cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Usefulness of Electron Beam Tomography in Adolescents and Young Adults With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Background —Because of the success of secondary prevention of coronary events by intense risk factor modification, a more precise measure of atherosclerosis in youth would have great clinical value both in the design of clinical trials for the demonstration of the usefulness of coronary disease prevention early in life and in guiding therapy. Identification of calcium in coronary arteries by electron beam tomography has been associated with severity of atherosclerosis in adults. Methods and Results —Twenty-nine youths 11 to 23 years old with familial hypercholesterolemia (average LDL cholesterol, 5.95 mmol/L) underwent electron beam tomography as well as comprehensive risk factor assessment with measurement of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein E phenotype, blood pressure, body mass index, and history of tobacco use. Significant coronary calcium was identified in 7 of 29 subjects. Increased body mass index was significantly associated with the presence of coronary calcium (25.3 versus 20.6 kg/m2, P <0.03). No other risk factors were associated with the presence of coronary calcium. Conclusions —Coronary calcium, uncommonly identified before the fourth decade, was found in a significant percentage of adolescents and young adults with familial hypercholesterolemia. Overweight may increase the likelihood of coronary calcium being present in individuals already at high risk.
A short history of superconductivity

Shortly after its discovery the electron was recognized as the carrier of electricity in metals. The difficulties encountered in treating the conduction electrons as a classical ideal gas was removed upon the advent of quantum mechanics and led to a satisfactory explanation of normal metallic conductivity. Although superconductivity was discovered more than fifty years ago, however, the first phenomenological theory did not come until the middle thirties and it took another twenty years before the first microscopic theory was presented. It was based upon the assumption that the conduction electrons formed a degenerate Bose gas but was soon replaced through the recognition that the pairing of electrons in a Fermi gas furnished a more realistic and quantitative explanation of superconductivity. The striking manifestation of superconductivity as a quantum phenomenon on macroscopic scale was demonstrated in the early sixties through the discovery of flux-quantization in a closed superconductive ring and led shortly afterwards to the interesting related effects which arise from the introduction of a dividing barrier.
Improving XCP to achieve max-min fair bandwidth allocation

TCP is prone to be inefficient and unstable in high-speed and long-latency networks [1]. The eXplicit Control Protocol (XCP) is a new and promising protocol that outperforms TCP in terms of efficiency, stability, queue size, and convergence speed. However, Low et al. recently discovered a weakness of XCP. In a multi-bottleneck environment, XCP may achieve as low as 80% utilization at a bottleneck link and consequently some flows may only receive a small fraction of their max-min fair rates. This paper proposes iXCP, an improved version of XCP. Extensive simulations show that iXCP overcomes the weakness of XCP, and achieves efficient and fair bandwidth utilization in both single- and multi-bottleneck environments. In addition, we prove that iXCP is max-min fair in steady state. This result implies that iXCP is able to fully utilize bottleneck bandwidth. Simulations show that iXCP preserves the good properties of XCP, including negligible queue lengths, near-zero packet loss rates, scalability, and fast convergence. Simulations also show that iXCP overcomes the under-utilization and instability problem of P-XCP [2], and outperforms JetMax [3] in terms of link utilization in the presence of highly dynamic traffic.
Pro: Dexmedetomidine Should Be Used for Infants and Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

has docu-mented the potential impact of anesthetic practice on mor-bidity and mortality after surgery for congenital heart disease.Nearly 20 years later, the anesthetic management of pediatricpatients with congenital heart lesions is a delicate balancebetween the successful ablation of the harmful perioperativestress responses and the potential untoward sequelae of effec-tive analgesia and sedation including prolonged ventilator de-pendence, adverse end-organ effects, and iatrogenic toleranceand dependency syndromes. Anesthesiologists remain inti-mately involved in the perioperative care of children undergo-ing cardiac surgery and continue to seek new modalities ofperioperative analgesia and sedation in an attempt to limit thesecomplications. Dexmedetomidine increasingly has been usedby anesthesiologists and intensive care physicians to provideeffective pain relief, sedation, and anxiolysis in critically illinfants a n dchildren while mitigating CLINICALthe adverse effects ofventilator and opioid dependency. Given its beneﬁcial phys-iologic effects and limited adverse effect proﬁle, there maybe several potential applications for dexmedetomidine in theperioperative care of infants and children with congenitalheart disease.
On the integrability of solutions of perturbed non-linear differential equations

