cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reaction of DI water and silicon and its effect on gate oxide integrity

The reaction between HF treated silicon surfaces and deionized water is investigated, and a model to explain this reaction is developed. This reaction between silicon and water results in surface microroughness of the silicon surface and can lead to degradation of gate oxide quality. Water pH and rinse time are key parameters which control the corrosive reaction. This work also showed that water cannot always be considered a safe environment for silicon. >
Ray tracing

Ray tracing is a method to produce realistic images; it determines visible surfaces in an image at the pixel level (Appel, 1968; Kay & Greenberg, 1979; Whitted, 1980). Unlike the z-buffer and BSP tree, ray tracing operates pixel-by-pixel rather than primitive-by-primitive. This tends to make ray tracing relatively slow for scenes with large objects in screen space. However, it has a variety of nice features which often make it the right choice for batch rendering and even for some interactive applications.
Gut Microbiota and Obesity Potential Therapeutic Targets and Probiotic Treatment

The gut bacteria model attributes obesity to the variable makeup of gut microbiota and its ability to modulate host energy homeostasis, adiposity and inflammation. To counteract these deleterious effects, strains of probiotics have been developed to manipulate gut microbiomes and improve health. The current article explores the mechanisms by which gut microbiota modulate host metabolism and highlights recent human study data assessing the effects of probiotic supplementation on the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Vision Based Distributed Cooperative Navigation for MAVs in GPS denied areas

Current Miniature Air Vehicle (MAV) systems rely on the availability of GPS to enable navigation (state estimation) during ∞ight. However, many envisioned MAV usage scenarios require MAVs that can ∞y in tightly constrained spaces (e.g., urban terrain, indoors, dense jungle, etc.) meaning that GPS may not be available. While inertial sensors can be used to estimate navigation state, their estimates will diverge over time without GPS. In this paper, we propose a method for overcoming this drift in a multiple-MAV scenario. We develop a distributed cooperative navigation system where each MAV is equipped with a bearing-only sensor (an electro-optical camera) and an inertial measurement unit. The camera is used to measure the bearing from other MAVs and/or landmarks which are in its fleld of view. By communicating local bearing information with other MAVs in their communication range, each MAV can estimate, without drift, its navigation state assuming the entire system of MAVs observes two or more landmarks at known locations. The distributed cooperative navigation system explicitly minimizes communication both in terms of message size and number of communication links. We describe su‐cient conditions for eliminating drift in the connectivity of the MAVs and how many landmarks are observed. We present simulation results to support the developed theory.
Effect of Diet on the Esterase Patterns in the Hemolymph of the Corn Earworm and the Tobacco Budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Dependence of esterases in the hemolymph of the third instar on diet was investigated for two species of noctuids, Helicoverpa (=Heliothis) zea (Boddie) and Heliothis virescens (F.). Esterase patterns were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into three groups (GI, GII, GIII) based on their relative mobility (Rm). Each species had characteristic bands for each group. Classification of esterases was based on their ability to hydrolyze the following substrates: α-naphthyl acetate, β-naphthyl acetate, α-naphthyl propionate, and α-naphthyl butyrate. Esterases were classified further on the basis of inhibition by the esterase inhibitors eserine, dichlorovos, monocrotophos, and paraoxon. The hemolymph of H. zea contained 27 bands of esterolytic activity; H. virescens had 11 bands. H. zea hemolymph esterases, especially from GIl, were diet-dependent, whereas H. virescens showed little variability in esterase band patterns regardless of group, diet, or both. H. zea had large components of carboxyesterases (33%) (10 bands) and cholinesterases (48%) (13 bands). H. virescens had 64% (eight bands) and 18% two bands), respectively. Protein bands detected in the hemolymph of H. zea (n = 25) showed five characteristic bands. H. virescens (n = 21) had 10 characteristic bands. Comparison of diet changes in H. zea and H. virescens revealed that H. zea had greater sensitivity as indicated by the protein- and esterase-band patterns. Eight protein bands were common to both species, H. virescens showed a greater tolerance to dietary change than H. zea .
Altering workplace attitudes for resident education (A.W.A.R.E.): discovering solutions for medical resident bullying through literature review

Physicians-in-training are challenged every day with grueling academic requirements, job strain, and patient safety concerns. Residency shapes the skills and values that will percolate to patient care and professional character. Unfortunately, impediments to the educational process due to medical resident mistreatment by bullying remain highly prevalent in training today. A PubMed literature review was undertaken using key terms to help define resident mistreatment by bullying, determine its prevalence, identify its potential causes and sequelae, and find suggestions for changing this detrimental culture of medical training. We identified 62 relevant articles. The most frequently noted form of mistreatment was verbal abuse, with the most common perpetrators being fellow physicians of higher hierarchical power. Mistreatment exists due to its cyclical nature and the existing culture of medical training. These disruptive behaviors affect the wellbeing of both medical residents and patients. This article highlights the importance of creating systems that educate physicians-in-training about professional mistreatment by bullying and the imperative in recognizing and correcting these abuses. Resident bullying leads to increased resident stress, decreased resident wellbeing as well as risks to patient safety and increased healthcare costs. Solutions include education of healthcare team members, committee creation, regulation of feedback, and creation of a zero-tolerance policy focused on the health of both patients and residents. Altering workplace attitudes will diminish the detrimental effects that bullying has on resident training.
Luis Rafael Sánchez, cronista del Puerto Rico posmoderno

