cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leading-edge Flow Separation

This chapter discusses leading-edge flow separation. The separation of flow at the leading edge may influence the whole flow regime over a surface. At the leading edge, similar to the other cases of separation, because of the adverse pressure gradient, the viscous flow separates. Another subject of interest is leading-edge flow separation on a spike protruding in front of a blunt nose at supersonic speeds. Such a spike may be gainfully applied for a high-speed aircraft, reducing the drag and heat transfer rate. It can be used as an effective control device. The chapter discusses the subject of the leading-edge separation at subsonic speeds and the same subject at supersonic velocities. McGregor's theory on the leading-edge separation is based upon the balance of energy of the standing eddy downstream of the short bubble.
Enhancer variants synergistically drive dysfunction of a gene regulatory network in Hirschsprung disease

Common sequence variants in cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are suspected etiological causes of complex disorders. We previously identified an intronic enhancer variant in the RET gene disrupting SOX10 binding and increasing Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) risk 4-fold. We now show that two other functionally independent CRE variants, one binding Gata2 and the other binding Rarb, also reduce Ret expression and increase risk 2- and 1.7-fold. By studying human and mouse fetal gut tissues and cell lines, we demonstrate that reduced RET expression propagates throughout its gene regulatory network, exerting effects on both its positive and negative feedback components. We also provide evidence that the presence of a combination of CRE variants synergistically reduces RET expression and its effects throughout the GRN. These studies show how the effects of functionally independent non-coding variants in a coordinated gene regulatory network amplify their individually small effects, providing a model for complex disorders.
Winds and currents mission: Ability to observe mesoscale AIR/SEA coupling

The motivation for a satellite mission to measure surface winds (stress) and surface currents is described. The mission concept is explained, and a successful example is shown based on simulated satellite sampling of the output a high-resolution ocean model with and without anticipated measurement noise.
A Note on the Laboratory Simulation of Planetary Flows

The depth-averaged equations used frequently as a model for large scale motions in the ocean are shown to be the exact theory for quasi-geostrophic flows in special laboratory configurations. This analogy permits the simulation of certain planetary phenomena.
Clinical effectiveness in the diagnosis and acute management of pediatric nephrolithiasis

The incidence of pediatric nephrolithiasis has risen over the past few decades leading to a growing public health burden. Children and adolescents represent a unique patient population secondary to their higher risks from radiation exposure as compared to adults, high risk of recurrence, and longer follow up time given their longer life expectancies. Ultrasound imaging is the first-line modality for diagnosing suspected nephrolithiasis in children. Although data is limited, the best evidence based medicine supports the use of alpha-blockers as first-line MET in children, especially when stones are small and in a more distal ureteral location. Surgical management of pediatric nephrolithiasis is similar to that in adults with ESWL and URS first-line for smaller stones and PCNL reserved for larger renal stone burden. Clinical effectiveness in minimizing risks in children and adolescents with nephrolithiasis centers around ED pathways that limit CT imaging, strict guidance to ALARA principles or use of US during surgical procedures, and education of both patients and families on the risks of repeat ionizing radiation exposures during follow up and acute colic events.
Controlled wear process: modeling optimal control

Models for wear in which wear is a continuous increasing stochastic process are set up. Optimal control problems for these models are posed and explicitly solved in one case. >
Using Active Choice Within the Electronic Health Record to Increase Influenza Vaccination Rates

Background Despite the benefits of influenza vaccination, each year more than half of adults in the United States do not receive it.
Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation

AbstractVentilators are used to keep the domes of pyranometers clean and dry, but they affect the nighttime offset as well. This paper examines different ventilation strategies. For the several commercial single-black-detector pyranometers with ventilators examined here, high-flow-rate [50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and higher] 12-VDC (where VDC refers to voltage direct current) fans lower the offsets, lower the scatter, and improve the predictability of the offsets during the night compared with lower-flow-rate (35 CFM) 120-VAC (where VAC refers to voltage alternating current) fans operated in the same ventilator housings. Black-and-white pyranometers sometimes show improvement with DC ventilation, but in some cases DC ventilation makes the offsets slightly worse. Since the offsets for these black-and-white pyranometers are always small, usually no more than 1 W m−2, whether AC or DC ventilated, changing their ventilation to higher CFM DC ventilation is not imperative. Future work should include all maj...
Analytical methods for color and pungency of chiles (capsicums)

