}^{16}$O.Methods: Expanding on the previous publication's analysis, the ratio of the reaction yields was analyzed using a multiple-channel $R$-matrix calculation.Results: The excitation curves resolved resonances at ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ (${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}})=7.05\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}({1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$), 7.75 (2${}^{+}$), 7.91 (1${}^{\ensuremath{-}}$), 7.97 (3${}^{\ensuremath{-}}$), and 8.13 (3${}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) MeV. The $R$-matrix analysis revealed excellent agreement between the measured yield ratios and cross-section data from the literature. The two 1${}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ levels at ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=7.05$ and 7.91 MeV are those that dominate the ${}^{15}$N${(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{16}$O cross section.Conclusions: In a future publication, the additional constraints provided by these data will be used in a comprehensive multiple-channel $R$-matrix analysis to investigate the low-energy cross section of the reaction ${}^{15}$N${(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{16}$O.
Morphology of basal crevasses at the grounding zone of Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica

The transition from limited-slip conditions at the base of grounded ice to free-slip conditions beneath floating ice occurs across the few-kilometers-wide grounding zone. This region involves either an elastic flexural transition from bedrock to hydrostatically supported elevations (often tidally influenced), a transition from thicker to thinner ice over a flat bed, or some combination of these two processes. In either case, ice must flow across a changing stress field, often resulting in brittle deformation, manifested as basal crevassing. Thus the position and morphology of basal crevasses reveal important information about the stress state across this transition. Our gridded ground-based radar surveys on Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica, indicate a complex pattern of basal crevasses, but most are associated with regions where the surface elevation gradient is steepest. Due to the high reflectivity of sea water, we image many off-nadir crevasses from a corner-reflector geometry involving reflections from the ice/sea-water interface and then from the crevasse, producing echoes with an inverted phase that could be misinterpreted as subglacial returns. Our results indicate that basal crevasses offer a rich dataset for diagnosing stress state and salient processes across grounding zones, and that special care is needed when interpreting subglacial returns in radar data.
SURPLUS CITY: Structural Adjustment, Self-Fashioning, and Urban Insurrection in Chris Abani's Graceland

Postcolonial scholars have been slow to address issues relating to urban space and society. This essay argues for new forms of critical engagement with questions of urbanism and citizenship on a global scale. Postcolonial narratives of urbanization, I argue, represent important sites for exploring tensions between elite and popular visions of the city and of development. Moreover, narratives of formation or bildung in the city such as the one that structures Chris Abani's novel Graceland offer allegories of postcolonial hopes for economic development and political reform. In Abani's novel, set in Lagos during the era of structural adjustment in the 1980s, social and economic transformation on both an individual and collective level cannot be found within the fictional mega-city. Instead, spatial egress is substituted for temporal progress in a damning indictment of the combined forces of local corruption and global exploitation.
Investigation on the sanitary conditions of different public places in Jiaxing city

Objective:To grasp the sanitary conditions of public places,provide evidence for improving the level of management and ensure the hygienic safety and physical health for public consumers.Methods: 485 samples of public articles and public appliance from hotels,hair salon,entertainment venues,public bathrooms and 268 samples from swimming pools were collected randomly.Then all were detected for total bacteria,coliform,staphylococcus aureus,lysozyme and saccharomycetes,according to the standard monitoring and detection method of public place hygiene.Results: The qualified rates ranged from high to low were as follow:Star hotels 97.66%,swimming pool 95.90%,entertainment venues 90.62%,hotels 87.70%,hair salon 84.44% and public bathroom 66.67%.Conclusion: The sanitary conditions in some of public places is not good,sanitary supervision and inspections should be strengthened in order to creat better environment,prevent diseases and safeguard physical health.
Analysis on the dengue fever and its vector control in Guangzhou city in recent years

Objective To analyze and evaluate four epidemics of dengue fever epidemics and their vector control in Guangzhou in recent years.Methods The epidemiological data of native cases were collected and analyzed.The density of Aedes albopictus was surveyed by Breteau index(BI),Ovitrap index,Standard Space index(SSI) and Biting rates.Results Four epidemics had 2 286 native cases,the first started in May,the last ended in December,the peak happened between August and October.There were forty epidemic focuses and lasted 614 days totally.After actively control,the density of Aedes albopictus larvae was declined remarkably.BI was declined from 11.99 in 2002 to 4.64 in 2007.But in high frequently season,the density of Aedes albopictus was still in a dangerous range.The fast-killing insecticide formula had been used through ULV spraying in epidemic focuses and the killing ratio reached 98.2%.The control lasting period in rural area,the village in city,community were 10.3,49.4,56.6 respectively(P0.01).Conclusion To control dengue fever,the main measure is killing mate Aedes mosquitoes timely,quickly,comprehensively,repeatedly,and assisted by eliminating and controlling the breeding places.The vector's surveillance should be strengthened and the control strategy and methods should be adjusted accordingly.
Surfing USA: an epidemiological study of surfing injuries presenting to US EDs 2002 to 2013.

