cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Worksite Exercise Programs: Why Do Employees Participate?

Worksite wellness interventions have been a part of companies’ health care offerings to address prevalent health risks such as obesity and physical inactivity. To enhance engagement, participation ...
Modified hydrogels to enhance cellular therapy for aki: A translational challenge

Numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated that the treatment of various models of AKI with either bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal or stem cells (MSCs) or their adipose-derived equivalent (ASCs) affords significant renoprotection and stimulates repair and functional recovery through the
Energy production advantage of independent subcell connection for multijunction photovoltaics

Increasing the number of subcells in a multijunction or “spectrum splitting” photovoltaic improves efficiency under the standard AM1.5D design spectrum, but it can lower efficiency under spectra that differ from the standard if the subcells are connected electrically in series. Using atmospheric data and the SMARTS multiple scattering and absorption model, we simulated sunny day spectra over 1 year for five locations in the United States and determined the annual energy production of spectrum splitting ensembles with 2–20 subcells connected electrically in series or independently. While electrically independent subcells have a small efficiency advantage over series-connected ensembles under the AM1.5D design spectrum, they have a pronounced energy production advantage under realistic spectra over 1 year. Simulated energy production increased with subcell number for the electrically independent ensembles, but it peaked at 8–10 subcells for those connected in series. Electrically independent ensembles with 20 subcells produce up to 27% more energy annually than the series-connected 20-subcell ensemble. This energy production advantage persists when clouds are accounted for.
Implementation and evaluation of treatments for children and adolescents with conduct problems: Findings, challenges, and future directions

AbstractObjective: The intervention work of our clinical-research team has focused on the treatment of children and young adolescents referred for Conduct Disorder or Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Method: We have evaluated two interventions: parent management training (PMT) and cognitive problem-solving skills training in several randomized controlled clinical trials. Results: Our findings have indicated the treatments, alone or in combination, produce reliable and significant reductions in oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behaviour and increases in prosocial behaviour among children. Parent dysfunction (depression, multiple symptom domains) and stress decline and family relations improve as well. Apart from outcome studies, we have studied the therapeutic alliance, factors that influence dropping out and retaining cases, and variations of treatment delivery (e.g., computer based, reduced therapist contact). Conclusions: The article considers challenges in conducting controlled trials in clinic s...
High Rate of Early Posterior Capsule Opacification following Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery.

Purpose: To compare the rates of rapid posterior capsule opacification (PCO) formation in the first 3 months following femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) to manual anterior capsulorhexis. Methods: Retrospective review of 29 cases of FLACS, comparing the rates of PCO in the first 3 months following surgery to 50 consecutive cases of manual anterior capsulorhexis. Results: Seven of the 29 FLACS cases developed PCO requiring capsulotomy at 3 months, while none of the control cases required a capsulotomy over the same time period (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There is an increased incidence of early-onset PCO following the use of femtosecond laser in cataract surgery that is otherwise unfounded in manual capsulorhexis. This suggests that the use of a femtosecond laser could increase the risk of this novel postoperative complication.
eFuse Design and Reliability

Summary form only given. Programmable eFuse designs present an integration challenge in modern CMOS processing. The power level to program a fuse, and the programming methodologies leverage reliability mechanisms which all other elements in a design avoid. A high degree of eFuse process control and circuit design is required in order to guarantee operation. Almost all eFuse types are one time programmable and are limited to "one chance" programmable. This tutorial discussed selected eFuse technologies describing the design philosophy electrical programming and characterization, the physics of failure, and some of the many applications an on chip programmable element provides.
Prospects for trachoma elimination through mass treatment targeted at children

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness, with young children typically showing the highest prevalence. Targeting treatment to children less than 10 years of age has previously been shown to reduce trachoma prevalence across an entire community, suggesting that a targeted strategy may efficiently eliminate trachoma. We constructed a mathematical model of trachoma transmission assuming two age classes (child and adult) and two infection statuses (susceptible and infected). Age-specific parameters for trachoma transmission and recovery were estimated using an accept/reject procedure fitted to data from the TANA clinical trial in Ethiopia. Based on the best fitting parameter sets, periodic administration of azithromycin targeted to children at varying coverage was simulated over 10 years for 10,000 simulations to assess its impact on population-level trachoma prevalence. Using quarterly azithromycin coverage in children as achieved in the TANA study, 99% of simulations resulted in trachoma elimination over 10 years. For a conservative estimate, biannual treatment at 50% coverage resulted in 74% of simulations achieving elimination. A scenario of quarterly treatment with 70% azithromycin coverage resulted in 100% of simulations achieving elimination. These results suggest that children could potentially form a core group for transmission treatment target.
Lignin-assisted double acoustic irradiation for concentrated aqueous dispersions of carbon nanotubes