Publisher Summary The word “pungency” can be confusing. Some prefer “hot flavor,” heat, fiery, or spicy to that of pungency. In this chapter, the sensory response is identified as pungency and the substance responsible for pungency by its chemical name, capsaicm, dihydrocapsaicin, etc. The capsaicmoids can be analyzed or estimated by their physical or chemical characteristics, but the pungency of a chile product can only be validated through a correlation with the perceived heat associated with oral consumption. In this chapter, analytical methods for determining chile color and pungency are described. Early methods estimated the total concentrations of either pigment or pungency compounds using sensory evaluations or spectrophotometry. These techniques were primarily used for quality control checks in the food industry. However, as the food industry has evolved and become more competitive, precise methods to analyze quality components are necessary. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) facilitates the accurate separation and quantification of chile quality components. HPLC is rapidly replacing older methods of compositional analysis by the food and medicinal industries, especially in the area of pungency analysis.
Training Chinese-American Social Workers:

The learning needs of Chinese-American social workers are closely related to their cultural background. Four bilingual and bicultural issues—motivation for entering the social work profession, use ...
Predictors of Drug Shortages and Association with Generic Drug Prices: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract Background Prescription drug shortages can disrupt essential patient care and drive up drug prices. Objective To evaluate some predictors of shortages within a large cohort of generic drugs in the United States and to determine the association between drug shortages and changes in generic drug prices. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Outpatient prescription claims from commercial health plans between 2008 and 2014 were analyzed. Seven years of data were divided into fourteen 6-month periods; the first period was designated as the baseline period. The first model estimated the probability of experiencing a drug shortage using drug-specific competition levels, market sizes, formulations (e.g., capsules), and drug prices as predictors. The second model estimated the percentage change in drug prices from baseline on the basis of drug shortage duration. Results From 1.3 billion prescription claims, a cohort of 1114 generic drugs was identified. Low-priced generic drugs were at a higher risk for drug shortages compared with medium- and high-priced generic drugs, with odds ratios of 0.60 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44–0.82) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.52–0.99), respectively. Compared with periods of no shortage, drug shortages lasting less than 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months, and at least 18 months had corresponding price increases of 6.0% (95% CI 4.7-7.4), 10.9% (95% CI 8.5-13.4), 14.2% (95% CI 10.6-17.9), and 14.0% (95% CI 9.1-19.2), respectively. Conclusions Study findings may not be generalizable to drugs that became generic after 2008 or those commonly used in an inpatient setting. The lowest priced drugs are at a substantially elevated risk of experiencing a drug shortage. Periods of drug shortages were associated with modest increases in drug prices.
Effects of Steric Strain on the Preparation, Stability and Reactions of Aryl Anions and Amines

Steric effects as important contributors to the behavior of organic compounds were first identified by Kehrmann less than 100 years ago.1 The subsequent major developments were outlined by Brown in 1956.2 Since that time steric effects have become an important part of the fabric of organic chemistry and recent advances are highlighted in chapters in advanced textbooks.3,4 Steric effects have not always occupied a position of high regard, and the classic work since 1940 has altered indelibly the then prevailing view. The present-day organic chemist values and utilizes steric factors along with polar and resonance factors to account for chemical effects.
The Impact of Knowledge Inflows on the Performance of National Laboratories in Technological Latecomer Countries

i DEDICATION iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv LIST OF TABLES xiii LIST OF FIGURES xiv GLOSSARY OR LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS/SYMBOLS xvi
Inference Using Analysis of Variance for Comparing Multiple Means

This chapter discusses single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) which is mainly applied to compare three or more independent means. The words “single factor” refer to that the means are compared across levels of a “single” classification variable (i.e., classification of means by a single categorical variable). The classification variable is called independent variable or factor (thus, the method is also called single-factor ANOVA) and the outcome variable of which the means are compared is called dependent variable. This method requires certain assumptions: (1) the dependent variable values are the observations sampled from a normal distribution and (2) the population variances are equal (homoscedasticity) across the levels of the independent variable.
Single-Turn Air-Core Coils for High-Frequency Inductive Wireless Power Transfer

The efficiency of megahertz-frequency inductive wireless power transfer designs is currently limited by the quality factor of the resonant tanks and the coils. In this article, we use two-dimensional finite-element analysis to optimize the cross section of single-turn air-core inductors for this application and demonstrate coils for wireless power at high-frequency and very-high-frequency industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands. Our resonant tanks achieve diameter-normalized quality factors ( $\mathbf {Q_d}$ ) that are 25%–70% better than the state of the art for air-core coils at 6.78 MHz ( $\mathbf {Q_d = \text{73}\,\text{cm}^{-1}}$ ) and 13.56 MHz (102), and we show significant improvements at the 27.12 MHz (123) and 40.68 MHz (137) ISM bands. We highlight the importance of capacitor selection and the tank configuration for designing high- $Q$ resonant tanks and recover the increase of $Q$ with frequency that is missing from the existing literature. Furthermore, we show that maximizing height is not ideal for wireless power transfer applications and build high-performance coils at small heights. We integrate these coils into a wireless power transfer system at 6.78 MHz and 500 W output power, showcasing a maximum dc–dc efficiency above 89% with a gap (3 cm) equal to the coil radius, a significant efficiency improvement over existing work.
Lyme Disease in an Experimental Mouse Model