Sufficient conditions are given to insure that all solutions of a perturbed non-linear second-order differential equation have certain integrability properties. In addition, some continuability and boundedness results are given for solutions of this equation.
TUMOR-INDUCED DUALISTIC SUPPRESSOR CELL REGULATION: MACROPHAGES AND SUPPRESSOR T CELLS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the tumor-induced dualistic suppressor cell regulation. In vitro T cell proliferation has been repeatedly used as a measure of host animal immunocompetence. T cell blastogenic regulation, either positive or negative, has most often been ascribed to macrophages or a subpopulation of T cells. In an experiment described in the chapter, in both normal and tumor-bearing mice (TBM), splenic T cell blastogenesis was assessed by PHA stimulation, dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin responsiveness, and mixed lymphocyte reactivity. All experiments were conducted using normal or tumor-bearing BALB/c mice to obtain splenic and peritoneal MΦ as well as T lymphocyte responder cells. In the case of the MLR, C3H mice were used to provide a MΦ-depleted mitomycin C-treated allogeneic, stimulator population. To provide the necessary TBM, fibrosarcomas, originally induced with 2-methylcholanthrene, were transplanted into mice by intramuscular injection. Results from MΦ supernatant add back experiments correlated well with cellular MΦ results, and neither normal nor TBM MΦ supernatants inhibited normal T cell activity when added back in low concentrations, though both supernatant types were suppressive at high concentrations.
The Case of the National Deceased Organ Donor Waiting List as a Measure of Equity and Equality of Access to Organ Transplantation

Unequal access to necessary, life-sustaining health care based on economic circumstances is a crucial problem in the arena of organ transplantation. Even if there were a sufficient supply of suitable organs for transplantation so that every person who needed organs could have them, we would still be faced with the reality that the uninsured, the underinsured, and the poor do not currently have an equal opportunity to fully realize the benefits of organ transplantation. This is because they do not have equal access to the immunosuppressant medications necessary to keep their immune systems from rejecting the transplanted organs. In some cases, this means that persons who would otherwise be potential transplant recipients never even make it onto the national deceased donor organ waiting list, whether by their own choice or that of their transplant program. Consequently, even if we could immediately and successfully implement measures to ensure that the poor have an equal opportunity to access suitable organs for transplantation, we would still be faced with the reality that the poor do not currently have an equal opportunity to access the necessary postoperative immunosuppressant medications to maintain their transplanted organs and fully realize the benefits of organ transplantation. Under the current systems, poverty acts as a de facto contraindication for organ transplantation. In addressing solutions to this problem of unequal access, it is important to focus on the full scope of the problem in both its pre- and post-operative aspects. The fundamental structural inequalities inherent in the larger healthcare and social systems in which organ transplantation takes place are not impartial but pose very real barriers to access based on the socio-economic status of potential organ transplant candidates. While it is true that attention should be paid to issues of unequal access to organs based on the greater advantages that wealthier transplant candidates have, the current national focus on access to organs only - and to deceased donor organs in particular - as a measure of equality of access to organ transplantation misses a larger and more pressing issue of inequality at stake in the area of transplantation: that of inequality in access to successful organ transplants.
Safety Can Be Dangerous: Secure Communications Impair Smart Grid Stability under Emergencies

Smart grid features real-time monitoring and control by integrating advanced communication networks into traditional power grids. This integration, however, makes smart grid vulnerable to cyber attacks, i.e., the anomalies caused by attackers in the communication network can affect ordinary operations of the power grid and result in severe physical damage. To protect smart grid from cyber attacks, many traditional countermeasures, such as message encryption, have been proposed to be directly migrated to fit this system. In this regard, the very first fundamental questions that need to be addressed are how to evaluate and compare the physical impacts of cyber attacks and countermeasures, and whether traditional cyber security countermeasures can result in satisfactory performance in smart grid. Motivated by these questions, we establish a small-scale smart grid prototype, and use both experiments and cross-domain simulations to evaluate and compare the reaction of the power system under cyber attacks, with and without the presence of traditional countermeasures. Our study reveals that traditional countermeasures can not be readily migrated to protect smart grid in particular, and shows that during system emergencies where prompt system reactions are critical, the extra latency caused by message encryption and decryption can result in more than 10 times in the magnitude of voltage collapse. Our work indicates that traditional countermeasures may not fit smart grid, the newly emerging cyber- physical system, which has strict time constraint. Therefore it is essential for researchers to seek solutions to address smart grid specific security threats.
Association Mechanism of Leishmania major Peroxidase and cytochrome c revealed through Brownian and Molecular Dynamics

Leishmania major, the parasitic causative agent of leishmaniasis, produces L. major peroxidase (LmP) to protect itself from host-generated reactive oxygen species. LmP, a heme peroxidase, catalyzes the peroxidation of mitochondrial cytochrome c (LmCytc). The association of LmP and LmCytc, which is known from experimental measurements to be very fast (∼ 10 ˆ 8 M-1 s-1), does not involve major conformational changes and has been suggested to be dominated by electrostatic interactions. To probe the association and formation of this complex, we employed Brownian dynamics to model the association of LmP and LmCytc. These simulations were able to confirm the importance of the negatively charged LmP active site residue D211 in a blind study with concurrent experimental mutagenesis and crystallographic experiments. The simulations also reveal the previously unrecognized role played by the A helix of LmP in the initial association of the complex. In silico mutations of helix A help identify the role of four negatively charged residues of helix A of LmP that act as the initial point of association to LmCytc. Brownian dynamics trajectories suggest that complex formation occurs via a “bind and crawl” mechanism wherein LmCytc first docks to a location on helix A of LmP that is far from the active site, forming an initial encounter complex, then moves along helix A to the active site. An atomistic molecular dynamics simulation confirms the helix A binding site while new steady state activity assays and stopped flow kinetics measurements confirm the role of the helix A charges in the proposed association mechanism.
Gannon Exoskeleton for Arm Rehabilitation (G.E.A.R.)