The full potential of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), one of the most widely used nanomaterials to date, still remains to be realized, and the dispersion of CNTs is one of the main challenging tasks for many practical applications. Lignin, one of the most abundant renewable polymers, has recently been investigated as a potential dispersant to prepare CNT suspensions. The present study provides a benchmark of the effectiveness of lignin in dispersing CNTs compared to typical petrochemical surfactants. Aqueous dispersions of CNTs are characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, optical, and electronic microscopy. The influence of dispersant concentration, sonication energy, surfactant mixtures, CNT morphology and oxidation are thoroughly examined. The use of a double acoustic irradiation system combining both bath and probe sonication is also investigated as a promising way to improve dispersion quality and reduce processing time. Results demonstrate that lignin-assisted double sonication represents a major low-cost and renewable alternative to prepare stable and concentrated suspensions of individualized CNTs.
Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging for Targeting: Correlation with Histology

Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is a novel, ultrasonic elasticity imaging modality that has been developed to improve ultrasonic imaging performance to delineate clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa). Overly aggressive PCa treatment can have negative outcomes for patients and places an excessive burden on our healthcare system. The inability to identify and grade clinically significant PCa lesions is a contributing factor to excessively aggressive PCa treatment, including radical prostatectomy, and reduces the use of more focal, prostate-sparing procedures, such as cryotherapy and high-dose radiation therapy. We have performed three-dimensional in vivo B-mode and ARFI imaging using a mechanically rotated, side-fire endorectal imaging array in 29 patients being treated with radical prostatectomies for biopsy-confirmed PCa. Whole-mount histopathology was evaluated postoperatively to identify regions of clinically significant/insignificant PCa lesions, atrophy, and benign prostatic hyperplasia. ARFI imaging regions of suspicion (ROS) for PCa were identified using boundary delineation, contrast, texture, and location. These ROS were compared to histopathology-identified lesions using a nearest-neighbor regional localization approach; 71.4 % of all clinically significant lesions identified on histopathology were also identified using ARFI imaging (79.3 % posterior and 33.3 % anterior) and 79.3 % of ARFI-identified lesions were clinically significant PCa, with these lesions having higher indices of suspicion than clinically insignificant PCa. ARFI imaging had greater posterior gland sensitivity due to greater displacement SNR and higher spatial resolution in this region. Atrophy and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can cause appreciable prostate anatomy distortion and heterogeneity that complicates ARFI PCa lesion identification; however, overall, ARFI ROS did not coincide with these benign pathologies.
Abstract 233: Quantification of Histological and Biomechanical Properties of Tissue-Engineered Vascular Graft in Inferior Vena Cava

Background: We developed the first tissue engineered vascular graft (TEVG) for use in congenital heart surgery and confirmed its significant potential via an initial clinical trial (Shinoka et al., JTCVS 2005). The primary complication of TEVG at medium term was stenosis attributed to suboptimal neovessel remodeling, which necessitated an investigation of the mechanics and mechanobiology to predict diverse aspects of the neovessel formation. Here we present the novel tools to investigate the evolving biomechanical properties of TEVG in a mouse inferior vena cava (IVC) replacement model. Hypothesis: The biomechanical properties of a TEVG evolve nonlinearly in time from a construct-dominated stiffness to a neovessel dominated stiffness. Novel biaxial biomechanical tests are required to quantify such changes rigorously. Method: Thirty-six CB17 SCID/beige mice were implanted with TEVG (PGA + P[CL/LA]) as IVC interposition graft. Twelve tissue engineered neovessels were harvested at 2, 6, and 12 weeks after implantation. Neovessels were characterized biomechanically using a custom, computer-controlled biaxial testing device, and compared with native veins. Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the neovessel was characterized histologically, biochemically, and molecular biologically. Result: The biaxial data revealed an improved compliance of the neovessel over time. Similarly, the axial stretch response of the TEVG became more like the native vein at 12 weeks. This response was quantified as a ratio of neo-vessel to native vein and improved to reach 52% at 12 weeks from 11% at 2 weeks. Scaffold mass in vivo, estimated by remaining scaffold on histology, showed a significant decline at 6 and 12 weeks. Gene expression of both type I and III collagen peaked at 2 weeks, and total collagen mass quantified by a Sircol™ assay revealed that total collagen peaked at 2 weeks but decreased gradually to the level of native vein. Gene expression of both tropoelastin and fibrillin-1 peaked at 2 weeks, whereas elastin mass quantified by Fastin™ assay showed a delayed peak level of elastin at 6 weeks. Gene expression of MMP-2 and 9 peaked at 6 and 2 weeks, respectively, implicating robust ECM remodeling at early time points. Conclusion: Our novel histo-mechanical approach is the first to show that neovessel formation is a dynamic process characterized by progressive degradation of the scaffold and increased ECM remodeling, which yields biomechanical properties of the TEVG similar to native vessel within 12 weeks in vivo.
Contrasting canopy and fibrous root damage on Swingle citrumelo caused by ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ and Phytophthora nicotianae