This study sought to define the route of inoculation necessary to establish infection or disease in susceptible C3H/HeJ mice and also, to determine the virulence of four Borrelia burgdorferi isolates. Our results indicate that experimental Lyme disease in mice can be caused by different isolates of B. burgdorferi isolated from different animal species and through different routes of infection. C3H/HeJ mice were used in our experiments since they are known to develop severe polyarthritis and carditis.31 We report borrelia induced arthritis, and, lesions in the heart, spleen, liver, skin and joints, and also the presence of whole or intact spirochetes in some of these organs. In our efforts to find a suitable animal model of Lyme disease we have been successful in demonstrating dermatological, cardiac and arthritic lesions of Lyme disease in C3H/HeJ mice. Based on these results we find that mice inoculated with low-passage tick isolates of B. burgdorferi develop spirochetaemia, multisystemic infection, and a high prevalence of polyarticular arthritis resembling Lyme disease in man. This paper provides a chronology of our progress in development of this potentially useful model.
What’s to Like? Facebook as a Tool for Survey Data Collection:

In this article, we explore the use of Facebook targeted advertisements for the collection of survey data. We illustrate the potential of survey sampling and recruitment on Facebook through the exa...
Failure to rescue after major abdominal surgery: The role of hospital safety net burden

Abstract Background We aimed to examine whether safety-net burden is a significant predictor of failure-to-rescue (FTR) after major abdominal surgery controlling for patient and hospital characteristics, including surgical volume. Methods Data were extracted from the 2007–2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. FTR was defined as mortality among patients experiencing major postoperative complications. Differences in rates of complications, mortality, and FTR across quartiles of safety-net burden were assessed with univariate analyses. Multilevel regression models were constructed to estimate the association between FTR and safety-net burden. Results Among 238,645 patients, the incidence of perioperative complications, in-hospital mortality, and FTR were 33.7%, 4.4%, and 11.8%, respectively. All the outcomes significantly increased across the quartiles of safety-net burden. In the multilevel regression analyses, safety-net burden was a significant predictor of FTR after adjustment for patient and hospital characteristics, including hospital volume. Conclusion Increasing hospital safety-net burden is associated with higher odds of FTR for major abdominal surgery.
Evaluating the Effect of Reach Out and Read on Clinic Values, Attitudes, and Knowledge.

OBJECTIVE Reach Out and Read is a primary care clinic-based early childhood literacy promotion program that facilitates discussion around literacy and encourages shared reading at home. No prior studies have examined the effect of program implementation on clinic staff and clinic values, attitudes, and knowledge related to early literacy. The hypothesis of this study was that Reach Out and Read implementation not only improves early childhood literacy promotion, but also improves aspects of the clinician's work environment. Understanding the potential effects of this program on clinic staff is important, since many clinics will implement this program in the near future. METHODS Semistructured key informant interviews were performed with 10 study clinics with Reach Out and Read and 7 control clinics. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed according to standard qualitative research protocol. Comparisons were made for differences in clinic morale and attitudes towards early childhood literacy. A secondary analysis examined practice and workplace changes in study clinics. RESULTS The coded transcripts showed that clinicians at the majority of the study clinics believed that the program boosted clinic morale, increased provider satisfaction, improved patient-clinician relationships, and promoted a literacy-rich environment. Compared to clinicians in control clinics, clinicians in study clinics were more likely to report that they played a large role in promoting literacy and reported having more consistent literacy discussion in visits. Funding was the only concern mentioned consistently by clinics with Reach Out and Read. CONCLUSION Understanding potential changes that can occur in clinics because of the Reach Out and Read program is crucial to help clinics adequately prepare for the implementation process. Knowing that this program has many advantages and few disadvantages in clinics may encourage more participation. Further studies should compare clinics with Reach Out and Read to those with no interest in the program to determine if results from this study can be more broadly generalized.
Case report: optimizing intraoperative detection of pulmonary embolism using contrast-enhanced echocardiography.