A low cost continuous passive motion (CPM) machine, the Gannon Exoskeleton for Arm Rehabilitation (GEAR), was designed. The focus of the machine is on the rehabilitation of primary functional movements of the arm. The device developed integrates two mechanisms consisting of a four-bar linkage and a sliding rod prismatic joint mechanism that can be mounted to a normal chair. When seated, the patient is connected to the device via a padded cuff strapped on the elbow. A set of springs have been used to maintain the system stability and help the lifting of the arm.In this work a multi-body simulation was performed with the software SimWise 4D by Design Simulation Technologies (DST). The simulation was used to determine the stiffness of the springs in the mechanism to provide assistance to raising of the patient’s arm. Furthermore, the software can provide a finite element analysis of the stress induced by the springs on the mechanism and the external load of the arm. Finally, a physical prototype of the mechanism was fabricated using PVC pipes and commercial metal springs. Due to the low cost of fabrication, simplicity, and ease of adjustability, it is believed that the GEAR has the potential to provide effective passive movement to individuals who otherwise would not have access to post-operative or post-stroke rehabilitation therapy.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Optimal Propeller Pitch Scheduling and Propeller--Airframe Matching for Conceptual Design

An alternate form of the propeller thrust coefficient sometimes used in the early days of aviation was used to derive optimal propeller speed/pitch scheduling and also provide insight into propeller/airframe matching. Although constant speed propellers behave very differently from this optimum, their behavior is shown to be optimal for the speed-limited, high thrust case where they usually operate. Situations where optimal pitch control provides an advantage over constant speed control are identified. The influence of propeller size and type on aircraft performance is investigated with an aim of providing the aircraft designer with intuitive decision making tools.
Antiviral Activity of Higher Plants on Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Infection in vitro and in vivo

SummaryTwo higher plants (Magnolia kobus DC. and Narcissus tazetta L.) have emerged from a screening program of Chinese medicinal agents as antiviral drugs against lymphocytic choriomeningitis infection in mice.
Shortening the HIV-1 TAR RNA Bulge by a Single Nucleotide Preserves Motional Modes over a Broad Range of Time Scales.

Helix–junction–helix (HJH) motifs are flexible building blocks of RNA architecture that help define the orientation and dynamics of helical domains. They are also frequently involved in adaptive recognition of proteins and small molecules and in the formation of tertiary contacts. Here, we use a battery of nuclear magnetic resonance techniques to examine how deleting a single bulge residue (C24) from the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transactivation response element (TAR) trinucleotide bulge (U23-C24-U25) affects dynamics over a broad range of time scales. Shortening the bulge has an effect on picosecond-to-nanosecond interhelical and local bulge dynamics similar to that casued by increasing the Mg2+ and Na+ concentration, whereby a preexisting two-state equilibrium in TAR is shifted away from a bent flexible conformation toward a coaxial conformation, in which all three bulge residues are flipped out and flexible. Surprisingly, the point deletion minimally affects microsecond-to-millisecond...
Protein Kinase C as Regulator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Function and Potential Target in Vascular Disorders.

Abstract Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) plays an important role in maintaining vascular tone. In addition to Ca 2 + -dependent myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, protein kinase C (PKC) is a major regulator of VSM function. PKC is a family of conventional Ca 2 + -dependent α, β, and γ, novel Ca 2 + -independent δ, ɛ, θ, and η, and atypical ξ, and ι/λ isoforms. Inactive PKC is mainly cytosolic, and upon activation it undergoes phosphorylation, maturation, and translocation to the surface membrane, the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and other cell organelles; a process facilitated by scaffold proteins such as RACKs. Activated PKC phosphorylates different substrates including ion channels, pumps, and nuclear proteins. PKC also phosphorylates CPI-17 leading to inhibition of MLC phosphatase, increased MLC phosphorylation, and enhanced VSM contraction. PKC could also initiate a cascade of protein kinases leading to phosphorylation of the actin-binding proteins calponin and caldesmon, increased actin–myosin interaction, and VSM contraction. Increased PKC activity has been associated with vascular disorders including ischemia–reperfusion injury, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetic vasculopathy. PKC inhibitors could test the role of PKC in different systems and could reduce PKC hyperactivity in vascular disorders. First-generation PKC inhibitors such as staurosporine and chelerythrine are not very specific. Isoform-specific PKC inhibitors such as ruboxistaurin have been tested in clinical trials. Target delivery of PKC pseudosubstrate inhibitory peptides and PKC siRNA may be useful in localized vascular disease. Further studies of PKC and its role in VSM should help design isoform-specific PKC modulators that are experimentally potent and clinically safe to target PKC in vascular disease.
Abstract 179: The correlation between Insurance Coverage and Long-term Outcomes in patients presenting with ACS: An ACAP-PAIN Registry Analysis