Huanglongbing (HLB), associated with the phloem-limited bacterium, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (Las), is devastating trees in Florida citrus orchards. Phytophthora nicotianae (P.n.), omnipresent in citrus soils, causes root rot that reduces water and nutrient uptake by fibrous roots. To investigate fibrous root damage and replacement and canopy size in relation to infection of fibrous roots by P.n. and Las, rootstock seedlings of Swingle citrumelo (C. paradisi Macfad. × Poncirus trifoliata [L.] Raf.) were inoculated with Las or P.n. in two greenhouse pot trials. P.n. caused root damage within 5 weeks post inoculation, which led to greater reduction of canopy size than for Las-infected seedlings by the end of the experiment. Las increased fibrous root biomass accumulation at 5 weeks post root trimming (wpt) in the 2014 trial and at 11 wpt in the 2015 trial. New root length was not consistently increased by Las. Reduced total leaf area of asymptomatic Las-infected seedlings compared to non-inoculated controls might be due to the combined effect of altered carbohydrate allocation between shoots and roots and altered leaf morphology. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Phosphorus Limitation, Uptake, and Turnover in Benthic Stream Algae

Abstract Phosphorus is essential for life and is often considered either the primary limiting or colimiting nutrient in freshwater ecosystems. In this chapter, we describe experiments that examine how to (1) assess whether or not benthic stream algal growth is limited by phosphorus; (2) measure phosphorus uptake from stream water by benthic algae; and (3) measure turnover rates of phosphorus mediated by benthic algae. Although we use the term “benthic algae,” we recognize that the benthic community consists of much more than algae, and this caveat is acknowledged throughout the chapter. Our experimental design involves sampling benthic algae from high-phosphorus and low-phosphorus streams to determine how the communities differ in their nutrient dynamics.
Multi-armed bandits in multi-agent networks

This paper addresses the multi-armed bandit problem in a multi-player framework. Players explore a finite set of arms with stochastic rewards, and the reward distribution of each arm is player-dependent. The goal is to find the best global arm, i.e., the one with the largest expected reward when averaged out among players. To achieve this goal, we develop a distributed variant of the well-known UCB1 algorithm. Confined to a network structure, players exchange information locally to estimate the global rewards, while using a confidence bound relying on the network characteristics. Then, at each round, each player votes for an arm, and the majority vote is played as the network action. The whole network gains the reward of the network action, hoping to maximize the global welfare. The performance of the algorithm is measured via the notion of network regret. We prove that the regret scales logarithmically with respect to time horizon and inversely in the spectral gap of the network. Our algorithm is optimal in the sense that in a complete network it scales down the regret of its single-player counterpart by the network size. We demonstrate numerical experiments to verify our theoretical results.
Tempered strength: A controlled experiment assessing opportunity costs of adding temper to clay

Abstract The addition of pottery additives (temper) provides both production-based benefits gained during the initial vessel formation phase, and performance-based benefits associated with post-firing vessel daily use. This paper presents the results of a controlled archaeological experiment designed to assess the opportunity costs associated with the addition of temper to clay during prehistoric pottery production sequences. Specifically, this study builds upon earlier research using material science methods to more broadly assess whether vessel strength is sacrificed by the addition of temper into the clay body. Standardized experimental ceramic test specimens, based directly upon petrographic analysis of archaeological samples from a regional context (South Central Ohio, USA) and produced using glacially-deposited illite-based clay, were subjected to mechanical strength tests using an Instron Series IX universal testing machine. The results demonstrate that there are indeed opportunity costs associated with temper addition: lost potential strength and reduced vessel use-life. Overall, untempered samples were significantly stronger than samples tempered with the most commonly used regional tempers—grit, limestone, and burnt shell—in terms of peak load and modulus of rupture. In other words, the results presented here suggest that prehistoric potters were losing the opportunity to create significantly stronger vessels in favor of the benefits that come with the addition of temper. Understanding of the existence, kind, and degree of opportunity costs that come with the addition of temper to clay emphasizes just how important the benefits of tempering must have been for the technology to be invented, experimented with, and ultimately so widely adopted.
Mechanizing the Proof of Adaptive, Information-Theoretic Security of Cryptographic Protocols in the Random Oracle Model

