cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Food Values Applied to Livestock Products

ABSTRACTFood values have been proposed in previous research as a method of identifying stable constructs of consumer preference. We conducted an online survey of 1950 US respondents using best–worst scaling applying the concept of food values to four specific meat and dairy products: ground beef, beef steak, chicken breast, and milk. We test the applicability of general food values to specific products, while further discovering the nature of heterogeneity of values by defining classes of respondents. Our findings suggest that the general food values previously proposed apply well to specific products of the livestock industry. We also found that the differences between consumer classes were driven primarily by price sensitivity, with many of the most important and least important values remaining the same.
180-P: CHARACTERIZATION OF PAN-DR ANTIBODIES DETECTED IN TWO TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES

Aim Single antigen bead (SAB) assay allows in-depth characterization of HLA antibody specificities. In addition to detection of antibodies against natural HLA antigens, the SAB may also detect antibodies against denatured HLA antigens. Recently, we observed antibody reactivity to all DR antigens (pan-DR) in serum samples of two transplant candidates using the Luminex SAB assay. This study was to characterize the pan-DR antibodies detected by Luminex SAB on two serum samples. Methods Serum samples received from two transplant candidates were analyzed in the study. Initial antibody screening and specificity tests were performed using Flow PRA and Luminex SAB. Additional tests using Flow SAB, Flow phenotype bead assay and Flow T and B cell crossmatch were performed to confirm the presence of HLA antibodies. Results Flow PRA was clearly negative for both samples, while Luminex SAB surprisingly revealed antibody reactivity to all DR antigens. No antibodies to DQ and DP were detected. However, no HLA antibodies were detected by Flow phenotype bead assay. In the Flow SAB assay, patient #1 showed reactivity with majority of the DR antigen beads, while patient #2 showed no any binding reactivity. The crossmatch with a donor cell carrying DR4, DR15, DR51, and DR53 was completely negative for both serum samples. No specific antibody removals were observed on serum samples adsorbed using the donor cells in a Luminex SAB assay. Conclusions Flow PRA and Flow phenotype beads are coated with natural HLA antigens extracted from cell lines, while SABs are coated with recombinant HLA antigens. The antibody binding detected by SAB, but not by FlowPRA and Flow phenotype, may indicate the presence of antibodies against denatured antigens. Our results suggest that the pan-DR antibodies detected in these patients were possibly antibodies against denatured HLA antigens, more likely to a shared epitope uncovered on denatured DR antigens. Antibodies to denatured antigens would not result in crossmatch reactivity.
An investigation of growth mechanism of coal derived graphene films

Abstract The growth mechanism of coal derived graphene films synthesized via chemical vapor deposition on copper substrates was investigated utilizing Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction, optical microscopy, and gas chromatography. The synthesis of coal derived graphene films is a two-step process, wherein the copper in annealed followed by flash pyrolysis of coal under hydrogen environment. The growth mechanism involves a copper catalyzed reaction to produce a carbon film within the first few minutes of synthesis, followed by a hydrogen catalyzed graphitization of the underlying carbon film to form graphene domains which merge together to form graphene films.
Elevate: Ensuring Access to Food for Homeless Populations

We present a text-message system that increases access to hot meals for homeless populations. Homeless people in the USA face several challenges, a crucial one being food insecurity. Through contextual inquiry, we found that although the homeless community is aware of various sources of free food, most of the information is spread through word of mouth. This leaves knowledge incomplete, inconvenient for those on the move, and difficult to remember. We address these issues with a system that allows homeless users and their supporters to update and receive notifications about locations serving free hot meals in a given area, using technology they already have access to their (often non-smartphone) mobile phones. The system was prototyped, and an initial round of testing was completed with a homeless community in southern Michigan.
Structural characterization, gelation ability, and energy-framework analysis of two bis(long-chain ester)-substituted 4,4'-biphenyl compounds.

There are few examples of single-crystal structure determinations of gelators, as gel formation requires that the dissolved gelator self-assemble into a three-dimensional network structure incorporating solvent via noncovalent inter­actions rather than self-assembly followed by crystallization. In the solid-state structures of the isostructural compounds 4,4′-bis­[5-(meth­oxy­carbonyl)pentyl­oxy]biphenyl (BBO6-Me), C26H34O6, and 4,4′-bis­[5-(eth­oxy­carbonyl)pentyl­oxy]biphenyl (BBO6-Et), C28H38O6, the mol­ecules sit on a crystallographically imposed center of symmetry, resulting in strictly coplanar phenyl rings. BBO6-Me behaves as an organo­gelator in various alcohol solvents, whereas BBO6-Et does not. The extended structure reveals bundles of mol­ecules that form a columnar super­structure. Framework-energy calculations reveal much stronger inter­action energies within the columns (−52 to −78 kJ mol−1) than between columns (−2 to −16 kJ mol−1). The intra­columnar inter­actions are dominated by a dispersion component, whereas the inter­columnar inter­actions have a substantial electro­static component.
Salicylic acid metabolites and derivatives inhibit CDK activity: Novel insights into aspirin's chemopreventive effects against colorectal cancer