This article analyzes Luis Rafael Sanchez's chronicles, published in three volumes throughout the last decade. In this analysis, the author points out the way in which Luis Rafael Sanchez's texts carry out a reflection about the transformations of the figure of the author under new conditions developed in the Posmodern period. In these chronicles, the writer's identity is described as a transnational subject who is aware of the postmodern media ecology in which his existence is developed, and for this reason, Luis Rafael Sanchez seems to Gonzalez the perfect transcription of the postmodern writer. Sanchez's chronicles are considered here as a project to transcribe the postmodern condition of subjectivity and society in contemporary Puerto Rico.
The effects of ruminal escape protein or fat on ruminal characteristics of pregnant winter-grazing beef cows.

The effects of ruminal escape protein and added fat on ruminal characteristics were determined at 9, 4 and 1 wk prior to calving in 20 prepartum beef cows. Cows grazed native foothills range from mid-December to early March in two different years. Cows were randomly allotted to five groups (four cows per group) and fed (g/d) either no supplement (control); 570 soybean meal (SOY); 450 soybean meal and 230 blood meal (SOY+BM); 140 soybean meal, 16 urea and 450 corn gluten mean (SOY+CGM); or 570 soybean meal and 210 animal fat (SOY+FAT). Supplements were designed to supply similar quantities of ruminally degraded protein while varying in escape protein quantity and source (SOY+BM and SOY+CGM). Control animals had the lowest (P less than .03) ruminal ammonia concentration (4.5 to 8.9 mg/dl), but values were similar (8.1 to 12.3 mg/dl) for the other treatments. In both trials, NDF disappearance rate was lowest for the control, 1.85%/h (P less than .01), and tended to be lower (P less than .07) in SOY (2.25%/h) than for the mean of SOY+BM and SOY+CGM (2.62 and 2.84%/h). Ruminal fluid volume tended to be greater (P less than .14) and dilution rate lower (P less than .13) for the mean of SOY+BM and SOY+CGM than for SOY in both trials. Particulate dilution rate was lower (P less than .01) for the mean of SOY+BM and SOY+CGM (2.33 and 2.75%/h) than for SOY+FAT (3.17%/h) in Trial 2. These results indicate that supplemental escape protein from blood meal or corn gluten meal can influence ruminal characteristics, perhaps due to a continuous release of amino acids and(or) branched-chain organic acids.
Mechanical management of the ileostomy stoma.

Full rehabilitation of the patient with an ileostomy depends on a well constructed stoma, efficient mechanical management, and psychological adjustment–all of which are interrelated. All members of the management team-surgeons, nurses, stomal therapist–should know something about the details of stomal management. This report deals with actual management of the ileostomy appliance and accessories, from the choice of a particular type of device to its fitting and use.
ON THE TRAINING OF HISTORIANS: Mommsen

[Theodor Mommsen (1817–1903), jurist, epigrapher, and historian, made incomparable contributions to the study of Roman history. Universally acclaimed for his History of Rome (3 vols., 1854–1856 plus a fifth volume on the Roman Provinces from Augustus to Diocletian 1885)1 his more specialized work included a history of Roman coinage (1860) and a monumental treatise on Roman Public Law (Romisches Staatsrecht, 3 vols., 1871–1876). He originated, supervised, and contributed to the Corpus inscriptionum Latinorum, a collection of all the known Roman inscriptions. The bibliography of his own works listed 1,500 items. Mommsen’s History exceeded in scope and scholarship anything that had been done before: using a variety of sources, including inscriptions, laws, and coins, he reconstructed the history of the Roman Republic from its origins to the reign of Caesar. Mommsen’s History was a literary masterpiece as well, and in 1902 he received the Nobel Prize. His frequent allusions in this work to the contemporary scene—to Junkers, journalists, and proletariat, for example—and his undisguised admiration of Caesar whom he depicted as a democratic leader, attested his intense involvement in German politics, his hope for a liberal Germany.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN GERIATRIC EDUCATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR FACULTY