We report on our research on proving the security of multi-party cryptographic protocols using the EASYCRYPT proof assistant. We work in the computational model using the sequence of games approach, and define honest-butcurious (semi-honest) security using a variation of the real/ideal paradigm in which, for each protocol party, an adversary chooses protocol inputs in an attempt to distinguish the party’s real and ideal games. Our proofs are information-theoretic, instead of being based on complexity theory and computational assumptions. We employ oracles (e.g., random oracles for hashing) whose encapsulated states depend on dynamically-made, nonprogrammable random choices. By limiting an adversary’s oracle use, one may obtain concrete upper bounds on the distances between a party’s real and ideal games that are expressed in terms of game parameters. Furthermore, our proofs work for adaptive adversaries, ones that, when choosing the value of a protocol input, may condition this choice on their current protocol view and oracle knowledge. We provide an analysis in EASYCRYPT of a three party private count retrieval protocol. We emphasize the lessons learned from completing this proof.
A Toy Semiotics, Revisited

In 1984, Brian Sutton-Smith published ‘A Toy Semiotics’ in Children’s Environmental Quarterly, making this claim (Sutton-Smith 1984: 19): Play as a kind of assimilation has the potentiality to retreat increasingly from its original objects of reference. The toy itself which signals the first such departure, then makes possible a series of increasingly remote responses depending on the resident fantasies within the players’ experience. This chapter revisits this claim in light of the explosive growth, since 1984, of games and game industries and the relatively (and somewhat curiously) lesser impact of digital media on toys and toy industries. Examined are the different impact of digital media on toys and games and that difference is attributed to the different semiotic properties of the toy and the game: the game conventionally enables and evokes rule-based meanings; the toy does not. The unique semiotic properties and potentials of the game in comparison to the toy give games a particular affinity with digital media.
Perspective: A heartfelt plea.

Heart disease is a different for women. Researchers must investigate, educate, advocate and legislate to decrease the risks, says Nanette Wenger.
Attending to the Interrelatedness of the Functions of Consent.

The article by Dickert and colleagues (2017) is a very significant contribution to addressing the informed consent paradox: Informed consent in research is generally important, but the standard res...
Control of appetite, blood glucose, and blood pressure during melanocortin-4 receptor activation in normoglycemic and diabetic NPY-deficient mice

Although central melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) blockade abolishes the central nervous system (CNS)-mediated anorexogenic, antidiabetic, and cardiovascular actions of leptin, chronic MC4R stimulati...
Low- and high-dose laser irradiation effects on cell migration and destruction

Metastases are the cause of more than 90 percent of cancer-related deaths. Current treatment methods, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, fail to target the metastases effectively. One potential treatment for metastatic cancer is laser immunotherapy (LIT). LIT combines the use of a photothermal laser with an immunoadjuvant, Glycated Chitosan (GC). GC combined with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has proven to be a viable alternative to traditional cancer treatment methods, when under irradiation of laser with appropriate wavelength. In this study, the effects of low dose and high dose laser irradiation on metastatic pancreatic cancer cell migration were observed. It was found that low dose irradiation increased the migration rate, but the high dose irradiation significantly decreased the migration rate of the cancer cells. When using LIT, the goal is to kill tumor cells and to prompt the correct immune response. If the tumor were irradiated with a low dose, it would promote metastasis. If the dose of irradiation were too high, it would destroy the entire tumor and the immune response would not recognize the tumor. Therefore, the laser dose plays an important role in LIT, particularly when using SWNT as light absorbing agent. Our results from this study will delineate the optimal laser irradiation dose for destroying tumor cells and at the same time preserve and release tumor antigens as a precursor of antitumor immune response.
The Yin and Yang of Phenazine Physiology

Microorganisms are seldom solitary. They are surrounded by both clonal cells and other members of the local microbial community, and they often exist in, on, or in close proximity to multi-cellular host organisms like plants and humans. Whether in vivo during infection or in situ in the nutrient rich rhizosphere, microorganisms affect each other and the host. Phenazines, a class of secondary metabolites secreted by diverse bacteria, are best known for their antibiotic properties and have been shown to affect a broad spectrum of organisms ranging from bacteria over fungi, plants, nematodes, parasites, and humans. However, phenazines are also involved in numerous aspects of bacterial physiology like survival, iron acquisition, signaling, and biofilm formation in ways that have the potential to increase the fitness of both the phenazine-producing strain and non-producers alike. The overarching theme of this chapter is that phenazines can be beneficial or detrimental to organisms, depending on the milieu and one's perspective. In this chapter, we will highlight specific examples to discuss the yin and yang of phenazine physiology.
General Quality Control Methods

Take about 2 g of Danshen granules or chips (with diameter not more than 3 mm), precisely weighed, and place in a weighing bottle that has been dried to a constant weight; then dry it at 105 °C for 5 h before transferring to a desiccator to cool for 30 min. Precisely weigh and then dry at the above temperature for 1 h; cool, and weigh until the difference between two continuous weights is not more than 5 mg. Calculate the moisture content in the test product based on the lost weight.
[ 18 F]Fluciclovine PET discrimination between high- and low-grade gliomas