Aspirin's potential as a drug continues to be evaluated for the prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). Although multiple targets for aspirin and its metabolite, salicylic acid, have been identified, no unifying mechanism has been proposed to clearly explain its chemopreventive effects. Our goal here was to investigate the ability of salicylic acid metabolites, known to be generated through cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, and its derivatives as cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors to gain new insights into aspirin's chemopreventive actions. Using in vitro kinase assays, for the first time, we demonstrate that salicylic acid metabolites, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHBA), as well as derivatives 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4-DHBA), 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,6-DHBA), inhibited CDK1 enzyme activity. 2,3-DHBA and 2,6-DHBA did not inhibit CDK2 and 4; however, both inhibited CDK-6 activity. Interestingly, another derivative, 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4,6-THBA) was highly effective in inhibiting CDK1, 2, 4 and 6 activity. Molecular docking studies showed that these compounds potentially interact with CDK1. Immunoblotting experiments showed that aspirin acetylated CDK1, and pre-incubation with salicylic acid and its derivatives prevented aspirin-mediated CDK1 acetylation, which supported the data obtained from molecular docking studies. We suggest that intracellularly generated salicylic acid metabolites through CYP450 enzymes within the colonic epithelial cells, or the salicylic acid metabolites generated by gut microflora may significantly contribute to the preferential chemopreventive effect of aspirin against CRC through inhibition of CDKs. This novel hypothesis and mechanism of action in aspirin's chemopreventive effects opens a new area for future research. In addition, structural modification to salicylic acid derivatives may prove useful in the development of novel CDK inhibitors in cancer prevention and treatment.
Case: Pediatric paratesticular soft tissue perineurinoma - A rare entity.

Soft tissue perineuriomas are rare but benign tumours that are composed of peripheral nerve sheath and are most commonly located in the extremity. Diagnosis is confirmed by the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features of the tumour. Paratesticular location is extremely rare; so far, only one case is reported. Herein, we report a second case of perineurioma in a 16-year-old male in the paratesticular region.
The neuroscience of empathy

In the fifty years following the first mention of empathy in the neuroscience literature, significant gains in understanding the neural basis of empathy have been made. Converging strands of evidence support simulation-based models of empathy, such that, for example, empathy for pain recruits networks involved in the first-hand experience of pain. Similarly, empathy for other distinct sensory and affective states (e.g. tactile pleasure, fear) leverages the networks involved in the firsthand experience of those states. Such empathic simulations are not unique to humans but can be observed across social species. Both emotional empathy and mentalizing (cognitive empathy) may promote empathic concern or compassion, an outcome variable of particular interest to researchers and practitioners. Although individuals vary in their baseline empathic capacities and proclivities, empathy and concern can be modulated by interpersonal and contextual variables and with training.
Uses of Modeling in Child Treatment

Learning by observation and imitation of other people’s behavior is an everyday affair for most children and a central process in the acquisition of a wide variety of new behaviors. Extensive research has shown that modeling is an effective way for children to acquire, strengthen, and weaken behaviors. Given frequent naturalistic observation of imitation among children and the voluminous experimental literature on the topic, it is not surprising that modeling is a common term in developmental psychology. The next step that occurred in the evolution of the field was the application of modeling techniques to the treatment of clinical problems with children. A number of practitioners and researchers have begun to bridge the gap between the experimental and the applied realms by demonstrating that modeling is an effective strategy for the treatment of a variety of childhood disorders.
Tourette’s Syndrome and Tic Disorders

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics such as eye-blinks and grunts, respectively. It usually manifests in the first decade of life, and may be a considerable source of morbidity as it waxes and wanes. Advances in neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and psychotherapy are improving our understanding and the treatment of TS. Multimodal interventions that include focused treatment of comorbid conditions as well as educational and long term supportive relationships are usually the best approach.
The Role of Self-Image as an Ecological Advocate and Attitudes on the Recycling Phenomenon

This paper reports the results of an analysis of the hypothesized relationship between a person’s self concept as an ecological advocate, the propensity to recycle household items, and a person’s attitudes toward recycling and recycling behaviors. The findings of this research suggest that consumers perceive themselves more than ecological advocates as strong recyclers, that is, as people who recycle
Woher kommen partielle Differentialgleichungen

Wir uberlegen uns zunachst, was unter einer partiellen Differentialgleichung zu verstehen ist, und losen anschliesend einige dieser Gleichungen als mathematische Lockerungsubung. Danach werden wir sehen, wie sie in naturlicher Weise aus physikalischen Fragestellungen hervorgehen. Die Physik wird dann auch das Aufstellen von Rand- und von Anfangsbedingungen motivieren.
Fluxes and Flux Action