The demographic imperative for geriatric training and care is well documented and comes as no surprise to health care professionals working in the field (see National Institutes of Health, 1987). The dramatic increase in the numbers of elderly, particularly those age 75 and older, suggests that geriatric health care will grow in importance throughout the next decade. This article briefly examines strategies for geriatric education that may have relevance for attempts to formalize and institutionalize geriatric content in academic institutions, and suggests strategies for implementation. The domains of geriatrics and gerontology have continued to overlap as models of training and health care delivery have evolved. Distinctions between these two perspectives remain important, particularly as they pertain to the emphasis on training related to normal versus pathological aging. For purposes of simplicity, the term geriatric is used in a broad context that includes gerontological education as well. The reality...
Role of a Conserved Tyrosine Residue in the FMN–Heme Interdomain Electron Transfer in Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase

The interdomain electron transfer (IET) between the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and heme domains is essential in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by the NO synthase (NOS) enzymes. A conserved tyrosine residue in the FMN domain (Y631 in human inducible NOS) was proposed to be a key part of the electron transfer pathway in the FMN/heme docked complex model. In the present study, the FMN–heme IET kinetics in the Y631F mutant and wild type of a bidomain oxygenase/FMN construct of human inducible NOS were determined by laser flash photolysis. The rate constant of the Y631F mutant is significantly decreased by ∼75% (compared to the wild type), showing that the tyrosine residue indeed facilitates the FMN–heme IET through the protein medium. The IET rate constant of the wild type protein decreases from 345 to 242 s–1 on going from H2O to 95% D2O, giving a solvent kinetic isotope effect of 1.4. In contrast, no deuterium isotope effect was observed for the Tyr-to-Phe mutant. Moreover, an appreciable change in ...
Community-Based Exercise Programs for Cancer Survivors

Background Cancer exercise programming in the community has been emerging in response to the increasing numbers of cancer survivors and social factors favoring movement away from a sedentary lifestyle. Objectives This article examines several community-based exercise programs for cancer survivors as exemplars of successful programs. Methods The article investigates where the research is leading as technological advances and cloud-based technologies change the fitness landscape. Links to valuable resources for healthcare providers interested in current physical activity recommendations for cancer survivors are also offered. Findings Accumulating evidence suggests that cancer survivors who engage in an active lifestyle have less fatigue, better quality of life, improved sense of well-being, and, in the case of breast and colon cancers, a reduced risk of recurrent disease.
Geometry and volume of a middle shelf grounding-zone wedge in Ross Sea, Antarctica

A number of grounding-zone wedges (GZWs) have been identified in the cross-shelf troughs of Ross Sea from seismic data (Shipp et al. 1999). A combined analysis of a large-area multibeam survey and a grid of reflection-seismic lines reveals the planform, thickness and volume of a GZW on the middle shelf of the Glomar Challenger Basin. Combined with sediment flux estimates derived from the Whillans and Mercer ice streams that drain the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), this geometric information allows the likely duration of the grounding event to be calculated. A well-defined set of dip-aligned mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs) is found on the middle shelf of the Glomar Challenger Basin (Fig. 1a). The seaward limit of the MSGLs corresponds to the outer extent of a GZW previously identified from seismic data (e.g. Mosola & Anderson 2006). The sinuous trend of the grounding zone shows that the GZW has two lobes (Fig. 1a, c). In contrast, the seaward termination of other GZWs often has a linear geometry (e.g. Jakobsson et al. 2011). Immediately seaward of the grounding zone, a narrow region without MSGLs corresponds to the GZW foreset, which dips seaward at 0.5°. The middle shelf GZW pinches out less than 5 km northwards of the grounding-zone boundary (Fig. …
The Combination of Belinostat with Zidovudine for Treatment of HTLV-I Related Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma

Abstract Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis that is incurable by conventional drugs. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDIs) are broadly active anti-neoplastic agents that can be cautiously exploited in the treatment of ATLL. The HTLV-I provirus is clonally integrated in virtually all ATLL cells. The HTLV-I 5'LTR promoter is trans -activated by the viral protein Tax through binding of CREB and p300/CBP. Tax binding enhances p300/CBP histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity resulting in histone acetylation, chromatin unwinding, and transcription of the viral genome. HAT activity is countered by HDACs, and also by the viral-encoded protein HTLV-I bZip factor (HBZ), which is transcribed from the negative proviral strand at the 3' end. The 5' LTR is often mutated or deleted in ATLL cells thus HBZ is the only viral gene consistently expressed in ATLL. We hypothesized that HDAC inhibitors, which can be potent anti-neoplastic drugs, would reactivate HTLV-I in ATLL tumors containing intact provirus, thus killing virus-infected cells and provoking an immune response in vivo. Supporting this notion, adding the old generation HDI valproic acid (VPA) to AZT/IFNa in one subject suffering from aggressive acute-type ATLL resulted in HTLV-I proviral load reduction, followed by a complete molecular and prolonged clinical remission that lasted several years. We recently tested other more potent HDIs on primary ATLL cells and low-passage cell lines, which are rare and difficult to establish. In general, HDIs induced dose-dependent Tax expression and apoptosis in ATLL cells. Belinostat, a pan HDI, caused H3 acetylation, blocked HBZ protein expression, and induced Tax protein expression in ATLL cells resulting in concomitant apoptosis. ATLL cells exhibit high constitutive expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), which is known to be activated by Tax and to play a major role in HTLV-I mediated T-cell transformation and ATLL development. Paradoxically, while belinostat induced Tax, it also inhibited NF-kB nuclear activity resulting in apoptosis. Further, adding AZT to belinostat augmented ATLL cell death. By contrast, IFNα diminished apoptosis induced by belinostat in freshly isolated ATLL cells from some of our patients. Based on these preclinical data, we have developed a clinical trial using belinostat in combination with AZT as consolidation therapy for ATLL. Our primary goal using this approach is to eradicate residual ATLL cells and HTLV-I infected reservoirs that normally persist regardless of treatment. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Nuclear Weapons: A Piece of the Peace