The ability to accurately and non-invasively distinguish high-grade glioma from low-grade glioma remains a challenge despite advances in molecular and magnetic resonance imaging. We investigated the ability of fluciclovine (18F) PET as a means to identify and distinguish these lesions in patients with known gliomas and to correlate uptake with Ki-67. Sixteen patients with a total of 18 newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas (n = 6) and high grade gliomas (n = 12) underwent fluciclovine PET imaging after histopathologic assessment. Fluciclovine PET analysis comprised tumor SUVmax and SUVmean, as well as metabolic tumor thresholds (1.3*, 1.6*, 1.9*) to normal brain background (TBmax, and TBmean). Comparison was additionally made to the proliferative status of the tumor as indicated by Ki-67 values. Fluciclovine uptake greater than normal brain parenchyma was found in all lesions studied. Time activity curves demonstrated statistically apparent flattening of the curves for both high-grade gliomas and low-grade gliomas starting 30 min after injection, suggesting an influx/efflux equilibrium. The best semiquantitative metric in discriminating HGG from LGG was obtained utilizing a metabolic 1 tumor threshold of 1.3* contralateral normal brain parenchyma uptake to create a tumor: background (TBmean1.3) cutoff of 2.15 with an overall sensitivity of 97.5% and specificity of 95.5%. Additionally, using a SUVmax > 4.3 cutoff gave a sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 97.5%. Tumor SUVmean and tumor SUVmax as a ratio to mean normal contralateral brain were both found to be less relevant predictors of tumor grade. Both SUVmax (R = 0.71, p = 0.0227) and TBmean (TBmean1.3: R = 0.81, p = 0.00081) had a high correlation with the tumor proliferative index Ki-67. Fluciclovine PET produces high-contrast images between both low-grade and high grade gliomas and normal brain by visual and semiquantitative analysis. Fluciclovine PET appears to discriminate between low-grade glioma and high-grade glioma, but must be validated with a larger sample size.
Applications of gaseous chlorine dioxide on postharvest handling and storage of fruits and vegetables – A review

Abstract Foodborne illness and decay loss caused by microorganisms are primary concerns for processors and marketers of fruits and vegetables. Interest in using gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) treatments for postharvest sanitation has increased in recent years due to its many advantages over other sanitizers, including its powerful antimicrobial activity, and low environmental impact. It also has low corrosivity to packing equipment at food sanitation concentrations, but can be corrosive in highly concentrated aqueous solutions. Like many water mediated sanitizers, ClO2 has been applied to various commodities. However, gaseous ClO2 has many advantages over its aqueous formulations in addition to being less corrosive, including ease of mixing with air, rapid diffusion, and the ability to penetrate permeable surfaces and biofilms. A combination of aqueous sanitizer washing and application of gaseous ClO2 will enhance decontamination of both foodborne and plant pathogens. This article compares ClO2 with other commonly used sanitizers, discusses the mechanisms of ClO2 against microorganisms, and focuses intensively on the applications of gaseous ClO2, especially controlled-release ClO2, on fruits and vegetables to reduce pathogen infection and maintain food safety and quality of fresh produce.
Outcomes of benign intraductal papillomas diagnosed on core biopsy: a review of 104 cases with subsequent excision from a single institution.

A diagnosis of papilloma with atypia on core biopsy (CB) requires excision, as the risk of associated malignancy is high (average 36.9%). The management of benign intraductal papillomas (IP) diagnosed on CB is controversial due to varying upgradation rates (0–29%, average 7%) reported on excision. Our aim was to study the clinical, radiological, and pathological features associated with benign IP upgradation at our institution. An electronic data base search (keyword papilloma), from Jan. 2000–Aug. 2015 identified 258 CBs. After exclusions, 104 CBs of benign IPs with subsequent excisions from 101 females were reviewed. The clinical, radiological, and pathological features between IPs that had upgrades (defined as malignancy or atypical ductal hyperplasia) and non-upgraded IPs were compared using descriptive statistics. Studies of benign IP on CB with at least 50 follow-up excisions published between 2008 and 2016 were analyzed. Residual IP was present in 83.6% (87/104) of reviewed excisions. There were six upgrades (5.6%) (4 to malignancy (3.8%) and 2 to atypical ductal hyperplasia).Upgrades were associated with mass on imaging with a trend to significance (p = .05). Two cases with malignant upgrade had a history of contralateral cancer. An analysis of 25 published studies showed an average malignant upgrade of 5.7% (182/3164). The majority of benign IP are not upgraded on excision; thus, not all need to be excised. Those that may warrant excision are those with prior history of carcinoma, those with a mass on imaging, and/or suboptimal or imaging-discordant CB sampling.
The mass transport of slurry and solid in a laboratory overflow ball mill