Because the manufacture of fluxes is a proprietary formulation business, contents and compositions of the numerous “magic mixes” are necessarily unknown. It is their very proprietary nature that allows the range and variety of fluxes to exist. In this environment, attempts by user companies to determine even which product is best for their application or assembly process seldom reach the level of material differentiation. They are usually simple performance studies evaluated against specific functional performance requirements on a pass-fail or level-of-defect basis [Cassidy and Lin 1981a, b; Lambert 1978]. Attempts to identify important individual flux components and to assess the relative performance of material variants remain largely the perogative of the manufacturers. Soldering flux development is usually achieved by working either within individual internal perceptions of requirements or, more commonly, working with individuals within user companies to solve individual problems related to a specific product, design, and process. By its very nature, such work involves minimal resource and fast response time variants, usually meaning substitution of one component by a simple generic variation of the same class of material. This means that a group of products from a particular manufacturer continues by using the same basic materials types; the products are improved by modifications to formulations, usually within the same generic group of chemicals and based on the same concepts as to performance mechanisms.
Diseases of the Great Vessels and the Thoracic Outlet

The aortic arch and its branches are a common location for the development of atherosclerosis. Similar to atherosclerosis in other areas of the arterial tree, the pathology ranges from mild, nonocclusive intimal thickening to complex atheromata. Complex atheromatous plaques may evolve to a size large enough to encroach upon the lumen, thereby restricting flow, or they may be complicated by intraplaque hemorrhage, ulceration and discharge of atheromatous debris, and surface thrombosis. Well-established clinical risk factors for atherosclerosis include family history, aging, cigarette smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.
Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Perspectives on Development and the Life Course

The fourth edition of Human Behavior in the Social Environment takes a life course perspective to give a concise, compact treatment of human behavior. This edition includes the DSM - 5, the 2015 EPAS competencies, and a new chapter that explores the future of social work and some of the emerging issues facing the profession. The text also comes with a rich companion website that includes support materials and six unique cases that encourage students to learn by doing and to apply their knowledge of human behavior to best practices. Go to www.routledgesw.com to explore the cases and additional resources.
Gr8 Expectations: The Efficacy of BioBoosti 8 Minute Electromagnetic Cycles for the Treatment of Insomnia (P1.110)

Objective: Assess the effectiveness of BioBoosti, a non-pharmacological device, for the treatment of insomnia. Background: Insomnia is a highly prevalent disorder frequently associated with loss of productivity, poor health outcomes, and higher healthcare utilization. Commonly used drugs to treat insomnia can be ineffective, side effect prone, and expensive. BioBoosti is a device that emits a micromagnetic field which is thought to have therapeutic benefit Design/Methods: In this prospective pilot study, 14 adults (age range: 18–74) diagnosed with insomnia used BioBoosti for 2 weeks daily. Subjects held the device in each hand for 8 minutes, for 6 cycles. Subjective sleep measures: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Karolinska sleepiness scale (KSS) were collected before and after 2 weeks of treatment. Subjects wore actigraphy throughout the study, allowing objective validated comparisons of total sleep time, sleep latency and efficiency, wake after sleep onset, and number of awakenings. Results: After 2 weeks of BioBoosti use, subjects reported improved sleep quality (PSQI: before, 13.5 ± 3.4 versus after, 8.5 ± 4.0, p=0.003) and reduced insomnia symptoms (ISI: before, 19.5 ± 4.8 versus after, 13.7 ± 7.7, p=0.008). No significant changes were found in the ESS and KSS. Actigraphy analysis did not reveal statistically significant effects of BioBoosti use, but there was a trend for improvement in multiple sleep parameters, specifically wake after sleep onset (first 3 days, 51.2 ± 18.6 versus last 3 days, 42.6 ± 31.1, p=0.06), suggesting a more consolidated sleep. No significant side effects were noted by any of the participants. Conclusions: Based on these data, BioBoosti appears to be an effective and well tolerated device for the treatment of insomnia. Future placebo controlled studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm our preliminary findings. Study Supported by: Biomobie Disclosure: Dr. Puri has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Biomobie. Dr. Puri has received research support from Biomobie. Dr. Latreille has nothing to disclose. Dr Mathew has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pavlova has nothing to disclose.
The α-β phase transition in cristobalite, SiO 2