Since the end of the Cold War there has been considerable intellectual confusion over nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence. This is due to a number of reasons, a central one being the tendency of many scholars, public policy figures, and peace activists like global nuclear zero advocates to associate these weapons with the Cold War. The dissolution of the Soviet Empire in 1989, and with it the end of the Cold War, gave new impetus and seeming credibility to anti-nuclear movements around the world. However, we should not forget that it was an interesting historical coincidence that the Cold War and the nuclear age emerged at roughly the same time. So when the Cold War ended, it only seemed logical to many that the nuclear age, too, had ended. And so, the USA no longer needed to “rely” on these weapons for its security, and that of its allies.
Generation of a Mouse with a Methionine Sulfoxide Mimic in Place of Met77 in Calmodulin

Calmodulin (CaM) is a ubiquitous signaling protein that upon binding calcium interacts with its intracellular targets, of which over 350 have been described. Methionine sulfoxide reductase A is a bifunctional enzyme capable of oxidizing Met in proteins to its sulfoxide (Meto) and of reducing Meto back to Met. When CaM was incubated with recombinant, myristoylated methionine sulfoxide reductase A under oxidase conditions, only one of the 9 Met residues was oxidized – Met77. When the incubation solution was changed to reductase conditions, the Meto77 in oxidized Cam was fully reduced back to Met. Thus, methionine sulfoxide reductase A can mediate the reversible covalent modification of Met77 in CaM. To assess whether this is a regulatory mechanism in vivo, we utilized CRISPR to mutate Met77 to Gln because Gln is a mimic of MetO. This was successful, with both copies of the CaM gene mutated (Met77Gln). The mutant mice are viable, and we are characterizing their growth, development, and phenotype.
Differential Protein Acetylation Mediates Mitochondrial Localization and Pentameric Aggregation of SOD2 in the Murine Heart of SOD2-Tg

Cardiac-specific overexpression of SOD2 (mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase, mouse model of SOD2-tg) induces supernormal and physiologically hypertrophic phenotypes in the mouse heart. However, the reductive stress imposed by SOD2 overexpression also results in protein aggregation of SOD2 pentamer and differential acetylation of SOD2 in the compartments of mitochondrial matrix, mitochondrial inner membrane, and cytosol. We studied SOD2 acetylation in the matrix, submitochondrial particle (SMP), and cytosol from the SOD2-tg mouse heart. LC/MS/MS analysis revealed that K68, K75, K89, K114, K122, K130, K132, K134, and K154 residues of the cytosolic SOD2 were acetylated. LC/MS/MS analysis further indicated that K68, K122, and K130 of SOD2 in SMP and K68, K122, K 130, K202 of matrix SOD2 were acetylated. LC/MS/MS also detected a signaling peptide, 12QLAPVLGYLGSR23, in the SMP SOD2. The results implicated that mitochondrial localization of SOD2 resulted in specific deacetylation of K75, K89, K114, K132, K134, K154 residues, and site-specific acetylation of K202 residue in the matrix. In vitro acetylation of matrix SOD2 with acetic anhydride de-aggregated pentameric SOD2, restored the profile of hyperacetylation observed in cytosolic SOD2, and decreased the enzymatic activity of matrix SOD2. As indicated by the 3D structure of SOD2, specific acetylation of K89, K134, and K154 detected in cytosolic SOD2 induces unfolding tertiary structure and breaking salt bridges for stabilizing the quaternary structure. Stable isotope labeling of both wild type and SOD2-tg matrix proteins followed by LC/MS analysis indicated significant up-regulation of stress-induced mitochondrial hsp70 (GRP75) and down-regulation of presequence protease (PREP), thus supporting increased reductive stress, compromised mitochondrial localization, and weakening correct folding of the nascent SOD2 in the SOD2-tg murine heart. In conclusion, hyperacetylation maintains the unfolded cytosolic SOD2 and mediates importation of SOD2 across the mitochondrial membrane. Activation of the matrix SOD2 is subsequently initiated by deacetylation that further induces SOD2 misfolding for pentameric aggregation.
Parallel Self-Assembly of Polyominoes Under Uniform Control Inputs