Slurry densities and holdup were measured for open circuit grinding tests in a laboratory overflow ball mill of 03 m diam by 0.6 m long, by emptying and drying after stoppage of the mill. Contrary to some other results in the literature, there was negligible variation of slurry level in the mill as a function of flow rate over a range of increase of flow rate of about 5 to 1. However there was a gradual increase of solid holdup at higher flow rates because the slurry density in the mill increased. Equations are given for holdup and slurry density in the mill as a function of overflow diam, ball load, and feed slurry density. The average level of slurry necessary to give overflow was found to be much higher than that necessary to fill the mill to the overflow level at rest. The total level of balls and slurry was only increased slightly by ball loads higher than the overflow level. The overflow diam appeared to be the major controlling factor in determining the mill holdup.
Where Do They Come From and How Can We Find More? Recruiting Teacher Candidates During Lean Times

Teacher preparation programs are facing an alarming drop in enrollments around the country. Our university, The State University of New York at Albany, has not been exempted from decreased enrollments. Low enrollments have led us to initiate direct attempts to recruit quality applicants to our master’s programs. As part of our overall recruiting plan, we created a survey of our applicants to determine how they discovered our programs and why they want to attend our programs so that we can better utilize our limited advertising resources. Survey results and implications for recruiting teacher candidates are discussed
Synaptic Behavior of Nanoscale ReRAM Devices for the Implementation in a Dynamic Neural Network Array

Resistive random access memory (ReRAM) is a new form of non-volatile memory that has the potential to replace Flash memory or augment the current memory hierarchy. In addition, novel circuit architectures have been proposed that rely on newly discovered or predicted behavior of ReRAM devices. One such architecture is the memristive Dynamic Adaptive Neural Network Array (mrDANNA), developed to emulate the functionality of a biological neural network. This architecture relies on synapses which are capable of changing their resistance in an analog fashion by applying ultra-short pulses. We demonstrate ReRAM devices that show this tendency. The ReRAM devices shown here are based on an HfO 2 switching layer that sits on a tungsten bottom electrode, is covered by a titanium oxygen scavenger layer, a titanium nitride top electrode, and are structured to a size of 100×100 nm2. In this work, we show devices that exhibit incremental resistance changes in a synaptic fashion and can switch using pulses as short as 5 ns. A major hurdle is the variability observed with these devices and its effect on the designed mrDANNA architecture. One focus of the ongoing work is a simulation on the effect of the observed variability. For this purpose, a Monte Carlo simulation with extracted variability data are being performed to demonstrate the impact on this neuromorphic architecture.
IDH1R132H acts as a tumor suppressor in glioma via epigenetic upregulation of the DNA damage response

Glioma patients whose tumors carry a mutation in the Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1R132H) gene are younger at the time of diagnosis and survive longer. The molecular glioma subtype which we modelled, harbors IDH1R132H, tumor protein 53 (TP53) and alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) loss. The impact of IDH1R132H on genomic stability, DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair in this molecular glioma subtype is unknown. We discovered that IDH1R132H expression in the genetic context of ATRX and TP53 inactivation: (i) increases median survival (MS), (ii) enhances DDR activity via epigenetic upregulation of Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) signaling, and (iii) elicits tumor radioresistance. Pharmacological inhibition of ATM or checkpoint kinase 1 and 2 (CHK1/2), two essential kinases in the DDR pathways, restored tumor radiosensitivity. Translation of these findings for mIDH1 glioma patients could significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy, and thus have a major impact on patient survival.
Carbon Emissions Forensics in Energy Sector: Is It Worth the Effort?

Climate policy has mostly focused on regulating power suppliers. Suppliers then reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through retrofitting pollution control devices, switching fuels, or alternating energy production processes. There is a growing interest in exploring regulating emissions from the demand side by incentivizing consumers to reduce their energy consumptions or purchase power from cleaner sources through tracking carbon content of power flow in the transmission network. This paper analyzes market outcomes under two approaches: producer-based and demand-based carbon tax. In particular, we formulate each approach as a market equilibrium model. For the consumer-based approach, we assume that a utility that procures electricity on behalf of consumers is subject to the carbon tax. For the producer-based approach, the producers will pay for their emissions. We show that the two approaches are equivalent when the program’s coverage is complete. That is, they produce the same prices, distribution of emissions and the economic rent allocation. However, when the coverage is incomplete, the consumer-based carbon tax is less effective in pricing carbon emissions owing to the fact that sales to unregulated nodes are not subject to the carbon tax. Given that the transaction cost of implementing consumer-based tax is likely to be higher, the benefit of tracking power flows in order to estimating carbon content might not be justified even with a full coverage program.
Antibiotic prophylaxis after urethroplasty may offer no benefit