Cristobalite, a high temperature phase of silica, SiO2, undergoes a (metastable) first-order phase transition from a cubic, \(Fd\bar 3m\), to a tetragonal, P43212 (or P41212), structure at around 220° C. The cubic C9-type structure for β-cristobalite (Wyckoff 1925) is improbable because of two stereochemically unfavorable features: a 180° Si-O-Si angle and an Si-O bond length of 1.54 A, whereas the corresponding values in tetragonal α-cristobalite are ∼146° and 1.609 A respectively. The structure of the β-phase is still controversial. To resolve this problem, a symmetry analysis of the \(Fd\bar 3m \to P4_3 2_1 2\) (or P41212) transition in cristobalite has been carried out based on the Landau formalism and projection operator methods. The starting point is the ideal cubic (\(Fd\bar 3m\)) C9-type structure with the unit cell dimension a (7.432 A) slightly larger than the known a dimension (7.195 A at 205° C) of β-cristobalite, such that the Si-O-Si angle is still 180°, but the Si-O bond length is 1.609 A. The six-component order parameter driving the phase transition transforms according to the X4 representation. The transition mechanism essentially involves a simultaneous translation and rotation of the silicate tetrahedra coupled along 〈110〉. A Landau free-energy expression is given as well as a listing of the three types of domains expected in α-cristobalite from the β→α transition. These domains are: (i) transformation twins from a loss of 3-fold axes, (ii) enantiomorphous twins from a loss of the inversion center, and (iii) antiphase domains from a loss of translation vectors 1/2 〈110〉 (F→P). These domains are macroscopic and static in α-cristobalite, and microscopic and dynamic in β-cristobalite. The order parameter η, couples with the strain components as ɛη2, which initiates the structural fluctuations, thereby causing the domain configurations to dynamically interchange in the β-phase. Hence, the α-β cristobalite transition is a fluctuation-induced first-order transition and the β-phase is a dynamic average of α-type domains.
Randomized clinical study to compare negative pressure wound therapy with simultaneous saline irrigation and traditional negative pressure wound therapy for complex foot infections.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of different negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices and NPWT with and without simultaneous irrigation in patients admitted to hospital with moderate and severe foot infections. Ninety patients were randomized in a 12-week prospective, randomized noninferiority trial to compare wound healing in patients with moderate and severe infected foot wounds treated with NPWT after surgery. Inclusion criteria included ABI > 0.5 or toe pressures >30 PVR/mmHg, >18 years of age and exclusion included active Charcot arthropathy, collagen vascular disease, HIV, and hypercoagulable state. We compared two different traditional devices, NPWT-K (KCI, VAC Ulta) and NPWT-C (Cardinal, PRO), and NPWT-I with saline irrigation (Cardinal, PRO). All patients had therapy delivered at 125 mmHg continuous pressure. In patients who received simultaneous saline irrigation (NPWT-I), the administration rate was 15 ml per hour. The primary outcome was the proportion of healed wounds in 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included surgical wound closure, number of surgeries, length of stay, and time to wound healing. Continuous data was presented as mean ± standard deviation. Analysis of variance was used to compare continuous variables and chi-square to compare dichotomous variables with an alpha of 0.05. There were no differences in outcomes among NPWT-I, NPWT-C, and NPWT-K groups in proportion of healed wounds (63.3%, 50.0%, 46.7% p = 0.39), surgical wound closure (83.3%, 80.0%, 63.3%, p = 0.15), number of surgeries (2.0 ± 0.49, 2.4 ± 0.77, 2.4 ± 0.68, p = 0.06), length of stay (16.3 ± 15.7, 14.7 ± 7.4, 15.3 ± 10.5 days, p = 0.87), time to wound healing (46.2 ± 22.8, 40.9 ± 18.8, 45.9 ± 28.3 days, p = 0.78). We did not identify any significant differences in clinical outcomes or adverse events between patients treated with different NPWT devices or NPWT with and without irrigation.
Prolactin administration to seasonally anestrous mares: reproductive, metabolic, and hair-shedding responses.

Eight pony mares received 4 mg of recombinant porcine prolactin (rpPRL) daily for 45 d beginning on January 15; eight control mares received vehicle. Reproductive end points and various indicators of metabolism, hair shedding, and thyroid activity were monitored. Prolactin concentrations peaked in mares treated with rpPRL at 94 +/- 19 ng/mL 2 h after injection and were 5.1 +/- 1.7 ng/mL 24 h after injection. Treatment with rpPRL increased (P .1). The date of first ovulation, determined from plasma progesterone concentrations, was hastened (P .1) due to treatment with rpPRL. We conclude that prolactin mediates the onset of vernal hair shedding in mares and is in some way involved with ovulation.
Vaccination of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) results in positive tuberculin skin test results in a dose-dependent fashion.

Abstract Mycobacterium bovis is the cause of tuberculosis in most mammalian species, most notably cattle and other members of the family Bovidae; however, many species of the family Cervidae are also susceptible. In North America, tuberculosis has been identified in both captive and free-ranging cervids. Captive cervids are tested for tuberculosis following many of the same guidelines applied to cattle, including intradermal tuberculin testing using M. bovis purified protein derivative (PPD). Both captive and free-ranging deer and elk have been implicated as the source of infection for many cattle herds. Vaccination with the human vaccine M. bovis BCG has been considered as one possible tool to aid in eradication of tuberculosis from cattle and both captive and free-ranging cervids. Studies in cattle have demonstrated that BCG vaccination can induce false positive intradermal tuberculin test reactions in some cattle. Similar findings have been reported for red deer. We orally vaccinated white-tailed deer with BCG and showed that vaccination can induce false positive skin test reactions in some deer and that the rate of false positive reactions is greater with a higher vaccine dose.
A Love Letter to My Public Health Students During a Global Pandemic