We present fundamental progress on parallel self-assembly using large swarms of microscale particles in complex environments, controlled not by individual navigation, but by a uniform, global, external force with the same effect on each particle. Consider a 2-D grid world, in which all obstacles and particles are unit squares, and for each actuation, particles move maximally until they collide with an obstacle or another particle. We present algorithms that, given an arbitrary 2-D structure, design an obstacle layout. When actuated, this layout generates copies of the input 2-D structure. We analyze the movement and spatial complexity of the factory layouts. We present hardware results on both a macroscale, gravity-based system, and a microscale, magnetically actuated system.
Dendroarchaeology Reveals Influence of Early-European Settlement on Forest Disturbance Regimes in the Appalachian Mountains, USA

Dendroarchaeological samples archived in historical wooden artifacts can be used to reconstruct forest conditions during European settlement of North America. In this study, we dated and examined t...
Assessing impacts of discrepancies in model parameters on autoignition model performance: A case study using butanol

Abstract Side-by-side comparison of detailed kinetic models using a new tool to aid recognition of species structures reveals significant discrepancies in the published rates of many reactions and thermochemistry of many species. We present a first automated assessment of the impact of these varying parameters on observable quantities of interest—in this case, autoignition delay—using literature experimental data. A recent kinetic model for the isomers of butanol was imported into a common database. Individual reaction rate and thermodynamic parameters of species were varied using values encountered in combustion models from recent literature. The effects of over 1600 alternative parameters were considered. Separately, experimental data were collected from recent publications and converted into the standard YAML-based ChemKED format. The Cantera-based model validation tool, PyTeCK, was used to automatically simulate autoignition using the generated models and experimental data, to judge the performance of the models. Taken individually, most of the parameter substitutions have little effect on the overall model performance, although a handful have quite large effects, and are investigated more thoroughly. Additionally, models varying multiple parameters simultaneously were evolved using a genetic algorithm to give fastest and slowest autoignition delay times, showing that changes exceeding a factor of 10 in ignition delay time are possible by cherry-picking from only accepted, published parameters. All data and software used in this study are available openly.
Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents: An Ecological Model of Resilience

There has been increasing interest in the identification of factors that promote resilience to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in high-risk youth. The present review summarizes and critiques the current literature on protective factors that promote resilience to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in those children and adolescents who are at high risk for these outcomes. In contrast to earlier work on this topic, which primarily focused on internal, psychological protective factors, the current review articulates an ecological model of resilience in youth that spans multiple domains, including the individual, parents, family, friends, peers, school, community, and culture. This model encompasses individual assets such as problem-solving ability and emotion regulation as well as ecological resources such as parent–child relationship quality, family functioning, peer acceptance, supportive school climate, and engagement in meaningful activities and interests. The present review suggests that future research on resilience to suicidality in youth may benefit from taking a multi-dimensional approach that is grounded in current theories on suicidal thoughts and behavior. The results also suggest that suicide prevention and intervention programs for youth may benefit from a domain-spanning approach that helps teens to enhance their connection to friends, family, and community while teaching them vital internal coping skills.
Three-Year Follow-Up of Participants from a Self-Weighing Randomized Controlled Trial.

Frequent self-weighing is associated with weight loss maintenance. Several years ago, we investigated frequent self-weighing's effect on weight loss and found the participants lost a significant amount of weight. Three years after this trial's end, participants were contacted for an update on their weight and self-weighing frequency. Weight change and self-weighing frequency since the end of the study were assessed. We hypothesized that participants who maintained frequent self-weighing behavior would have maintained their weight loss. Out of 98 participants enrolled in the RCT, 37% (n = 36) participated in this follow-up study. Total weight loss during the trial for the follow-up participants was 12.7 ± 19.4 lbs (p < 0.001). Three years after intervention, participants regained 0.9 ± 4.34 lbs, a value that was not statistically different from zero (p = 0.75). This did not differ by gender (p = 0.655). Over 75% of these participants continued to weigh themselves at least once a week. Frequent self-weighing may be an effective, low-cost strategy for weight loss maintenance. Future research should further investigate the role of self-weighing in long-term weight gain prevention.
Unintended costs and consequences of school closures implemented in preparation for Hurricane Isaac in Harrison County School District, Mississippi, August-September 2012.