BACKGROUND: To look for the association between Insurance coverage (IC) and Long term Outcomes (O) after discharge following ACS admission from ACAP-PAIN (AP) registry. METHODS: The AP registry had 5526 hospitalized patients admitted with a diagnosis of ACS enrolled between 2006-2010. Long-term outcomes (composite of death, AMI, and ACS readmission) were evaluated during a Follow-up period of 4 yrs. Patients were stratified into 5 medical insurance groups: Government (Gov) (n = 2571), Managed Government (MGov) (n = 1229), HMO (n = 630), Commercial (Com) (n = 863), and other (O) (n = 233). RESULTS: Composite endpoint at the end of the follow up was seen in 29%, 23%, 16%, 15%, and 12%, (p <0.0001), and all-cause mortality was seen in 6.5%, 6.2%, 3.9%, 3.1%, and 1.2%, (p<0.001), of the 5 medical insurance groups, respectively. Patients with Gov and MGov care coverage were older, with higher incidence of CAD, hypertension and diabetes. After adjusting for confounding variables, the multivariable-adjusted odds for composite endpoint was 1.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-1.36) for Gov patients, 1.07 (95% CI, 0.93-1.24) for MGov patients, 0.56 (95% CI, 0.45-0.70) for HMO patients, 0.55 (95% CI, 0.46-0.67) for Com patients, and, 0.42 (95% CI, 0.29-0.63) for O patients. (See Graph) CONCLUSIONS: The results of this population-based study demonstrate that ACS patients with any government insurance status have an increased long term morbidity and mortality. This may be explained at least partially by the patients’ characteristics. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Web-based BISC decision support system

Most of the existing search systems' 'software' are modeled using crisp logic and queries. We introduce fuzzy querying and ranking as a flexible tool allowing approximation where the selected objects do not need to match exactly the decision criteria resembling natural human behavior. The model consists of five major modules: the fuzzy search engine, the application templates, the user interface, the database and the evolutionary computing. The system is designed in a generic form to accommodate more diverse applications and to be delivered as stand-alone software to academia and businesses.
As You Sow, So Shall You Reap?: Evaluating Whether Targeted Capacity Building Improves Nonprofit Financial Growth.

Foundations’ capacity-building grant programs strive to bolster performance and outcomes for their nonprofit grantees. Yet with few outcome evaluations of such programs, we have limited understanding of whether these capacity-building efforts achieve their intended result. This study evaluates fifteen years of data for one foundation's capacity-building grant program to understand whether targeted capacity building for financial management and development contributes to nonprofit financial growth. The authors examine the management–performance link in this context and inform sector leaders who dedicate resources to capacity-building programs about the outcomes of these efforts.
Multi-proxy interchange scheduling under uncertainty

The problem of inter-regional interchange scheduling using a multiple proxy bus representation is considered. A new scheduling technique is proposed for the multi-proxy bus system based on a stochastic optimization that captures uncertainty in renewable generation and stochastic load. In particular, the proposed algorithm iteratively optimizes the interchange across multiple proxy buses using a vectorized notion of demand and supply functions. The proposed technique leverages the operator's capability of forecasting locational marginal prices (LMPs) and obtains the optimal interchange schedule directly without iterations between operators.
Fear of recurrence or progression as a link between somatic symptoms and perceived stress among cancer survivors

Many cancer survivors report experiencing somatic symptoms as well as elevated stress. Theoretical models have suggested that physical symptoms generate subjective stress via fears of recurrence or progression. To date, this indirect effect has not been established empirically. This study aimed to provide preliminary evidence as to whether fear of recurrence or progression is an intermediary between somatic symptom severity and perceived stress among heterogeneous cancer survivors. Adult cancer survivors (N = 67; median 2.4 years since diagnosis; 34% male) presenting at a hospital survivorship clinic completed measures assessing somatic symptom severity (Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)), perceived stress (four-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4)), and fear of recurrence or progression (Assessment of Survivor Concerns (ASC)). Interrelatedness among variables was assessed using Pearson correlations. Indirect effects were modeled using 5000-iteration bootstrapping. Survivors endorsed a range of somatic symptom severity (29% minimal, 39% low, 18% medium, and 14% high). Somatic symptoms, perceived stress, and fear of recurrence or progression were all significantly positively correlated (rs 0.29 to 0.47). Controlling for time since diagnosis, there was a significant indirect effect of somatic symptom severity on stress via fear of recurrence or progression [B = 0.06, SE = 0.04 (95% CI 0.01–0.16)]. The model accounted for more than one third of the variance in perceived stress [R 2 = 0.35, F(3,54) = 9.59, p < 0.001]. Survivors with greater somatic symptoms tended to report higher levels of stress, due in part to elevated fears of recurrence or progression. Our findings support concerns about recurrence or progression as a mechanism underlying stress states in cancer survivors. Efforts to assist survivors with stress management should teach strategies for managing cancer-related uncertainties stemming from somatic symptoms.
An approach to integrate inter-dependent simulations using HLA with applications to sustainable urban development