Reflecting on the remarkable, unprecedented experience of teaching public health during a global pandemic, this reflection highlights the unexpected and delightful connections that were made in spr...
Structure and Magnetic Fields in the Precessing Jet System SS 433 I. Multi-Frequency Imaging from 1998

The Very Large Array has been used at five frequencies to study the structure and linear polarization of SS433 on scales as small as ~0.1" ~ 500 AU. Each jet consists of a sharp, curving ridge-line at the leading edge, plus significant trailing off-jet emission, showing that they are enveloped by diffuse relativistic plasma. No kinematic model with constant jet speed fits our images on all scales, but they are consistent with variations in jet speed of around 10% around the optical value. Our images show continuous jets with bright components occurring simultaneously in the two jets roughly every 35 days. When corrected for projection effects and Doppler boosting, the intensities of the two jets are intrinsically very similar. Fractional linear polarization up to 20% is present along the ridge-lines, while the core is essentially unpolarized. The rotation measures are consistent with a foreground screen with RM ~ +110 radians per meter squared, plus a larger, asymmetrical contribution close to the core. The apparent magnetic fields in the jets are roughly aligned with the ridge-lines in most but not all of each jet. The jet is more highly polarized between the components than in the components themselves, suggesting that the mechanism that creates them compresses a tangled part of the magnetic field into a partially-ordered transverse layer. The off-jet emission is remarkably highly polarized, with m ~ 50% in places, suggesting large-scale order of the magnetic field surrounding the jets. This polarized signal may confuse the determination of magnetic field orientations in the jets themselves. However, the images are consistent with a jet magnetic field that is everywhere parallel to the helices.
Multilevel Factors Shaping Awareness of and Attitudes Toward Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention among Criminal Justice-Involved Women.

Although pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a key tool in HIV prevention efforts, little is known about PrEP as a prevention strategy for criminal justice-involved (CJI) women. The purpose of this study was to examine multilevel factors shaping PrEP awareness and acceptability among CJI women. Between January 2017 and December 2017, we conducted 52 interviews with CJI women at high risk for HIV and stakeholders from the criminal justice (CJ) and public health (PH) systems. Interviews explored awareness of PrEP and the multilevel factors shaping PrEP acceptability. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and executive summaries. Atlas.ti facilitated analyses. The majority of CJI women (n = 27) were, on average, 41.3 years, from racial and ethnic minority groups (56% Black/African-American; 19% Latinx) and reported engaging in recent high-risk behavior (nearly 60% engaged in transactional sex, 22% reported ≥ 4 sexual partners, and 37% reported injection drug use). Of system stakeholders (n = 25), 52% represented the CJ sector. Although CJI women were generally unaware of PrEP, attitudes toward PrEP were enthusiastic. Barriers to PrEP acceptability included medication side effects (individual level); distrust in HIV prevention mechanisms (community level); lack of local HIV prevention efforts among high-risk women (public policy/HIV epidemic stage level). Factors promoting PrEP included perceived HIV risk (individual level); PrEP being an HIV prevention method that women can control without partner negotiation (social and sexual network level); and availability of public health insurance (community level). Despite low awareness of PrEP, CJI women expressed positive attitudes toward PrEP. To improve PrEP access for CJI women, implementation efforts should address barriers and leverage facilitators across multiple levels to be maximally effective.
Can Imagination Travel the Distance? Investigating the Role of Spatial Distance in Elaborative Thought Processes: An Abstract

Consumers often make decisions that involve either a spatially close or distant consumption experience (Tversky 1992). These decisions have fascinated scholars, and recent scholarship has added to our body of knowledge regarding the roles of spatial distance in information processing and ensuing consumer judgments (e.g. Raghubir et al. 2011). Yet, much remains to be learned regarding how advertising messages about consumer experiences that will occur at different spatial, geographic distances are processed. Two separate experiments were conducted, both manipulating spatial distance and elaborative approach. The current inquiry increases knowledge and understanding about spatial distance by demonstrating that: (1) far spatial distance dampens the flow of triggered episodic memory and thus diminishes the efficiency of the consumer imagination in producing consumer responses, (2) close spatial distance facilitates the retrieval of triggered episodic memory, enhancing the consumer imagination and improving consumer responses, and (3) certainty and involvement provide the explanatory mechanism for the effects of spatial distance (far vs. close) on consumer responses when the tested cities evoke some degree of certainty.
Systematic Review of Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects

Background: People of all ages are exposed to fluoride from a variety of sources including dental products, drinking water, food, beverages and pharmaceuticals. In some developed countries, fluorid...
Physics-Guided Deep Learning for Dynamical Systems: A Survey

Modeling complex physical dynamics is a fundamental task in science and engineering. Traditional physics-based models are interpretable but rely on rigid assumptions. And the direct numerical approximation is usually computationally intensive, requiring significant computational resources and expertise. While deep learning (DL) provides novel alternatives for efficiently recognizing complex patterns and emulating nonlinear dynamics, it does not necessarily obey the governing laws of physical systems, nor do they generalize well across different systems. Thus, the study of physics-guided DL emerged and has gained great progress. It aims to take the best from both physics-based modeling and state-of-the-art DL models to better solve scientific problems. In this paper, we provide a structured overview of existing methodologies of integrating prior physical knowledge or physics-based modeling into DL and discuss the emerging opportunities.
Electronic Nicotine Vapor Exposure Produces Differential Changes in Central Amygdala Neuronal Activity, Thermoregulation and Locomotor Behavior in Male Mice.