Introduction School closures, while an effective measure against the spread of disease during a pandemic, may carry unintended social and economic consequences for students and families. We evaluated these costs and consequences following a 4-day school closure in Mississippi's Harrison County School District (HCSD). Methods In a survey of all households with students enrolled in HCSD, we collected information on difficulties related to the school closure, including interruption of employment and pay, loss of access to subsidized school meals, and arrangement of alternative childcare. We analyzed this information in the context of certain demographic characteristics of the survey respondents and households, such as race, level of education, and income. We also estimated the average number of lost work days and documented the childcare alternatives chosen by households affected by the school closure. Results We received 2,229 (28.4%) completed surveys from an estimated 7,851 households eligible to participate. About half (1,082 [48.5%]) of the households experienced at least some difficulty during the closure, primarily in three areas: uncertainty about duration of the closure, lost income, and the effort of arranging alternate childcare. Adults working outside the home, particularly the major wage earner in the household, were more likely to suffer lost income while schools were closed, an effect mitigated by paid leave benefits. Difficulty arranging childcare was reported most frequently by respondents with lower levels of education and households with younger children. Beyond the top three concerns expressed by households in HCSD, the survey also shed light on the issue of food insecurity when subsidized school meals are not available. Reported by 17.9% of households participating in the subsidized school lunch program, difficulty providing meals during the closure was associated with higher numbers of dependent children, selection of "other" as the race of the household respondent, and lower levels of education. Conclusion To help prevent undue financial hardship in families of school children, public health authorities and school administrators should provide recommendations for childcare alternatives and paid leave or remote work options during prolonged school closures, particularly to households in which all adults work outside of the home.
Positional goods and the challenge of Chinese regional inequality

Scholars have focussed on income inequality as a major source of social instability. But the focus on crude income inequality has masked the deeper developmental problem facing many fast-growing ec...
Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Classroom practitioners are often asked to adopt continually changing standards, to be collaborators and reflective practitioners, and to make new and evolving technologies an integral part of their practice. Understanding Problems of Practice: A Case Study in Design Research describes a process for thinking about and reflecting on innovative practice – the design research process. Each of the five phases of the design research process is exemplified by a discussion of how the authors used this process to create a technology education course for perspective secondary educators. In this chapter, the authors explore the fourth phase of the design research process, evaluating learning outcomes. Acknowledging that even though design decisions may result in powerful learning environments, they may not result in powerful learning. Thus, it is necessary in the fourth phase of the design research process to evaluate learning outcomes. The authors describe strategies and techniques recommended in the design research literature associated with evaluating learning outcomes. They conclude the chapter with the fourth phase of the design research project in which they describe how as classroom practitioners they used quantitative research methods to evaluate changes in teacher attitudes and technology knowledge.
Adiposity Results in Metabolic and Inflammation Differences in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women Consistent with the Difference in Breast Cancer Risk

Obesity is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal but not in premenopausal women. Many factors may be responsible for this difference. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms by which the genes related to the AMPK pathway, inflammation, and estrogen actions are affected by adiposity in breast tissue with the objective of identifying differences that may explain the different breast cancer risk in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Random fine needle aspirates (rFNAs) of breast tissue were collected from 57 premenopausal and 55 postmenopausal women and were classified as normal weight, overweight, or obese. Expression levels of 21 target genes were determined using a TaqMan Low Density Array procedure. Breast tissue estradiol levels were measured by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry procedure, and serum estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured by a radioimmunoassay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We found that in postmenopausal women, serum and tissue estradiol levels were increased in those who were overweight, and serum FSH levels were decreased in obese status. Interestingly, RPS6KB1, an AMPK downstream-responsive gene for protein synthesis and cell growth, and estrogen receptor α (encoded by the ESR1 gene) and its target gene GATA3 were significantly decreased in rFNA of premenopausal, obese women. In postmenopausal women, RPS6KB1, ESR1, and GATA3 expression remained unchanged in relation to adiposity. However, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), cyclin D1 (CCND1), and another ESR1 target gene, TFF1, were elevated in rFNA of obese postmenopausal women. Thus, as bodyweight increases, gene expression is indicative of increased proliferation in postmenopausal women but decreased proliferation in premenopausal women. Overall, our data reveal a novel process by which obesity promotes the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal but not premenopausal women.
Radiative lifetimes of Ho i and Ho ii

Radiative lifetimes measured with time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence are reported for 39 odd-parity levels and 42 even-parity levels of Ho i and 37 even-parity levels of Ho ii. The levels of Ho i range in energy from 17 000 to 41 000 cm-1, and those of Ho ii from 20 000 to 38 000 cm-1. These lifetimes, with some exceptions, are accurate to ±5%.
The Role of Chemical Sphincterotomy with Urethral Botulinum Toxin Injection in Patients with Neurogenic and Non-neurogenic Failure to Empty