Abstract Introduction Surfing is a popular recreational and competitive sport in the United States and worldwide. Previous studies indicate surfers are frequently injured, but most studies are survey based, and little is known about surfing injuries that present to emergency departments (EDs). Aims This study examines the epidemiology of surfing injuries presenting to US EDs. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission from 2002 to 2013. Results A total of 2072 cases were analyzed, corresponding to a national estimate of 131 494 total injuries over the 12-year period (95% confidence interval, 34 515-228 473). The median age of included cases was 27 years (interquartile range, 19-37). Lower extremity injuries were most common (25.9%), followed by the face (23.1%) and head and neck (22.7%). Lacerations were the most common injury type (40.7%), followed by sprains and strains (14.4%), contusions (12.9%), and fractures (11.9%); 95.7% of cases were treated and released. Patients older than 60 years, those injured to the trunk, and those suffering fractures or internal organ injuries were admitted at a statistically significant increased frequency ( P Conclusion Surfing injuries are common but rarely serious. The injuries most commonly affect the lower extremity, head, neck, and face and are most frequently lacerations. Age older than 60 years, injuries to the trunk, and internal organ injuries were associated with a statistically significant increased frequency of hospital admission.
Spontaneous frontal intradiploic meningoencephalocele.

BACKGROUND Since 1976, 10 cases of intradiploic encephaloceles have been reported in the literature. This case is the first report of a spontaneous intradiploic meningoencephalocele of the frontal bone hypothesized to be secondary to distant head trauma. CASE DESCRIPTION A 60-year-old female with a history of multiple traumatic head injuries as a child presenting with new onset generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Work-up revealed a right frontal epileptic focus. Imaging showed a right frontal intradiploic lesion. The patient underwent surgical resection, which during exploration was found to be an intradiploic encephalocele. She had an uneventful postoperative course with a resolution of seizures. CONCLUSIONS The authors hypothesize that the rare nature of posttraumatic frontal intradiploic encephaloceles is due to the increased thickness of the frontal bone compared to the parietal bone.
Introducing a Writing Coach into an MBA Course: Perspectives of Students and Coaches

This article describes an interdisciplinary partnership that resulted in the introduction of a writing coach into an MBA class on critical and analytical thinking. By examining the response to this role by the writing coaches themselves and by the students enrolled in three sections of this new course, this exploratory study endeavors to answer the question: How can a writing coach best support student writing in an MBA course? Major findings are that students predominantly liked receiving written feedback and mini-lectures by the writing coaches, mini-lectures were met with mixed reviews, and there was a strong perception by participants that their writing had improved.
The cost-effectiveness of HLA-B*5801 screening to guide initial urate-lowering therapy for gout in the United States.

Abstract Objective Positive HLA-B*5801 carriers are at greater risk of experiencing rare but severe allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) [i.e., Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)]; however, HLA-B*5801 prevalence and AHS risk vary by race/ethnicity. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of HLA-B*5801 testing according to race/ethnicity in the United States. Methods We determined the cost-effectiveness of universal testing for HLA-B*5801 compared to no testing prior to the initiation of allopurinol per US major race/ethnicity groups. Using US-specific data, SJS/TEN risks and HLA-B*5801 prevalences were modeled per race/ethnicity (i.e., 1/3846 and 0.7% among Caucasians and Hispanics, 1/735 and 3.8% among African Americans, and 1/336 and 7.4% among Asians, respectively). Those who tested positive for HLA-B*5801 received febuxostat. Costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were estimated over a lifetime. Results Compared to no testing, universal testing for HLA-B*5801 costs more and was more effective for all races/ethnicities. The ICERs varied substantially across racial/ethnic groups, following their HLA-B*5801 prevalences . HLA-B*5801 testing was cost-effective for African Americans (ICER $83,450) and Asians (ICER $64,190), but not for Caucasians or Hispanics (ICER $183,720), using accepted US willingness-to-pay threshold ($109,000/QALY). Results were robust in sensitivity analyses, except that reducing the risk of SJS/TEN by a half made testing not cost-effective for all races/ethnicities. Conclusion Testing for HLA-B*5801 prior to allopurinol initiation is cost-effective for Asians and African Americans, but not for Caucasians or Hispanics in the United States. Reducing AHS risk by other predictive measures could make HLA-B*5801 testing not cost-effective even among Asians and Blacks.
A Fault-Tolerant T-Type Multilevel Inverter Topology With Increased Overload Capability and Soft-Switching Characteristics