Nicotine is an addictive substance historically consumed through smoking and more recently through the use of electronic vapor devices. The increasing prevalence and popularity of vaping prompts the need for preclinical rodent models of nicotine vapor exposure and an improved understanding of the impact of vaping on specific brain regions, bodily functions, and behaviors. We used a rodent model of electronic nicotine vapor exposure to examine the cellular and behavioral consequences of acute and repeated vapor exposure. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to a single 3 hour session (acute exposure) or 5 daily sessions (repeated exposure) of intermittent vapes of 120 mg/ml nicotine in propylene glycol:vegetable glycerol (PG/VG) or PG/VG control. Acute and repeated nicotine vapor exposure did not alter body weight and both exposure paradigms produced pharmacologically significant serum nicotine and cotinine levels in the 120 mg/ml Nicotine group compared to PG/VG controls. Acute exposure to electronic nicotine vapor increased central amygdala (CeA) activity in individual neuronal firing and in expression of the molecular activity marker, cFos. The changes in neuronal activity following acute exposure were not observed following repeated exposure. Acute and repeated nicotine vapor exposure decreased core body temperature, however acute exposure decreased locomotion while repeated exposure increased locomotion. Collectively, these studies provide validation of a mouse model of nicotine vapor exposure and important evidence for how exposure to electronic nicotine vapor produces differential effects on CeA neuronal activity and on specific body functions and behaviors like thermoregulation and locomotion. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Nicotine vaping is increasing, prompting the need for an improved understanding of the impact of electronic nicotine vapor exposure on specific brain regions and relevant physiological functions and behaviors. The present study used a mouse model of nicotine vapor exposure to examine the cellular and behavioral consequences of acute and repeated exposure to nicotine vapor. We found that acute, but not repeated, exposure to nicotine vapor increased activity in the central amygdala and that acute and repeated exposure produced differential effects on body temperature and movement. These findings demonstrate that nicotine vaping alters brain function in the central amygdala and produces dysregulation of normal body functions like thermoregulation and locomotion.
Protective coatings for alloys in contact with molten drawsalt (NaNO3-KNO3)

Molten drawsalt (NaNO 3-KNO3) is being considered as the energy transfer and storage medium for many solar central receiver applications. In an effort to reduce the cost of the containment material while maintaining corrosion resistance, alloys with aluminide coatings have been examined while in contact with molten drawsalt for more than 6000 hours at 600 °C. The alloys examined were 2.25 Cr-1 Mo, 5 Cr-0.5 Mo, and 9 Cr-1 Mo low-alloy steels, and 316 stainless steel. The results show a steady, albeit slow, net weight loss over the course of the experiment. The weight loss has been attributed to spoiling of Al2O3 from the surface (the occurrence of Al 2O3 is a result of the aluminizing process) and dissolution of corrosion products NaAlO2 and/or NaFeO2 during post-immersion handling. Scanning electron micrographs of exposed surfaces revealed little or no corrosion of the base metal. It has been concluded that aluminide coated alloys could provide significant cost savings (~50 pct) relative to INCOLOY Alloy 800, and provide at least equivalent corrosion resistance.
Perceived risk, optimistic bias, and united action: A socioecological examination of COVID-19 prevention behaviors among sexual minority men