This review focuses on the evidence for injection of botulinum A toxin (BTX) to the external urinary sphincter for management of impaired bladder emptying secondary to neurogenic conditions such as detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) and non-neurogenic conditions such as dysfunctional voiding (DV). The application of urethral BTX for patients with impaired emptying secondary to detrusor underactivity will also be discussed. The goal of the review is to comprehensively analyze the evidence surrounding urethral BTX in this context and help guide decision-making. A robust body of literature including case series, a randomized control trial (RCT), and a meta-analysis support the use of urethral BTX for the treatment of DSD in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, with documented improvement in urethral pressure and post-void residual urine volume (PVR). A second RCT among patients with DSD and MS demonstrated no improvement in urethral pressure, PVR, or maximum urine flow rate following urethral BTX relative to control. For non-neurogenic conditions like DV and pelvic floor spasticity, there are mixed data regarding the efficacy of urethral BTX. Small series have reported improvement in PVR and urethral pressure, but a RCT in this patient population demonstrated no benefit of urethral BTX relative to control. Urethral BTX effectively lowers urethral pressure and PVR in SCI patients with DSD, though the long-term impact on renal function requires further study. For patients with MS and those with non-neurogenic conditions like DV, pelvic floor spasticity, and detrusor under activity, the role of urethral BTX is not well defined. Further study in these patient populations should be undertaken prior to widespread utilization.
Crossing exceptional points without phase transition

We show that the theoretical framework linking exceptional points (EPs) to phase transitions in parity-time (PT) symmetric Hamiltonians is incomplete. Particularly, we demonstrate that the application of the squaring operator to a Jx PT lattice dramatically alter the topology of its Riemann surface, eventually resulting in a system that can cross an EP without undergoing a symmetry breaking. We elucidate on these rather surprising results by invoking the notion of phase diagrams in higher dimensional parameter space. Within this perspective, the canonical PT symmetry breaking paradigm arises only along certainprojections of the Riemann surface in the parameter space.
Characterization of Tetracycline Hydrochloride Compounded in a Miracle Mouthwash Formulation

Miracle mouthwash (MMW) is a commonly prescribed oral formulation compounded with varying active ingredients, depending on purpose of treatment. Due to patient-to-patient customization, the solubility, stability, and solid-state characteristics of the active ingredients may not be known after compounding. This study found that the common antibiotic, tetracycline hydrochloride (HCl), compounded in MMW formulations that contained dexamethasone elixir and diphenhydramine, underwent significant physical-chemical changes. Simulated patient conditions demonstrated appreciable fluctuations from the target content of 50 mg tetracycline HCl per teaspoon over 15 days. The lowest tetracycline content sampled was 32.5 mg, while the highest content sampled was 53.0 mg. Although tetracycline HCl went into solution after compounding, tetracycline did not remain in solution. In fact, the amount of tetracycline in solution declined exponentially, with over two-thirds of tetracycline precipitating out within the first day of compounding and 14% remaining in solution after 15 days. Crystals that formed within the MMW formulation were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), which confirmed a solvent-mediated phase transformation of tetracycline HCl to tetracycline hexahydrate. For tetracycline in solution, pH had a significant effect on chemical degradation. Therefore, tetracycline HCl compounded in MMW formulations can have significant physical-chemical stability changes, possibly impacting patient dosing.
Thrombin Generation and Antithrombin Activity in Infants Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass-An Exploratory Study.

Objectives Coagulopathic bleeding is a major complication of pediatric cardiac surgery. Investigating perioperative dynamics of thrombin generation and antithrombin (AT) activity might provide more insight into the underlying mechanisms of coagulopathy. This can help develop a targeted hemostatic approach in the future. The authors hypothesized that there is a decline in both thrombin generation and AT activity in infants undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Design Prospective observational study. Setting Single academic medical center. Participants Infants Interventions Blood specimen collection and testing. Measurements and Results The authors performed assays of thrombin generation and AT activity on the samples of platelet-poor plasma of 25 infants, repeating them at 3 points: before CPB and heparinization, after separation from CPB and protamine administration, and after chest closure. The authors observed a statistically significant decline in thrombin generation shortly after separation from CPB compared with baseline. The geometric mean for lag time was prolonged (4.0 v 5.5 minutes, p = 0.013), and peak thrombin and the net amount of generated thrombin declined almost 3-fold (80.7 v 25.1 nmol, p Conclusions In pediatric patients
THE HEALING RESPONSE AND VASCULAR GRAFTS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the healing response and vascular grafts. The blood-materials interaction in human vascular grafts is desirable as this information provide the basis for the development of better porous grafts. Blood will not result in thrombus formation or cause biochemical or physiological damage to the cells or proteins. The blood-materials interaction for vascular graft materials and involves the healing phenomenon in the vascular grafts. The retrieval of human vascular grafts offers the opportunity to study the various interrelationships in the healing response to vascular grafts. Various studies discussed in the chapter are a part of a larger program directed toward determining the composition of the pseudointima that develops in human vascular grafts and in vascular grafts placed in other species, determining specific alterations or variations in the patient's blood protein and cellular levels immediately postimplantation of a vascular graft, determining the magnitude of platelet activation in an in vitro pump system which will provide in vitro–in vivo correlations and developing the information base of the Cleveland Vascular Society.
Kobayashi’s and Teichmüller’s Metrics and Bers Complex Manifold Structure on Circle Diffeomorphisms