The performance of a novel three-phase four-leg fault-tolerant T-type inverter topology is introduced in this paper. This inverter topology provides a fault-tolerant solution to any open-circuit and certain short-circuit switching faults in the power devices. During any of the fault-tolerant operation modes for these device faults, there is no derating required in the inverter output voltage or output power. In addition, overload capability is increased in this new T-type inverter compared to that in the conventional three-level T-type inverter. Such increase in inverter overload capability is due to the utilization of the redundant leg for overload current sharing with other main phase legs under healthy condition. Moreover, if the redundant phase leg is composed of silicon carbide metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors, quasi-zero-voltage switching, and zero-current switching of the silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) in the conventional main phase legs can be achieved at certain switching states, which can significantly relieve the thermal stress on the outer IGBTs and improve the whole inverter efficiency. Simulation and experimental results are given to verify the efficacy and merits of this high-performance fault-tolerant T-type inverter topology.
Assessing Flight Potential of the Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) With Computerized Flight Mills.

The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), is an invasive woodborer that poses a serious threat to urban and natural landscapes. In North America, this beetle is a quarantine pest, and populations are subject to eradication efforts that consist of the identification, removal, and destruction of infested host material, and removal or prophylactic treatment of high-risk host plant species. To enhance Asian longhorned beetle eradication protocols in landscapes with extensive host availability, we assessed the dispersal potential of male and female adults of varying age, mating, and nutritional status using computerized flight mills. In total, 162 individuals were tethered to computerized flight mills for a 24-h trial period to collect information on total distance flown, flight times and velocities, and number and duration of flight bouts. Adult Asian longhorned beetles (in all treatments) flew an average of 2,272 m within a 24-h period, but are capable of flying up to 13,667 m (8.5 miles). Nutrition and age had the greatest impacts on flight, with Asian longhorned beetle adults >5 d of age that had fed having greater overall flight performance than any other group. However, mating status, sex, and body size (pre-flight weight and elytron length) had a minimal effect on flight performance. This information will be useful for refining quarantine zones surrounding areas of infestation, and for providing greater specificity as to the risk the Asian longhorned beetle poses within invaded regions.
Investigation on toolpath geometries for surface quality improvement in laser net shape manufacturing

Laser net shape manufacturing (LNSM) builds parts by successively cladding layers of powder on a substrate. The accuracy of deposition and the quality of the clad surface are highly dependent on the process parameters used in the deposition. A key process parameter is the NC toolpath used to drive the deposition nozzle. The NC toolpath is composed of the geometric path of the nozzle head and the parameters used to control the motion of the nozzle. This paper investigates the effect of deposition geometries and process parameters on the surface quality of the clad artifact. Prominent surface defects in the clad part are identified. Additionally, toolpath strategies are proposed to address these defects and improve the surface quality. The scope of the discussion is limited to hollow parts with no internal features.Laser net shape manufacturing (LNSM) builds parts by successively cladding layers of powder on a substrate. The accuracy of deposition and the quality of the clad surface are highly dependent on the process parameters used in the deposition. A key process parameter is the NC toolpath used to drive the deposition nozzle. The NC toolpath is composed of the geometric path of the nozzle head and the parameters used to control the motion of the nozzle. This paper investigates the effect of deposition geometries and process parameters on the surface quality of the clad artifact. Prominent surface defects in the clad part are identified. Additionally, toolpath strategies are proposed to address these defects and improve the surface quality. The scope of the discussion is limited to hollow parts with no internal features.
A Hierarchy of Models for Inverter-Based Microgrids