Sexual minority men (SMM) disproportionately experience psychosocial risk factors and comorbid health concerns (e.g., HIV infection) that increase their vulnerability to COVID-19 infection and distress. The current study applied a socioecological approach to the Health Belief model to understand associations among perceived risk, optimistic bias (a perceived lower risk relative to similar others), united action (perceived community capacity for collective action) and COVID-19 behavioral prevention strategies among COVID-19-negative adult cisgender SMM. Participants (n = 859), recruited via a geo-location-based dating app in May 2020, completed an online survey. Results indicated significant interactions between perceived risk and optimistic bias on social distancing (B = -.03, p < .05), and between perceived risk and united action on number of preventive precautions (B = -.01, p < .01) and number of casual sex partners (B= -.20, p < .05). At low and average levels of perceived risk, socioecological constructs were positively associated with behavioral prevention strategies. At average levels of perceived risk and above, united action was negatively associated with number of casual sex partners, demonstrating evidence of the interaction between perception of interpersonal and community factors and perceptions of one's own risk. These findings may help to inform how to mobilize increased engagement in COVID-19 behavioral prevention strategies among cisgender SMM.
[Pollution status and exposure assessment of lead, cadmium, total mercury and total arsenic in grains on sale from Shaanxi Province, 2002-2018].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the pollution status of lead, cadmium, total mercury and total arsenic in grains sold in Shaanxi Province, and to analyze the potential risk of dietary exposure. METHODS A total of 1873 samples of wheat, wheat flour, rice, maize and their products were randomly collected in circulation. The contents of lead and cadmium were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and total mercury and arsenic were determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The pollution status of four elements in grains was evaluated by single factor pollution index method, margin of exposure(MOE) was used to assess lead exposure, cadmium exposure was assessed by the ratio of estimated monthly intake(EMI) to provisional tolerable monthly intake(PTMI), and exposure to mercury and arsenic was assessed using the ratio of estimated weekly intake(EWI) to provisional tolerable weekly intake(PTWI). RESULTS The average values of lead, cadmium, total mercury and total arsenic in grains sold in Shaanxi Province were 0.070, 0.022, 0.0079 and 0.030 mg/kg. The over-standard rates of lead, cadmium and total mercury were 6.30%, 1.39% and 4.43%. The average single factor pollution index of lead, cadmium, total mercury and total arsenic was less than 0.7; The MOE value of lead in grains was 0.99-18.41, the intake of cadmium in grains accounted for 19.08% of PTMI, and the intake of mercury and arsenic accounted for 10.28% and 10.67% of PTWI. CONCLUSION Lead, cadmium, total mercury and total arsenic in all kinds of cereals sold in Shaanxi Province from 2002 to 2018 were less polluted and their intake was within the safe range.
Using Experiments to Test the Effectiveness of Human Rights Treaties

International human rights law is a field concerned with causality. While scholars in other fields argue about how laws can be changed to maximize their effectiveness, scholars of international human rights law still regularly debate whether the major international agreements have had any effect on state behavior. Part of the reason that this threshold question is still contested is that there are a number of barriers to causal inference that make answering it with observational data incredibly difficult. Given these obstacles to using observational data, and the importance of the topic, scholars have begun to use experimental methods to study the effects of commitments to human rights agreements. This paper discusses the motivations behind the limited experimental work on human rights, the mechanisms that are being tested, and the findings of this emerging literature.
Green Brand Strategies in the Fashion Industry: Leveraging Connections of the Consumer, Brand, and Environmental Sustainability

With a growing number of major fashion brands engaging in green-branding initiatives, environmental sustainability is becoming a management agenda that is being prioritized among many companies. However, the research literature is mixed in assessing the potential of the green strategy. Based on the schema theory as the theoretical framework, this chapter offers propositions that address how to leverage the interrelationship among the consumer, brand, and environmental sustainability within the context of green-branding strategies for fashion. Supported by the research literature and current movements in the fashion industry, this chapter explains how consumer receptivity to and decision making with regard to green fashion brands are influenced by the relationship between (1) consumer and environmental sustainability, (2) brand and environmental sustainability, and (3) consumer and brand. Consumer acceptance of green brands is dependent on how consumers process new green information within the context of the brand schema. Consumer motivation and ability to incorporate environmental sustainability within the brand schema will influence consumer attitudes toward the green brand. Also, the perceived fit between the brand and environmental sustainability as well as the authenticity of the business strategy will influence consumer response. In addition, consumers’ ability to integrate the fashion brand’s image with environmental values and the strength of their relationship with the brand will determine how green brand attributes are accepted. Industry implications for green branding are discussed and recommendations for future research are presented.
Retrospective evaluation of risk factors and outcome predictors in cats with diabetic ketoacidosis (1997–2007): 93 cases

Objectives To determine risk factors and outcome predictors in cats with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Design Retrospective study. Inclusion in the DKA group required blood glucose concentration > 13.9 mmol/L (250 mg/dL), venous pH < 7.35, and urine or serum acetoacetate concentration greater than 1.5 mmol/L (15 mg/dL). Signalment and weight were recorded in all cats with uncomplicated diabetes mellitus (DM) without DKA and in all other nondiabetic cats examined during the study period. Clinicopathologic variables, concurrent disorders, and initial insulin intravenous (IV) continuous-rate infusion (CRI) concentration of 1.1 or 2.2 U/kg/240 mL bag of 0.9% NaCl, were examined for a possible association with outcome. Setting University teaching hospital. Animals Ninety-three cats with DKA, 682 cats with uncomplicated DM, and 16,926 cats without DM or DKA. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Cats with DKA were younger (median age 9.4 years; range, 1–17.9 years) than cats with uncomplicated DM (median 11.6 years; range 0.7–19.5 years, P < 0.0003). Siamese cats were overrepresented in the DKA group compared to the uncomplicated DM or nondiabetic group (P = 0.038 and P = 0.01, respectively). Poor outcome (defined as death due to disease or by euthanasia) in 36 cats with DKA (39%) was associated with increased initial creatinine, BUN, total serum magnesium, and total bilirubin concentrations (P = 0.007, P = 0.005, P = 0.03, P = 0.03, respectively). Cats treated with a higher concentration of insulin were less likely to have a poor outcome compared to cats treated with a lower concentration of insulin (odds ratio 0.14, 95% confidence interval 0.02–1.16, P = 0.02). Conclusions Cats with DKA are more likely to be Siamese than cats with uncomplicated DM. Poor outcome of cats with DKA is associated with increased initial creatinine, BUN, total magnesium, and total bilirubin concentrations. Good outcome was associated with a higher concentration of IV insulin CRI.
Decision making at a level of a hierarchical control for unmanned robot