Challenges such as understanding sustainable urban development require modeling interdependencies and interactions among systems. The High Level Architecture (HLA) provides an approach to studying these aspects by integrating separately developed simulations in a distributed computing environment. These applications require coupling interdependent simulations and sequencing their execution to ensure certain data dependence requirements are met. An approach to specifying the proper sequence of execution of interdependent simulations using SysML sequence diagrams is proposed. A means to implement these specifications by automatically generating code using HLA's time management services is described. This approach is demonstrated through the creation of a federated simulation to model interactions among land use, transportation, and transit in the San Diego area by integrating widely used simulators such as UrbanSim and MATSim.
Noninvasive measurement of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression with radiolabeled J591 imaging: A prognostic tool for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

11081 Background: PSMA is nearly universally expressed by PC, upregulated with increased grade and castration-resistance. Evidence points towards PSMA expression as a downstream cellular biomarker ...
High torque density and low torque ripple surface permanent magnet machines with sinusoidal plus third harmonic shaped magnets

This paper proposes a new surface permanent magnet machine (SPMM) design in which the stator coils are distributed and sinusoidally full pitched with a unity winding factor and the permanent magnets (PMs) are shaped sinusoidally with an added third harmonic component in the axial direction. The proposed design mainly focuses on improving the torque density and minimizing the torque ripple of conventional SPMMs with distributed windings. The choice of this particular PM shape produces a pure sinusoidal and a third harmonic flux linkage and back electromotive force (EMF) without any other harmonics. Not only does the existence of the third harmonic enhance the fundamental component magnitude of the flux linkage, but it does so without producing any additional torque ripple in three phase machines. The performance of the proposed machine is benchmarked against the base-line model 2007 Camry motor and the modified Camry conventional, bread loaf and the sinusoidally shaped SPMMs. The results and comparisons show that the proposed design increases the torque density significantly while the torque ripple is maintained at a minimum level.
A tale of two audiences: Narcissism, failure reactivity, and perceived criticism from the self and others as internalized audiences

AbstractWe proposed a conceptual model which postulates that anticipating greater destructive (vs. constructive) criticism from the self and others partially explains the differentiation of narcissists’ failure reactivity as a function of narcissism subtype. Participants simulated failure, rated the likelihood of experiencing destructive and constructive criticism from social audiences (self and others [important other, unimportant other, social world]), and indicated failure reactivity (indexed as change in negative affect) following failure. Results generally supported our model. Vulnerable (grandiose) narcissism related to enhanced (reduced) failure reactivity and greater (less) anticipated destructive vs. constructive criticism from audiences, particularly the self. Controlling for perceived criticism from audiences attenuated relations between each narcissism subtype and failure reactivity, supporting the theoretical merit of our model.
The Rightful Place of Science: Science on the Verge

Sometime in the 1960s Robert K. Merton informed us that there is in science such a thing called the Matthew Effect—that in science as well as in life the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. La...
Thermodynamic stability studies of Ce-Sb compounds with Fe

Abstract Lanthanide fission products can migrate to the fuel periphery and react with cladding, causing fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI). Adding a fuel additive dopant, such as Sb, can bind lanthanide, such as Ce, into metallic compounds and thus prevent migration. The present study focuses on the thermodynamic stability of Ce-Sb compounds when in contact with the major cladding constituent Fe by conducting diffusion couple tests. Ce-Sb compounds have shown high thermodynamic stability as they did not react with Fe. When Fe-Sb compounds contacted with Ce, Sb was separated out of Fe-Sb compounds and formed the more stable Ce-Sb compounds.
Supervised Learning-Based Fault Location in Power Grids