Purpose Perioperative pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Intraoperatively, the clinical management of patients with PE can be enhanced by the use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to visualize emboli, assess pulmonary artery (PA) anatomy, and monitor the function of the right ventricle. However, the sensitivity of intraoperative TEE to detect thromboemboli is reported to be below 50%. In this report, we describe the use of contrastenhanced TEE (CE-TEE) to improve the visualization of PE.
Chapter 11 – Listeria

Listeria monocytogenes is an important Gram-positive foodborne pathogen responsible for causing diseases with a high mortality rate in the elderly, pregnant women, neonates, and immunocompromised populations. L. monocytogenes is ubiquitously present in nature and has been isolated from various types of foods. It is especially a challenge in ready-to-eat (RTE) or minimally processed foods that support listerial growth. DNA-based detection and molecular subtyping methods provide important resources for tracking L. monocytogenes contamination throughout the RTE food chain. Combinations of interventions, such as testing and sanitation of food contact surfaces, control of storage temperatures and periods, and use of growth inhibitors in RTE foods that support L. monocytogenes growth are suggested to control L. monocytogenes contamination in the RTE food chain. In addition, a better understanding of the ecology and biology of L. monocytogenes, with a focus on virulence and stress response systems that facilitate transmission through diverse environments encountered by L. monocytogenes, will further facilitate the control of this important foodborne pathogen.
Optimizing the Radiology Experience through Radiologist-Patient Interaction.

Objective The goal of this survey-based study is to explore patients' knowledge of and expectations for radiologists in the outpatient setting. Materials and Methods A comprehensive survey was distributed to adult patients undergoing knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over a one-year period from September 2015 through August 2016 at an urban, quaternary care academic medical center. Results The survey results demonstrate that only a subset of patients undergoing knee MRI at the institution during the survey period are aware of the role of the radiologist, which is a well-documented fact described in the literature. Approximately one-third of patients expected to meet the radiologist during their visit to the department of radiology to undergo a knee MRI. The vast majority of patients surveyed wanted to be able to contact the person who read their exam, but only one patient actually contacted the radiologist during the study period. Conclusion While the vast majority of surveyed patients wanted to be able to contact the person who read their knee MRI, only one patient actually did reach out to the radiologist to discuss findings. However, six of 36 follow-up respondents reported that they had contacted the person "who interpreted/read your exam:" two in person, one by email, three by phone, and one by other. Survey results demonstrated that only a subset of patients correctly understood the role of the radiologist (46% in the 1st survey and 63% in the 2nd survey, which does not represent a statistically significant difference), which suggests that perhaps the patients did have a conversation with a member of the radiology department staff whom they believed was actually the radiologist. The fact that patients expressed a desire to communicate with the person reading their reports, but then did not take advantage of the opportunity to contact the radiologist, suggests that the issue is more complicated than just a lack of a pathway for communication between patients and radiologists. Perhaps the lack of a clear understanding of the role of the radiologist hinders patients from contacting radiologists, as they feel uncertain as to whom they are actually attempting to reach. Or perhaps patients are sufficiently reassured by having a means through which they could contact the radiologist and do not require the actual communication in order to feel comfortable. There remains a significant amount of work to be done in understanding the barriers in patient-radiologist communications.
Evaluation of the Moisture Dependence of Concrete Coefficient of Thermal Expansion and Its Impacts on Thermal Deformations and Stresses of Concrete Pavements

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is one of the material properties of concrete that has the largest impact on rigid pavement performance. Concrete CTE is typically measured in the laborat...
Modeling of asphaltene deposition during oil/gas flow in wellbore

Abstract Asphaltene deposition occurs in production lines and leads to a reduction in the production rate due to the contraction of the area. Besides, remedies to treat the deposition costs the industry a high expenditure because of the chemical and the physical removal techniques that may require a partial shutdown of the system. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately predict the rate of deposition to assist in minimizing and controlling this issue. To do so, factors contributing to the precipitation and deposition of asphaltenes must be accounted for, especially pressure and temperature. However, most models available in the literature assume a single-phase flow scenario to predict the thickness of asphaltene, which may lead to some discrepancies. Predicting pressure and temperature gradients in the wellbores during multi-phase flow using single-phase assumptions may cause a significant margin of error. In this study, a robust model is developed to predict the pressure, temperature, and asphaltene deposition simultaneously during multiphase flow in wellbores. The model predicts these variables with an acceptable margin of error when verified against experimental data available in the literature. It predicted the pressure against experimental data with a root-mean-square error of less than 1 psi for various flow patterns and the temperature profile with a root-mean-square error of 0.58 °F. Furthermore, a detailed analysis is conducted to investigate the effect of flow pattern, time, and gas flow rate on the thickness of the deposited layer of asphaltenes.
The five seasons of Brasília

In Joao Almino’s novel The Five Seasons of Love , the construction of prose accompanies the material construction of modernity. Characters must find and re-define themselves in a space of strangeness and estrangement. Their stories are allegories of transformation in a place without history. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AS CINCO ESTACOES DE BRASILIA No romance de Joao Almino, As cinco estacoes do amor , a construcao da prosa acompanha a construcao material da modernidade. Os personagens precisam redefinir-se e encontrar-se num espaco de estranhamen­to e alienacao. As suas historias sao alegorias de transformacao num espaco sem historia. --- Original em ingles.
Structure of disordered TiO 2 phases from ab initio based deep neural network simulations