Patients often receive antibiotic prophylaxis after urethroplasty to minimize the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of UTIs after urethroplasty and its impact on urethral and incisional healing. Patients undergoing urethroplasty by a single surgeon from 2000 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis and postoperative prophylaxis for 30 days or until catheter removal. We reviewed urine cultures obtained within 30 days after urethroplasty in symptomatic patients, and rates of stricture recurrence and wound complications. A positive culture was defined as > 1000 cfu/mL of an organism. 398 patients were included with a mean age of 43.5 years at time of surgery. We identified 102 positive urine cultures (25.6%) within 30 days of urethroplasty. 78 stricture recurrences (19.6%) occurred at an average of 3 years after surgery and 18 (4.5%) experienced a wound complication, with a 52 month mean follow-up. There were no significant differences in stricture recurrence (p = 0.36) or wound complications (p = 0.42) between patients who had a positive and negative urine culture. On multivariate analysis, positive urine cultures (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.6–1.8, p = 0.88) were not associated with stricture recurrence, while lichen sclerosis (HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1–9.2, p = 0.03) and previous urethroplasty (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.6, p = 0.03) were. Bacterial colonization and UTIs despite antimicrobial prophylaxis are common in urethroplasty patients. This, however, does not appear to impair urethral healing or influence wound healing, suggesting that postoperative prophylaxis may in fact offer no benefit.
Outcomes with intraoperative radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Adjuvant radiation therapy has been associated with improved local control following breast-conserving surgery. Traditionally, treatment has been delivered with whole breast irradiation over 3-6 weeks or partial breast irradiation over 1-3 weeks. However, intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) has emerged as a technique that delivers a single dose of radiotherapy at the time of surgery for early-stage breast cancers. We report initial outcomes and acute toxicities with intraoperative radiation from a single institution. Patients with DCIS or Stage I-II breast cancer who underwent lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (nodal sampling excluded in some cases) were included. All patients in this analysis were treated with IORT as at the time of surgery, 20 Gy in 1 fraction with 50 kV x-ray. Patients were treated at a single institution between 2011 and 2019. Follow-up was per standard institutional protocol. Two hundred and one patients were included in the analysis, with a median follow-up of 23 months (range: 0-73 months). Median age was 71 years old. Overall, 4 (2.0%) patients had DCIS, 186 (92.5%) patients had Stage 1 disease, and 11 patients had (5.5%) Stage 2 disease. All patients were estrogen receptor-positive, 175 (87.9%) progesterone receptor-positive, and 1 (0.5%) HER2 amplified. The crude rate of local recurrence was 2.0% (n = 4) and distant metastasis rate was 0.5% (n = 1). The rate of arm lymphedema was 0.5% (n = 1) and chronic telangiectasia rate was 1.1% (n = 2). Intraoperative radiation therapy, in a cohort of low-risk patients, demonstrated low rates of recurrence and reproducibility in a multi-disciplinary setting. Further follow-up, analysis of patient satisfaction and cosmesis, and comparison to whole breast irradiation and partial breast techniques is necessary in order to further validate these findings.
A Concurrent Validity Study Applied to a Secretarial Position in a State Universities Civil Service System

In a concurrent validity study, a comprehensive job analysis of a mid-level secretarial position resulted in the development of highly valid employment selection instruments. Six hundred fifty-nine supervisors and 883 incumbents in 20 locations participated in the job analysis. Scores from the selection test correlated with composite ratings from a research performance appraisal (RPA) .41 (p<.001). Two forms of the test (A and B) were developed. Form A and Form B test scores and RPA composite ratings correlated .55 and .48 (p<.001) respectively. The unbiased estimate of equivalence reliability of Form A and Form B was .94. The two tests correlated .89 (p<.001).
Effects of surface charge and cluster size on the electrochemical dissolution of platinum nanoparticles using COMB3 and continuum electrolyte models

We study the site-dependent dissolution of platinum nanoparticles under electrochemical conditions to assess their thermodynamic stability as a function of shape and size using empirical molecular dynamics and electronic-structure models. The third-generation charge optimized many-body potential is employed to determine the validity of uniform spherical representations of the nanoparticles in predicting dissolution potentials (the Kelvin model). To understand the early stages of catalyst dissolution, implicit solvation techniques based on the self-consistent continuum solvation method are applied. It is demonstrated that interfacial charge and polarization can shift the dissolution energies by amounts on the order of 0.74 eV depending on the surface site and nanoparticle shape, leading to the unexpected preferential removal of platinum cations from highly coordinated sites in some cases.
The Paradox of Corporate Globalization: Disembedding and Reembedding Governing Norms