This chapter develops a timescale-based hierarchy of microgrid models that can be utilized in analysis and control design tasks. The focus is on microgrids with distributed generation interfaced via grid-forming inverters. The process of developing the model hierarchy involves two key stages: (1) the formulation of a microgrid high-order model using circuit and control laws, and (2) the systematic reduction of this high-order model to several reduced-order models using singular perturbation techniques. The timescale-based hierarchy of models is comprised of the aforementioned microgrid high-order model (μHOm), along with three reduced-order models: microgrid reduced-order model 1 (μROm1), microgrid reduced-order model 2 (μROm2), and microgrid reduced-order model 3 (μROm3). A numerical validation of all the models is also presented.
Olanzapine Reduces Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting Compared With Aprepitant in Myeloma Patients Receiving High-dose Melphalan Before Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Study.

Abstract Introduction Acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) occurs in most patients who receive high-dose melphalan and significantly affects patients' quality of life during autologous stem cell transplantation. Faced with unsatisfactory results using an aprepitant-based regimen, an olanzapine-based regimen was initiated, with the hope of improving the incidence of acute and delayed CINV. A retrospective study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of olanzapine- versus aprepitant-based regimens for CINV prevention in adult hematopoietic stem cell recipients who received high-dose melphalan. Patients and Methods We compared olanzapine (n = 43) to aprepitant (n = 54) and fosaprepitant (n = 20). Olanzapine was given orally at 5 mg twice daily for 5 days, aprepitant was given at 125 mg on day −1 and 80 mg on days 0 and 1, and fosaprepitant was given at 150 mg on day −1. The dose of 2 concomitant drugs (dexamethasone and 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist) was similar in the 2 groups. Nausea prevention was the primary endpoint. A complete response using a composite index of no emesis and no use of rescue medications was the secondary endpoint. Results The results showed that olanzapine significantly reduced the number of patients who experienced acute (P Conclusion Compared with fosaprepitant, olanzapine reduced the number of patients with acute (P
Jacquet modules and irrreducibility of induced representations for classical p-adic groups

Let G be a classical p-adic group. If T is an irreducible tempered representation of such a group and $$\rho $$ an irreducible unitary supercuspidal representation of a general linear group, we can form the parabolically induced representation $$\text{ Ind }_P^G (|det|^y \rho \otimes T)$$ . The main result in this paper is the determination for which $$y \in {\mathbb R}$$ the induced representation is reducible. The key technical result in establishing this is the determination of a certain Jacquet module subquotient.
The design of a National Information System for Thalassemia

The control of thalassemia, a genetic disease, depends upon preventive and therapeutic programs, that are planned at Regional level and carried out by a large number of autonomous health services. On this structure, a specialized hierarchic Information System was designed, as a part of the whole Health Information System now under development in Italy.
Strategies of Nanoscale Semiconductor Lasers

Semiconductor lasers are in many ways second only to transistors as to their impact on today’s high-tech industries. The unique characteristics, such as narrow emission wavelength, high-frequency modulation, and device integratibility, make semiconductor lasers ideal photon sources for applications as diverse as telecommunication, signal processing, material characterization, and medical diagnostics. Advances in material growth technologies, particularly molecular-beam epitaxy, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and a suite of innovative chemical and physical synthesis techniques, make the fabrication of high-quality nanoscale semiconductor structures possible. Thanks to the quantum size effects that drastically modify the energy spectra of confined electrons in reduced dimensions, the population inversion necessary for lasing action occurs more efficiently as the active semiconductor gain medium is scaled down from the bulk to the nanometer scale. Consequently, semiconductor lasers built with nanoscale active media are expected to exhibit extraordinary features such as great color range, high optical gain, and low lasing threshold. Indeed, miniaturized lasers using nanoscale semiconductor gain media—two-dimensional quantum wells, one-dimensional quantum wires, and zero-dimensional quantum dots—have shown significant improvements in device Performance. This chapter provides an overview of the physics and technologies behind the rapid progress in the miniaturization of semiconductor lasers.
A Very Mortal Disease

Each year millions of Muslims make their way to Mecca, the birthplace of Islam’s prophet Muhammad and site of its holiest city, about 50 miles from the Red Sea on the western border of Saudi Arabia. This Hajj, the ritual pilgrimage to Mecca, is a conditional obligation to be performed at least once in the lifetime of every follower of Islam [1]. Early in its history, pilgrims arrived solely by sea or via caravan along numerous distinct overland routes from “distant” lands like Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. In modern times, the sojourner is more apt to arrive by airplane from any number of places around the world.
Telehealth and Home Dialysis: A New Option for Patients in the United States