Amorphous ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ (a-${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$) is widely used in many fields, ranging from photoelectrochemistry to bioengineering, hence detailed knowledge of its atomic structure is of scientific and technological interest. Here we use an ab initio-based deep neural network potential (DP) to simulate large scale atomic models of crystalline and disordered ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ with molecular dynamics. Our DP reproduces the structural properties of all 11 ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ crystalline phases, predicts the densities and structure factors of molten and amorphous ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ with only a few percent deviation from experiments, and describes the pressure dependence of the amorphous structure in agreement with recent observations. It can be extended to model additional structures and compositions, and can be thus of great value in the study of ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$-based nanomaterials.
Fuller Defenses and Partial Critiques: a Discussion of “Ectogestation and the Problem of Abortion”

In this commentary, I discuss Christopher Stratman’s article, “Ecotogenesis and the Problem of Abortion.” First, I try to offer some better defenses of assertions that Stratman makes. Next, I question Stratman’s supposition that “there is no morally relevant difference between a fetus and a cryopreserved embryo.” Finally, I challenge the claim that immoral actions cannot give rise to rights.
Insights into Molecular Magnetism in Metal-Metal Bonded Systems as Revealed by a Spectroscopic and Computational Analysis of Diiron Complexes.

A pair of bimetallic compounds featuring Fe-Fe bonds, [Fe(iPrNPPh2)3FeR] (R = PMe3, ≡NtBu), have been investigated using High-Frequency Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (HFEPR) as well as field- and temperature-dependent 57Fe nuclear γ resonance (Mossbauer) spectroscopy. To gain insight into the local site electronic structure, we have concurrently studied a compound containing a single Fe(II) in a geometry analogous to that of one of the dimer sites. Our spectroscopic studies have allowed for the assessment of the electronic structure via the determination of the zero-field splitting and 57Fe hyperfine parameters for the entire series. We also report on our efforts to correlate structure with physical properties in metal-metal bonded systems using ligand field theory guided by quantum chemical calculations. Through the insight gained in this study, we discuss strategies for the design of single-molecule magnets based on polymetallic compounds linked via direct metal-metal bonds.
Reintegrating Rebels into Civilian Life: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Burundi

Considerable resources are devoted to ex-combatant reintegration programs in current peace processes, but evidence on their effectiveness remains thin. We use original survey data to study an ex-combatant reintegration program implemented after Burundi's 1993-2004 civil war. Previous quantitative studies have found reintegration programs to be ineffective, but only ex-combatants who self-selected into programs were studied. We avoid such selection problems with a quasi-experimental design exploiting an exogenous bureaucratic failure. We find the program resulted in a 20 to 35 percentage point reduction in poverty incidence among ex-combatants and moderate improvement in livelihoods. But this economic boost does not seem to have caused political reintegration: while we find a modest increase in propensities to report civilian life as preferable to combatant life, we find no evidence that the program contributed to either more satisfaction with the peace process or a more positive disposition toward current...
Effect of Respiratory Disease on Weight Gain and Infrared Thermal Profiles in Feeder Cattle

Respiratory disease is the most costly disease of feeder cattle, and remains a major, ongoing concern for health care providers and feedlot operators. Currently, rectal temperature, feed intake, and visual appraisal are used to assess an animal's clinical condition and response to treatment. Marked physiological events associated with disease, adaptation to rations, and acute and chronic stress can modify heat loss or alter blood flow to the body surface and change metabolism in underlying muscle tissues. These changes can lead to alterations in the amount of radiant energy lost to the environment. Thermal imaging measures the amount of infrared radiation on the surface of an animal. Scanning animals with an infrared camera could detect changes in radiant energy loss associated with physiological and pathological events resulting from respiratory disease. This study evaluated the effect on performance and radiant energy loss wrought by clinical illness in feeder cattle with acute respiratory disease.
Absence of muricholic acid due to Cyp2c-deficiency protects against high fat diet-induced obesity in male mice but promotes liver damage