Chapter Overview In modern societies and with the introduction of “smart power grids,” customers are more sensitive to power outages. There are also more complex power transmission configurations to integrate renewable energy-based power generation at remote locations. Therefore, more efficient and accurate methods of fault location along these complex configurations are required, which target improving power supply restoration process, reducing the overall power outages time and costs, and enhancing end-users satisfaction. The availability of high-resolution/high-volume data, due to the proliferation of intelligent electronic devices in smart grids, paves ground to implement more accurate and intelligent fault location methods. This chapter presents a supervised-learning fault location method for complex power transmission lines by using high-resolution voltage and current measurements data. The fault location methods are developed for two complex high-voltage AC transmission systems, (1) three-terminal transmission lines, (2) hybrid transmission lines. The presented methodologies utilize discrete wavelet transform and support vector machine (SVM) as a supervised learning algorithm where the power system operating and fault conditions are taken into account through the learning steps of the SVM classifiers.
Why Buy a Home? Race, Ethnicity, and Homeownership Preferences in the United States:

There are many reasons why Americans prefer homeownership to renting. Owning a home can serve as a vehicle for economic mobility or a marker of status attainment. Homeownership may deepen feelings ...
CT-guided abdominal biopsy training phantom

Physicians are often required to insert needles into a patient's body for procedures including drug injection or biopsy. This task is extremely delicate as incorrect insertion could cause serious damage to the patient. An abdominal phantom was designed for physicians to practice needle insertion. The phantom was inexpensive and manufactured with 3D printing. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the phantom were taken to show the visibility of the phantom inside a CT scanner. Medical trainees practiced needle insertion with the phantom and hit the target lesion on 76.9% of insertion attempts.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Demand and Tax Simulation for Federal Food Assistance Participants: A Case of Two New England States

Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is a major concern in the efforts to improve diet and reduce obesity in USA, particularly among low-income populations. One of the most commonly proposed strategies to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is increasing beverage prices through taxation. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether and how price-based policies could reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among participants in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Using point-of-sale data from a regional supermarket chain (58 stores), we estimated the responsiveness of demand to sugar-sweetened beverage price changes among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-participating families with young children. Own-price and cross-price elasticities for non-alcoholic beverages were estimated using a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System model. The study found evidence that a tax-induced sugar-sweetened beverage price increase would reduce total sugar-sweetened beverage purchases among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants, who were driven by purchase shifts away from taxed sodas and sports drinks to non-taxed beverages (bottled water, juice, milk). The substitution of non-taxed caloric beverages decreases the marginal effects of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, yet the direct tax effects are large enough to reduce the overall caloric intake, with the average net reduction in monthly calories from sugar-sweetened beverages estimated at around 8% for a half-cent per ounce tax and 16% for a one cent per ounce tax. A beverage price increase in the form of an excise tax would reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and increase healthier beverage purchases among low-income families.
How Does This Look? Desirability Methods for Evaluating Visual Design

Previous studies show that traditional usability evaluation methods can be problematic for collecting feedback on visual design [1]. Desirability studies have been used by usability practitioners to collect feedback on the affective response to interactive systems, but none focus on assessing visual design. We describe the Visual Design Card Sort (VDCS), a desirability research method for collecting visual design feedback from domain experts. We also present a case study where VDCS was used to collect visual design feedback from expert users of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. Additionally, we propose a set of analyses for looking at data from desirability studies from different perspectives. Future research is needed to validate some of the assumptions made in designing VDCS and to understand how findings from VDCS compare to other desirability research methods and traditional evaluation techniques.
The relation between cognitive dysfunction and diffusion tensor imaging parameters in traumatic brain injury

Purpose of the Study: To investigate the association among global and regional white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) values following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cognitive functioning. Mater...
MRAM as Embedded Non-Volatile Memory Solution for 22FFL FinFET Technology

This paper presents key features of MRAM-based non-volatile memory embedded into Intel 22FFL technology. 22FFL is a high performance, ultra low power FinFET technology for mobile and RF applications with extensive high voltage and analog support, and a high level of design flexibility at low cost1. Embedded NVM technology presented here achieves 200°C 10-year retention capability combined with>106 cycle endurance and high die yield. Technology data retention, endurance and yield capabilities are demonstrated on 7.2Mbit arrays. We describe device-level MTJ characteristics, key integration features, cell characteristics, array operation specifics, as well as key yield milestones.
A paired kappa to compare binary ratings across two medical tests

Agreement between experts' ratings is an important prerequisite for an effective screening procedure. In clinical settings, large-scale studies are often conducted to compare the agreement of experts' ratings between new and existing medical tests, for example, digital versus film mammography. Challenges arise in these studies where many experts rate the same sample of patients undergoing two medical tests, leading to a complex correlation structure between experts' ratings. Here, we propose a novel paired kappa measure to compare the agreement between the binary ratings of many experts across two medical tests. Existing approaches can accommodate only a small number of experts, rely heavily on Cohen's kappa and Scott's pi measures of agreement, and thus are prone to their drawbacks. The proposed kappa appropriately accounts for correlations between ratings due to patient characteristics, corrects for agreement due to chance, and is robust to disease prevalence and other flaws inherent in the use of Cohen's kappa. It can be easily calculated in the software package R. In contrast to existing approaches, the proposed measure can flexibly incorporate large numbers of experts and patients by utilizing the generalized linear mixed models framework. It is intended to be used in population-based studies, increasing efficiency without increasing modeling complexity. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate low bias and excellent coverage probability of the proposed kappa under a broad range of conditions. Methods are applied to a recent nationwide breast cancer screening study comparing film mammography to digital mammography.
Common Law, Labor Law, and Reality: A Rejoinder to Professors Getman and Kohler