On February 9, 2018, after a brief government shutdown, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 was signed into law ([1][1]). This act contained key elements of the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017, including provisions expanding access to
Interleukin‐7 gene polymorphism rs766736182 associates with the risk of asthma in children

Background Recently studies uncovered associations between polymorphisms of interleukin genes and the risk of asthma. However, the relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin-7 gene and the risk of children asthma has not been discovered yet. This study aims to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on interleukin-7 gene and the risk of children asthma. Methods We genotyped eight SNPs of interleukin-7 gene in blood samples from 437 asthma patients and 489 healthy controls to analyze potential associations of these SNPs with the risk of asthma in children. Results A missense SNP rs766736182 (odds ratio (OR) = 2.185, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.561-2.252, P-value = 8.69468E-19) of the interleukin-7 gene is associated with the risk of children asthma. Conclusions This study reveals that SNP rs766736182 of interleukin-7 is the risk factor for children asthma and implies potential role of immune system in the pathogenesis of children asthma.
Distance decay gradients in hazardous air pollution concentrations around oil and natural gas facilities in the city of Los Angeles: A pilot study.

Abstract In this work, we investigate air pollutant distance decay gradients around an upstream oil and natural gas (ONG) facility located within a densely populated urban community in South Los Angeles. Despite the difficulties associated with interpreting air quality measurements in complex, multi-source urban environments, this pilot investigation was able to identify distance decay around the target ONG site and distinguish added air quality burden of several volatile organic compounds associated with ONG operations. Moving forward, we recommend additional research to better distinguish air quality contributions from ONG in urban environments.
Recognition Memory for Faces: Reliability and Validity of the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (RMT) in a Neurological Sample

In response to critiques regarding the psychometric limitations of the Warrington Recognition Memory Test for faces (RMT-F), the current study was conducted to examine the test-retest reliability and validity of the measure in a neurological sample. Forty adult outpatients, ages 35–81, were administered the RMT-F as part of their diagnostic exam. A second evaluation was conducted after an average interval of 7 months (range = 2–20 months). Results yielded a Pearson reliability coefficient of 0.81 (p < .001), indicating a clinically satisfactory index of stability. Correlations with other measures were conducted to examine convergent and divergent validity. Results indicate that the facial component of the RMT has adequate reliability for patients with established neurological disease, shows moderate correlations with other measures of complex visuospatial function, and shows no significant correlation with measures of verbal reasoning, visual problem-solving, or verbal fluency. These findings provide additional support for the clinical efficacy of this instrument for use in a diverse neurological patient sample.
Editorial: Brain Mediators of the Cannabis-Prodromal Psychosis Connection

The article by Yu and Jia et al.1 in this issue of the Journal investigates the role of a subregion of the parahippocampal gyrus called the right uncus ("hook") as a possible mediator of the known increase of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) due to the consumption of cannabinoids (ie, cannabis).2 The authors chose a pattern of plausible inference worthy of pursuit. Cannabis continues to be one of the most widely used drugs globally, only behind alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco; 188 million people used cannabis worldwide in 2017.3 In January 2019, the WHO's Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD)4 recommended that cannabis be no longer classified as a Schedule IV drug (its medical potential is now deemed to outweigh its abuse potential). It should be noted that cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive component of cannabis that has medicial uses in reducing pain and inflammation, controlling epileptic seizures, and possibly even treating mental illness and addiction.5 As more world governments legalize cannabis for recreational use, and owing to the widening availability of higher tetrahydrocannabinol content variants of cannabis, the number of cannabis users is increasing rapidly, which in turn increases the number of people having PLEs worldwide. Schizophrenia is one of the top 15 leading causes of disability worldwide.6 The estimated prevalence of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders in the United States in 2005 ranged from 0.25% to 0.64%7; a meta-analysis a decade later found the lifetime prevalence worldwide to be 0.48% with interquartile range 0.34% to 0.85%.8 The high variability of sampling domains, diagnostic criteria, data availability and analytic methods employed preclude reliable estimates of incidence and prevalence increases of schizophrenia at present.
Remapping the Latina/o and Chicana/o Pipeline: A Critical Race Analysis of Educational Inequity in Texas:

This project creates the first educational pipeline for the state of Texas. It incorporates middle school as a key transition point, differentiates between advanced degree achievement among Latinas...