Given a modulus of continuity ω, we consider the Teichmuller space TC1+ω as the space of all orientation-preserving circle diffeomorphisms whose derivatives are ω-continuous functions modulo the space of Mobius transformations preserving the unit disk. We study several distortion properties for diffeomorphisms and quasisymmetric homeomorphisms. Using these distortion properties, we give the Bers complex manifold structure on the Teichmuller space TC1+H as the union of TC1+α over all 0 < α ⪯ 1, which turns out to be the largest space in the Teichmuller space of C1 orientation-preserving circle diffeomorphisms on which we can assign such a structure. Furthermore, we prove that with the Bers complex manifold structure on TC1+H, Kobayashi’s metric and Teichmuller’s metric coincide.
Multidesigns for the graph pair formed by the 6-cycle and 3-prism

Given two graphs G and H , a ( G , H )-multidecomposition of K n is a partition of the edges of K n into copies of G and H such that at least one copy of each is used. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of (C 6 ,Ċ 6 )-multidecomposition of K n where C 6 denotes a cycle of length 6 and C 6 denotes the complement of C 6 . We also characterize the cardinalities of leaves and paddings of maximum (C 6 ,Ċ 6 )-multipackings and minimum (C 6 ,Ċ 6 )-multicoverings, respectively.
Mitigating Demographic Bias in AI-based Resume Filtering

With increasing diversity in the labor market as well as the work force, employers receive resumes from an increasingly diverse population. However, studies and field experiments have confirmed the presence of bias in the labor market based on gender, race, and ethnicity. Many employers use automated resume screening to filter the many possible matches. Depending on how the automated screening algorithm is trained it can potentially exhibit bias towards a particular population by favoring certain socio-linguistic characteristics. The resume writing style and socio-linguistics are a potential source of bias as they correlate with protected characteristics such as ethnicity. A biased dataset is often translated into biased AI algorithms and de-biasing algorithms are being contemplated. In this work, we study the effects of socio-linguistic bias on resume to job description matching algorithms. We develop a simple technique, called fair-tf-idf, to match resumes with job descriptions in a fair way by mitigating the socio-linguistic bias.
HIV- and HCV-specific markers and echocardiographic pulmonary artery systolic pressure among United States veterans.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) may increase pulmonary hypertension (PH) risk among people living with HIV (PLWH). Prior studies on this topic have been relatively small and examined selected populations. We determine whether HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and prevalent echocardiographic PH. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 6032 (16% HIV/HCV coinfected) Veterans Aging Cohort Study participants enrolled 4/1/2003–9/30/2012 with echocardiographic PASP measures. We performed multiple linear and logistic regression analyses to determine whether HIV/HCV mono- or co-infection were associated with PASP and PH compared to uninfected individuals. Individuals with HIV/HCV coinfection displayed a higher PASP than uninfected individuals ( $$\widehat{\beta }$$ =1.10, 95% CI 0.01, 2.20) but there was no association between HIV/HCV coinfection and prevalent PH. Subset analyses examined HIV and HCV disease severity markers separately and jointly. Among PLWH, HCV coinfection ( $$\widehat{\beta }$$ =1.47, 95% CI 0.26, 2.67) and CD4 + cell count ( $$\widehat{\beta }$$ = − 0.68, 95% CI − 1.10, − 0.27), but not HIV viral load nor ART regimen, were associated with PASP. Among people with HCV, neither HIV coinfection nor HCV biomarkers were associated with PASP. Among US veterans referred for echocardiography, HIV/HCV coinfection was not associated with a clinically significant elevation in pulmonary pressure. Lower absolute CD4 + T-cell count was inversely associated with PASP which warrants further investigation in prospective studies.
NGS-Integrator: An efficient tool for combining multiple NGS data tracks using minimum Bayes' factors.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is widely used for genome-wide identification and quantification of DNA elements involved in the regulation of gene transcription. Studies that generate multiple high-throughput NGS datasets require data integration methods for two general tasks: 1) generation of genome-wide data tracks representing an aggregate of multiple replicates of the same experiment; and 2) combination of tracks from different experimental types that provide complementary information regarding the location of genomic features such as enhancers. NGS-Integrator is a Java-based command line application, facilitating efficient integration of multiple genome-wide NGS datasets. NGS-Integrator first transforms all input data tracks using the complement of the minimum Bayes’ factor so that all values are expressed in the range [0,1] representing the probability of a true signal given the background noise. Then, NGS-Integrator calculates the joint probability for every genomic position to create an integrated track. We provide examples using real NGS data generated in our laboratory and from the mouse ENCODE database. Our results show that NGS-Integrator is both time- and memory-efficient. Our examples show that NGS-Integrator can integrate information to facilitate downstream analyses that identify functional regulatory domains along the genome.