Some readers of my Article may take a certain comfort in the response of Professors Getman and Kohler,' and its reaffirmation of the New Deal verities I have criticized. If my assumptions offend "reality," then it is unnecessary to confront their implications. Reexamination of first principles is always hard, and often unpleasant, especially if it entails a change in orientation or commitment. Better it is, if we can continue untroubled on our old course. Yet a closer look at Getman and Kohler's own work should be sufficient to dissipate any complacent support for the status quo. It should be apparent that Getman and Kohler present no hint of any theory, normative or positive, relevant to labor relations, or indeed to any other legal area. Nonetheless it takes a theory to beat a theory, so it is wholly insufficient for them to belittle the use of common law arguments without some explanation as to why these arguments are wrong or why they should be replaced. Nor is the common law an easy target. Common law rules rest on more than the authority of the judges. Their intellectual roots derive from the libertarian and utilitarian tradition of Locke, Hume, Bentham, and Mill. The rules on the acquisition and protection of property, the keeping of promises, the importance of telling the truth and of keeping your hands to yourself are not remote or archaic conceptions. They are the stuff of all our everyday interactions. The simplicity of these common law structures allows them to cover a wide range of legal and social issues that are otherwise treated on a wholly ad hoc basis. Common law principles foster the operation of firms, the growth of trade and commerce, the law of the family and of the person. Why then is it self-evidently false and unreal to rely upon them, as the deposit of our shared moral life, when analyzing the field of labor relations, with its own heavily contractual component? What do Getman and Kohler do to keep their own perspective alive?
The Art of Dying: Mira de Amescua’s La hija de Carlos V and Ximénez de Enciso’s La mayor hazaña de Carlos V

Charles V was a popular figure on the early modern stage; plays offered nostalgic glimpses of a warrior king who conquered foreign lands and stifled the spread of heresy. This article examines two plays that dramatize Charles V’s life: Mira de Amescua’s La hija de Carlos V and Ximenez de Enciso’s La mayor hazana de Carlos V. Instead of serving audiences the normal rations of a swashbuckling Charles, these plays push aside the battles and the pageantry in order to emphasize the inner conflict that troubled the emperor during his final years. I analyse how these two plays use stage directions and performative cues to depict the emperor’s abdication and retirement to Yuste, finding that the plays engage with vanitas, the still-life visual reminders of human mortality, and the ars moriendi literary tradition in order to promote the concept of a good death.
Implications of performance-based funding on equity-based missions in US higher education

Upholding an equity-focused mission can be challenging for administrators, particularly in light of recently implemented policies that center funding based on student performance. Based on interviews with administrators across four universities in the same state, this work examines the ways in which performance-based funding (PBF) requirements are interacting with the public-serving mission of urban-serving research universities (USRUs) in the USA. Key findings highlight perceived tensions between PBF and USRUs, implications of these tensions of the understanding and enactment of the USRU mission, redefining of concepts of improvement, and implications of PBF on deepening stratification across a differentiated system.
Response to: ‘Case series of acute arthritis in COVID-19 admission’ by López-González et al

We read the comment on our article by Lopez-Gonzalez et al with great interest.1 2 The authors detail the presentation of four cases of acute arthritis in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 and underlying gout (three cases) or recurrent arthritis of unknown origin (one case). Although we await further reports, there have been anecdotes of newly diagnosed inflammatory arthritis in the context of COVID-19 infection, perhaps representing either a viral-associated arthritis or a reactive arthritis.3 4 However, as the authors note, common causes of acute inflammatory arthritis must continue to be considered in the differential diagnosis—these include crystal-associated arthritis, such as gout or pseudogout. Acute …
Bone Biology, Modeling, Remodeling, and Mineralization