ABSTRACT Objective Murine-specific muricholic acids (MCAs) are reported to protect against obesity and associated metabolic disorders. However, the response of mice with genetic depletion of MCA to an obesogenic diet has not been evaluated. We used Cyp2c-deficient (Cyp2c−/−) mice, which lack MCAs and thus have a human-like bile acid (BA) profile, to directly investigate the potential role of MCAs in diet-induced obesity. Methods Male and female Cyp2c−/− mice and wild-type controls were fed a standard chow diet or a high fat diet (HFD) for 18 weeks. We measured BA composition from a pool of liver, gallbladder, and intestine, as well as weekly body weight, food intake, lean and fat mass, systemic glucose homeostasis, energy expenditure, intestinal lipid absorption, fecal lipid, and energy content. Results Cyp2c deficiency depleted MCAs and caused other changes in BA composition, namely a decrease in the ratio of 12α-hydroxylated (12α-OH) BAs to non-12α-OH BAs, without altering the total BA levels. While wild-type male mice became obese after HFD-feeding, Cyp2c−/− male mice were protected from obesity and associated metabolic dysfunctions. Cyp2c−/− male mice also showed reduced intestinal lipid absorption and increased lipid excretion, which was reversed by oral gavage with the 12α-OH BA, taurocholic acid. Cyp2c−/− mice also showed increased liver damage, which appeared stronger in females. Conclusion MCA does not protect against diet-induced obesity but may protect against liver injury. Reduced lipid absorption in Cyp2c-deficient male mice is potentially due to a reduced ratio of 12α-OH/non-12α-OH BAs.
Hesitancy in the time of coronavirus: Temporal, spatial, and sociodemographic variations in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

Leveraging nationally representative survey data on 443,680 respondents from January to March 2021, this study examines the temporal, spatial, and sociodemographic variations in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. Findings reveal multidimensional determinants of vaccination intentions involving confidence, complacency, and circumspection factors. Using descriptive analyses and multilevel mixed-effects regression models, we find persistent partisan divide across states and significant racial disparities, with Blacks more likely to develop vaccine hesitancy due to confidence and circumspection than Whites. Vaccine hesitancy among Blacks declines dramatically across time but varies little across states, indicating new directions to effectively address inequalities in vaccination. Results also show nuanced gender differences, with women more likely to develop hesitancy due to circumspection and men more likely to have hesitancy due to complacency. Moreover, we find important intersection between race, gender, and education that calls for efforts to adequately address the concerns of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
“Exclusionary Discipline and School Crime: Do Suspensions Make Schools Safer?”:

The practice of temporarily removing students from school as a form of punishment (i.e., suspensions) remains quite common. This study uses longitudinal data from a large, urban school district in ...
Racial and ethnic differences in foveal avascular zone in diabetic and nondiabetic eyes revealed by optical coherence tomography angiography

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial and ethnic differences in retinal microvasculature are detectable with quantitative measures derived from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods OCTA scans and fundus photography were obtained in 447 eyes from 271 patients with and without diabetes between April and October 2018. Fundus photos were graded by the hospital reading center for diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity. Eight OCTA parameters relating to the foveal avascular zone (FAZ), superficial vascular perfusion, and deep vascular perfusion were analyzed for significant differences between race and ethnicity groups, self-reported by patients and organized according to National Center for Health Statistics groupings. Multiple regression was then used to adjust estimates for possible confounding by age, gender, hypertension, and last hemoglobin A1c level. Results Significant differences in FAZ area were found between white and non-white patients. After adjustment, the differences between white and all non-white groups were statistically significant (p<0.05) among patients with mild to moderate DR. In those without diabetes, the Hispanic and Asian groups had significantly larger FAZ areas (p<0.005) than NH white patients. In those with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), NH Black, Hispanic, and Asian patients also had significantly larger FAZ areas than NH white patients (p<0.005). Conclusion Significant differences in FAZ area exist among different racial and ethnic groups. These results highlight the importance of considering and further studying race and ethnicity in OCTA analyses of the retinal microvasculature.
Placenta Accreta Spectrum

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) refers to the range of pathologic adherence of the placenta to the uterine myometrium, including the placenta accreta, increta, and percreta. The incidence of PAS is rising primarily because of an increase in related risk factors, such as the rate of cesarean deliveries and pregnancies resulting from assisted reproductive technology. The maternal risks associated with PAS are significant, including hemorrhage, hysterectomy, and death. Fetal and neonatal risks are primarily the result of premature delivery. Antenatal diagnosis via ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging remains imperfect. Management of PAS varies, however, and there is a clear improvement in maternal outcomes with an antenatal diagnosis compared with unexpected diagnosis at the time of delivery. Studies that evaluate the balance between maternal and fetal/neonatal risks of expectant management versus preterm delivery have found that planned delivery between 34 and 35 weeks’ gestation optimizes outcomes. Multidisciplinary PAS care teams have become the norm and recommended approach to management, given the complexity of caring for this obstetrical condition. Although significant advances have been made over the years, large knowledge gaps remain in understanding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and clinical management.
Micro heat spreader enhanced heat transfer in MCMs