The discussion begins with the current "corporate purpose" debate. it is then divided into five parts. The first draws a baseline of corporate globalization and traces key policy measures that created its enabling environment. The second identifies the paradox of corporate globalization: at the very height of the recent globalization boom multinationals discovered that their legal license to operate, provided by states, did not in itself translate into a social license. Firms responded by adopting enterprise-wide corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a management tool. Although quite superficial in its early iterations, in retrospect this marked the first step toward systematically engaging stakeholder, if only in the attempt to placate them. The following two sections recap the institutional strategies and cascading effects of two global initiatives intended to narrow the gap between legal and social license: the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate engagement platform, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the global standard in this space. Both reflect, and contributed to, the further normative evolution through which the corporation came to be viewed – in the end by many firms themselves. The conclusion returns to the current corporate re-purposing debate and reflects on what, if any, contributions it is making to rebalancing market and society, and to people and planet challenges humanity faces today.
Intensification revisited: assessing resource specialization at Crystal River (8CI1) and Roberts Island (8CI41), Florida

Archaeologists typically associate resource intensification with population expansion, environmental change, and political strategizing. Many Late Woodland and Mississippian societies of the Southe...
Private Equity-Backed Hospital Investments and the Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic (SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19]) has crippled the American medical system in early 2020 by reducing both the demand for and access to elective medical care in much of the nation. In the radiology sector alone, initial forecasts projected that medical revenue could be reduced by as much as 70% because of the outbreak [1]. Although some cities and hospitals were able to build temporary facilities to increase capacity, the urgent need to prepare for an influx of infected persons forced many health care facilities to decrease their bed occupancy to accommodate patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by reducing scheduling for most elective or less urgent health care procedures. The financial burden of COVID-19 on the health care system has been substantial: In Pennsylvania alone, hospitals are reporting losses of $1.5 to $2 billion per month as this article goes to press [2]. The loss of revenue from elective care has already led to furloughs, salary reductions, and loss of benefits for health care workers in many types of institutions across the nation. These have occurred in a wide spectrum of types of private practice and academic settings [3]. This crisis coincides with a period of substantial growth in the corporatization of US health care services over the past decade, which includes hospitals, clinics, urgent care facilities, as well as both primary and specialty care practices [4]. The private equity (PE) investment model has significant known downside risks. The reliance on leveraged buyout financing puts firms at a higher risk of downstream bankruptcy [5]. Herein, we will review how the risks of the model of PE financing have been amplified by the current COVID-19 crisis, which has already led to salary cuts, layoffs, and bankruptcies across the health care industry.
Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening is Independently Associated With Concussion Symptom Severity in Youths.

OBJECTIVE To examine the independent contributions of the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) to concussion symptom severity in youths while controlling for computerized neurocognitive screening performance, demographics, and medical history. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Concussion specialty clinic. PARTICIPANTS A retrospective review of 278 concussed youths clinical charts resulted in a total of 158 participants (16.5 ± 2.8 years, 46.8% women, 4.3 ± 3.3 days post-injury) when exclusionary criteria (ie, neurological or substance use disorders, age >21, >14 days since injury, and missing/incomplete data) were applied. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening items and computerized neurocognitive test scores. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Standardized postconcussion symptom scale scores. RESULTS At the univariate level, all VOMS items were positively associated with concussion symptom severity at small to medium effect sizes (r range 0.26-0.42). Women and individuals with a concussion history and/or Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis reported higher VOMS item scores (Ps < 0.10). In a multiple hierarchical regression, the contribution of VOMS item scores was significant and explained 9.6% of the variance in concussion symptom severity after adjustment for sex, baseline VOMS symptom ratings, and ImPACT scores [F(6, 141) = 3.90, P = 0.001]. Vertical saccades (b = 2.22, P = 0.003) and vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR; b = -1.46, P = 0.004) VOMS items significantly contributed to concussion symptom severity in the multivariable model. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study provide support for the independent contributions of the VOMS items, particularly vertical saccades and vertical VOR, to acute concussion symptom severity in youths. Further work is warranted for a comparison of the VOMS to the full gold standard of concussion testing (ie, clinical interview, physical examination, balance testing, and neurocognitive assessment).
Mechanically-Actuated Reconfigurable Reflectarray (MARR) for Microwave Single Pixel Imager (MSPI)

An antenna design that supports a concept for a signal pixel imaging microwave radiometer is discussed. This unique aperture must provide a number of different sampling patterns for use with a compressive sensing algorithm, while maintaining good radiometric performance. The broad outlines of this aperture have been presented previously, but here, a more detailed design is presented, as well as the design for an intermediate flat plate test bed aperture that will be used to verify performance and functionality before the full system is developed. The simulated performance of a flat reflector such as the test bed, with and without focusing, is compared to that of the envisioned parabolic reflector.