The bone is a composite structure comprised primarily of mineral (hydroxyapatite) and organic matrix composed of collagen and non-collagenous proteins. Bone formation occurs through either intramembranous or endochondral mechanisms. Intramembranous bone formation, typical of the craniofacial bones, occurs when mesenchymal cells differentiate into osteoblasts and then begin producing matrix de novo within the mesenchyme. Endochondral bone formation, the pathway through which the majority of bones in the skeleton are formed, begins with a cartilaginous template that is replaced by bone matrix in a series of highly coordinated, sequential steps by osteoclasts and osteoblasts that are temporally and spatially coordinated in a process called bone remodeling. After the bone matrix is laid down, mineralization occurs. The initiating step appears to be the formation of matrix vesicles from osteoblasts that contain amorphous calcium and phosphorus, which form hydroxyapatite and continue to accumulate and grow inside the vesicle. The calcium is from the cell making the vesicle and/or entry into the vesicle via annexins from the extracellular space. In contrast, the phosphorus content of the matrix vesicle is highly regulated. Mineralization is normally in a state of inhibition through the activity of pyrophosphate (PPi) that regulates the availability of PO4−3. The activity of PPi can be inhibited by tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), facilitating release of PO4−3 outside of the matrix vesicle with subsequent transport into the vesicle through phosphate transporters. In addition, the presence of orphan phosphatase 1 (PHOSPO1) inside the matrix vesicle leads to degradation of lipids, generating choline for energy and PO4−3 for mineralization. The result of this collective group of enzymes is highly regulated mineralization. While there are many parallels between mineralization in bone and ectopic mineralization in arteries, the difference lies in the regulation in bone by temporal cues with redundant regulatory processes versus the induction of mineralization by aberrant environmental cues in arteries.
The effect of emphasis in telephone survey questions on survey measurement quality

Questionnaire design texts commonly recommend emphasizing important words, including capitalization or underlining, to promote their processing by the respondent. In self-administered surveys, resp...
Development of the Fabry-Perot interferometers for the HIRMES spectrometer on SOFIA

HIRMES is a far-infrared spectrometer that was chosen as the third generation instrument for NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory. HIRMES promises background limited performance in four modes that cover the wavelength range between 25 and 122 μm. The high-spectral resolution (R ≈105) mode is matched to achieve maximum sensitivity on velocity-resolved lines to study the evolution of protoplanetary disks. The mid-resolution (R≈12,000) mode is suitable for high sensitivity imaging of galactic star formation regions in, for example, the several far-infrared fine structure lines. The low-resolution (R≈2000) imaging mode is optimized for spectroscopic mapping of far-infrared fine structure lines from nearby galaxies, while the low resolution (R≈600) grating spectrometer mode is optimized for detecting dust and ice features in protostellar and protoplanetary disks. Several Transition Edge Sensed (TES) bolometer arrays will provide background limited sensitivity in each of these modes. To optimize performance in the various instrument modes, HIRMES employs eight unique fully-tunable cryogenic Fabry-Perot Interferometers (FPIs) and a grating spectrometer. Here we present the design requirements and the mechanical and optical characteristics and performance of these tunable FPI as well as the control electronics that sets the mirror separation and allows scanning of the FPIs.
Duvernoy's Gland Transcriptomics of the Plains Black-Headed Snake, Tantilla nigriceps (Squamata, Colubridae): Unearthing the Venom of Small Rear-Fanged Snakes.

The venoms of small rear-fanged snakes (RFS) remain largely unexplored, despite increased recognition of their importance in understanding venom evolution more broadly. Sequencing the transcriptome of venom-producing glands has greatly increased the ability of researchers to examine and characterize the toxin repertoire of small taxa with low venom yields. Here, we use RNA-seq to characterize the Duvernoy’s gland transcriptome of the Plains Black-headed Snake, Tantilla nigriceps, a small, semi-fossorial colubrid that feeds on a variety of potentially dangerous arthropods including centipedes and spiders. We generated transcriptomes of six individuals from three localities in order to both characterize the toxin expression of this species for the first time, and to look for initial evidence of venom variation in the species. Three toxin families—three-finger neurotoxins (3FTxs), cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), and snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPIIIs)—dominated the transcriptome of T. nigriceps; 3FTx themselves were the dominant toxin family in most individuals, accounting for as much as 86.4% of an individual’s toxin expression. Variation in toxin expression between individuals was also noted, with two specimens exhibiting higher relative expression of c-type lectins than any other sample (8.7–11.9% compared to <1%), and another expressed CRISPs higher than any other toxin. This study provides the first Duvernoy’s gland transcriptomes of any species of Tantilla, and one of the few transcriptomic studies of RFS not predicated on a single individual. This initial characterization demonstrates the need for further study of toxin expression variation in this species, as well as the need for further exploration of small RFS venoms.
Computer-Aided Design

In computer-aided design (CAD), engineers use computers to design, analyze, model, simulate, and evaluate a product, process, or system. In this chapter, the application of CAD in the creations of virtual models of products or systems is focused on. CAD was originally developed to represent geometric information of objects by using computer-drawing software. With the continuous evolution in several decades, the capabilities of CAD tools have been expanded significantly beyond computer graphics. In this chapter, various CAD techniques are introduced to model products, processes, and systems at different levels and aspects, parametric modeling, and knowledge-based engineering (KBE) are specially introduced, and basic solid modeling techniques are discussed to model geometrics, features, design intents, and assembling relations; finally, kinematic and motion analyses are explored to machine designs.