The peak thermal power generated in microelectronics assemblies has risen from less than 1 W/cm/sup 2/ in 1980 to greater than 40 W/cm/sup 2/ today, due primarily to increasing densities at both the IC and packaging levels. We have demonstrated enhanced heat transfer in a prototype Si substrate with a backside micro heat channel structure. Unlike conventional micro heat pipes, these channels are biaxial with a greater capacity for fluid transfer. Thermal modeling and preliminary experiments have shown an equivalent increase in substrate thermal conductivity to over 500 W/m.K, or a four times improvement. Optimization of the structure and alternative liquids will further increase the thermal conductivity of the micro heat channel substrate with the objective being polycrystalline diamond, or about 1200 W/m.K. The crucial design parameters for the micro heat channel system and the thermal characteristics of the system are covered.
Studies in cryoprotection: I. A simple method for the controlled introduction and removal of cryoprotective agents during organ perfusion

A method is presented for the introduction and removal of cyroprotective agents from kidneys, utilizing the principle of gradual addition and elution during continuous perfusion. The method differs from those described previously in that it utilizes a standard perfusion machine (Water MOX 100) and a motorized syringe pump; both of which are widely available in laboratories involved in clinical and experimental organ preservation. In addition, a simple method for measuring vascular resistance is described which relies on a comparison of flow rates through the perfused organs to that through a fixed resistance. The utility of this approach is illustrated by studies of organ function and vascular resistance.
Identification of a cis-acting element in human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) that is responsive to the HIV-1 rev and human T-cell leukemia virus types I and II rex proteins.

A simian virus 40 late replacement vector encoding human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 (pGP120) was used to define a region within the HIV-2 genome that could work as a rev-responsive element (RRE). Our previous work showed that gp120 expression in this system required a functional RRE in cis and required the rev protein in trans (M.-L. Hammarskjold, J. Heimer, B. Hammarskjold, I. Sangwan, L. Albert, and D. Rekosh, J. Virol. 63:1959-1966, 1989). Using pGP120, we first mapped an RRE to a 1,042-base-pair (bp) Sau3a fragment in the env region of HIV-2. Both HIV-1 rev (rev1) and HIV-2 rev (rev2) could work in conjunction with this fragment. Further mapping showed that a 272-bp subfragment within the 1,042-bp region was sufficient as an RRE. Surprisingly, the smaller fragment worked only with the rev1 protein and not with its homologous rev2 protein. In addition, the rev2 protein failed to function together with the RRE from HIV-1. We also utilized this system to examine the ability of the rex genes of human T-cell leukemia virus types I and II to functionally substitute for rev. These experiments showed that complementation by both the rexI and rexII proteins required the presence of an RRE. The rex proteins worked well in conjunction with either the HIV-1 or the HIV-2 RRE (the 1,042-bp as well as the 272-bp fragment).
The Obfuscation Executive

Code obfuscations are semantics-preserving code transfor- mations used to protect a program from reverse engineering. There is gen- erally no expectation of complete, long-term, protection. Rather, there is a trade-off between the protection afforded by an obfuscation (i.e. the amount of resources an adversary has to expend to overcome the layer of confusion added by the transformation) and the resulting performance overhead. In this paper we examine the problems that arise when constructing an Obfuscation Executive. This is the main loop in charge of a) selecting the part of the application to be obfuscated next, b) choosing the best transformation to apply to this part, c) evaluating how much confusion and overhead has been added to the application, and d) deciding when the obfuscation process should terminate.
Role of disease risk scores in comparative effectiveness research with emerging therapies.

Special challenges apply to the control of confounding in studies of the safety and effectiveness of new and evolving therapies. Many covariates can influence choices among alternative therapies, and prescriber preferences often evolve quickly during the period of early experience with a specific drug or dose.1 Especially in early follow-up, there are typically relatively few study outcomes. This setting of evolving prescriber preferences and relatively few outcomes can limit the use of both traditional multivariable models and propensity scores as approaches to obtain unbiased estimates of relative treatment effects. Whether one uses a case-control or prospective study design to compare outcomes across treatment groups, the number of potential confounders included in a standard regression approach is limited by the number of study endpoints. For example, reliable estimation in both logistic regression and proportional hazards models requires no more than one covariate (counting separately interaction and higher-order terms) for every 10 study outcomes.2 This can lead investigators to prioritize potential confounders and exclude some of theoretical relevance from multivariable analyses, leading to suboptimal confounder control. Propensity scores are a valuable strategy to reduce the dimension of potential confounding variables and can be particularly useful when there are relatively few study endpoints.3,4 However, with new and evolving therapies, a prescriber’s preference regarding the characteristics of patients who indicate a specific drug choice is likely to change, and at varying rates across providers. Patients may also have varying attitudes about use of new therapies. Such evolving relationships of specific characteristics with treatment choices imply absence of a sharply defined propensity score, and can lead investigators to consideration of time-varying propensity scores.5 Additionally, if some variables are related to treatment choice but not study outcomes, these instruments are best not included in the propensity score,6–8 but their identification in the setting of newly evolving therapies is challenging. With these challenges to multivariable analysis and propensity score estimation, a disease risk score can be a useful tool for confounder control. Here we provide some background on the use of the disease risk score in epidemiology, consider controversies regarding its estimation, note the balancing properties of this score, and illustrate the development of a disease risk score with examples from the use of statins, including high-intensity statin regimens, after myocardial infarction.
Christina Alt. Virginia Woolf and the Study of Nature.