An Intelligent Mobile Autonomous System (IMAS), which is equipped with vision and low level sensors to cope with unknown obstacles, is modeled as a hierarchy of decision making for motion planning and control. The world description is based on linguistic variables that assume values from possible interval corresponds to the membership grade to a fuzzy set. The decision making is presented as a production system with a fuzzy database. The choice of optimal motion execution commands are performed using fuzzy set operators. Also included in the paper is the procedure of rule derivation and examples based on low level motion control.
The Pschorr Synthesis and Related Diazonium Ring Closure Reactions

In the middle 1890s, three groups of chemists independently discovered a new cyclization reaction of certain appropriately constituted diazonium salts. Fischer and Schmidt reported that an aqueous solution of 2-benzylbenzenediazonium chloride furnished fluorene on heating. Graebe and Ullman reported that 2-benzoylbenzenediazonium chloride yielded fluorenone and Staedel reported a somewhat similar result from the action of nitrous acid on 2,2'-diaminbenozpehnone, a reaction that produced a little 1-hydroxyfluorenone. Two years later, Robert Pschorr applied the ring closure reaction to the diazonium salt derived from trans-2-amino-alpha-phenylcinnamic acid to obtain phenanthrene-9-carboxylic acid. The principal utility of these cyclizations reactions has been the synthesis of substituted ring structures in which the positions of the substituents are known. Keywords: Pschorr synthesis; diazonium ring closures. Bridge; side reactions; simultaneous ring closures; aliphatic analogs; cyclization; Gomberg-Bachmann synthesis
Procedures for Evaluating the Impact of Complex Educational Interventions

The application of information and computer technology (ICT) to education, particularly when ICT is a component of a major school reform, raises difficult issues for program evaluation. In many cases even defining the program goal is difficult because so many different changes are often instituted at the same time: installation of a local area network, development of technical support, staff development for integrating ICT into the curriculum and for new teaching methods, and so on. To assist program developers and evaluators in gaining control of such complex interventions in education, two basic procedures are described: the history of the future and program logic mapping. The former is a goals and methods clarification scheme, built around a press release that describes at the projected end of the project what was achieved and how. The latter procedure draws on the goals defined in the history of the future, along with the project strategy, to make explicit all of the major links between project inputs and project outputs. This map then serves as a guide for planning an evaluation that would verify causal linkages as well as outcomes. For each type of node in such a diagram, appropriate evaluation techniques are defined.
K-anonymous multi-party secret handshakes

Anonymity-protection techniques are crucial for various commercial and financial transactions, where participants are worried about their privacy. On the other hand, authentication methods are also crucial for such interactions. Secret handshake is a relatively recent mechanism that facilitates privacy-preserving mutual authentication between communicating peers. In recent years, researchers have proposed a set of secret handshake schemes based on different assumptions about the credentials used: from one-time credentials to the more general PKI-like credentials. In this paper, we concentrate on k-anonymous secret handshake schemes based on PKI-like infrastructures. More specifically, we deal with the k- anonymous m-party (m > 2) secret handshake problem, which is significantly more involved than its two-party counterpart due to the following: When an honest user hand-shakes with m- 1 parties, it must be assured that these parties are distinct; otherwise, under the mask of anonymity a dishonest participant may clone itself in a single handshake session (i.e., assuming multiple personalities).
Probabilistic Design Optimization and Reliability Assessment of High Temperature Thermoelectric Devices

Thermoelectric (TE) devices, subcomponents of which are made of brittle materials, generate an electrical potential when they are subjected to thermal gradients through their thickness. These devices are of significant interest for high temperature environments in transportation and industrial applications where waste heat can be used to generate electricity (also referred to as "waste heat recovery" or "energy harvesting"). TE devices become more efficient as larger thermal gradients are applied across them. This is accomplished by larger temperature differences across the TE's hot and cold junctions or the use of low thermal conductivity TE materials or both. However, a TE brittle material with a combination of poor strength, low thermal conductivity, and large coefficient of thermal expansion can translate into high probability of mechanical failure (low reliability) in the presence of a thermal gradient, thereby preventing its use as intended. Therefore, the objective of this work is to demonstrate the use of an established probabilistic design methodology developed for brittle structural components and corresponding design sensitivity analyses to optimize the reliability of an arbitrary TE device. This method can be used to guide TE material and design selection for optimum reliability. The mechanical reliability of a prototypical TE device ismore » optimized from a structural ceramic perspective, using finite element analysis and the NASA CARES/Life integrated design code. Suggested geometric redesigns and material selection are identified to enhance the reliability of the TE device.« less