Virginia Woolf has a growing reputation as a common reader of science studies, as they moved out of the Victorian era and developed through the first four decades of the twentieth century. She inhe...
Using MySQL and JDBC in new teaching methods for undergraduate database systems courses

This paper describes how the open source database software MySQL and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) are used in new teaching methods for undergraduate Database Systems courses. Traditionally, the content of these courses include database design and an implementation using SQL. The wide spread use of database in ecommerce demands a different approach for teaching students, who, are not only interested in database, but also in programming database in Web application development. We have complementarily blended SQL and Java to enhance students' learning and understanding of Database Systems and its programming. The lab component uses MySQL which can be installed on different operating systems. Java is used for building GUIs and transaction processing in the term project. Database connectivity and transaction processing via embedding SQL statements in Java are achieved using JDBC and MySQL Connector/J driver. Course components are evaluated based on feedback from students who completed the course.
Duodenal stump leak following a duodenal switch: A case report.

Introduction Duodenal switch (DS) is a superior choice for surgical weight loss in the super obese patient population. However, there is an associated risk of adverse events following a DS procedure including vitamin deficiencies, bleeding, obstruction, stricture, and leakage.
"Gestaute Bedeutung": Robert Musil and the Aesthetic Order of Sense

This paper examines the nature of aesthetic experience in the garden chapters of Robert Musil’s Man without Qualities . Focusing on the perception of images in the text, I discuss how Musil’s rhetoric subverts the conventional understanding of perception as mimesis by emphasizing the materiality of the image, as well as the stability of the subject-object relationship. In the aesthetic “order of sense” (Cassirer), the material grounding of sensuality is shown to transcend the laws of the empirical world. Secondly, I analyze the relationship between desire and aesthetic experience. I argue that the latter is characterized by the production of desire aimed at an appropriation and full comprehension of the aesthetic object. Based on the inherent paradoxes grounded in the perception of images, this desire remains unfulfilled, thereby yielding what Musil calls an “experience of pent-up meaning.”
Electromagnetic coupling of microstrip lines and coplanar waveguides to multilayer lossy media

The spectral-domain method is used to analyze the electromagnetic surface-wave-type coupling of microstrip lines and coplanar waveguides to multilayer lossy dielectric media. Detailed analysis of these coupling characteristics and the role of a thin superstrate layer of lossless material in controlling this coupling are important in fully developing the application of microstrip circuit technology in medical and geophysical applications. Numerical results obtained for the dispersion characteristics were found to be in excellent agreement with published data in special cases of coplanar waveguides and slot lines. Results for the spatial distribution of the various field components in a lossy medium are, however, more involved. Specifically it was noticed that the presence of a superstrate of lossless dielectric medium significantly enhances the axial electric field component, thus facilitating a surface-wave type coupling with exponential decay to the lossy medium. >
Comprehensive assessment of cancer missense mutation clustering in protein structures

Large-scale tumor sequencing projects enabled the identification of many new cancer gene candidates through computational approaches. Here, we describe a general method to detect cancer genes based on significant 3D clustering of mutations relative to the structure of the encoded protein products. The approach can also be used to search for proteins with an enrichment of mutations at binding interfaces with a protein, nucleic acid, or small molecule partner. We applied this approach to systematically analyze the PanCancer compendium of somatic mutations from 4,742 tumors relative to all known 3D structures of human proteins in the Protein Data Bank. We detected significant 3D clustering of missense mutations in several previously known oncoproteins including HRAS, EGFR, and PIK3CA. Although clustering of missense mutations is often regarded as a hallmark of oncoproteins, we observed that a number of tumor suppressors, including FBXW7, VHL, and STK11, also showed such clustering. Beside these known cases, we also identified significant 3D clustering of missense mutations in NUF2, which encodes a component of the kinetochore, that could affect chromosome segregation and lead to aneuploidy. Analysis of interaction interfaces revealed enrichment of mutations in the interfaces between FBXW7-CCNE1, HRAS-RASA1, CUL4B-CAND1, OGT-HCFC1, PPP2R1A-PPP2R5C/PPP2R2A, DICER1-Mg2+, MAX-DNA, SRSF2-RNA, and others. Together, our results indicate that systematic consideration of 3D structure can assist in the identification of cancer genes and in the understanding of the functional role of their mutations.