cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased crop damage in the US from excess precipitation under climate change

Recent flooding and heavy precipitation events in the US and worldwide have caused great damage to crop production. Ifthe frequency of these weather extremes were to increase in the near future, as recent trends for the US indicate and as projected by global climate models (e.g., US National Assessment, Overview Report, 2001, The Potential Consequences ofClimate Variability and Change, National Assesment Synthesis Team, US Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC; Houghton et al., 2001, IPCC Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis, Third Assessment Report ofthe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 335pp.), the cost ofcrop losses in the coming decades could rise dramatically. Yet current assessments of the impacts of climate change on agriculture have not quantified the negative effects on crop production from increased heavy precipitation and flooding (Impacts ofclimate change and variability on agriculture, in: US National Assessment Foundation Document, 2001. National Assessment Synthesis Team, US Global Change Research Program, Washington DC.). In this work, we modify a dynamic crop model in order to simulate one important effect of heavy precipitation on crop growth, plant damage from excess soil moisture. We compute that US corn production losses due to this factor, already significant under current climate, may double during the next thirty years, causing additional damages totaling an estimated $3 billion per year. These costs may either be borne directly by those impacted or transferred to private or governmental insurance and disaster relief programs. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Double-focusing mixing jet for XFEL study of chemical kinetics

Several liquid sample injection methods have been developed to satisfy the requirements for serial femtosecond X-ray nanocrystallography, which enables radiation-damage-free determination of molecular structure at room temperature. Time-resolved nanocrystallography would combine structure analysis with chemical kinetics by determining the structures of the transient states and chemical kinetic mechanisms simultaneously. A windowless liquid mixing jet device has been designed for this purpose. It achieves fast uniform mixing of substrates and enzymes in the jet within 250 µs, with an adjustable delay between mixing and probing by the X-ray free-electron laser beam of up to 1 s for each frame of a `movie'. The principle of the liquid mixing jet device is illustrated using numerical simulation, and experimental results are presented using a fluorescent dye.
Teaching Excel using incrementally reinforced project sets

Excel has been and continues to be an important component of business curriculums. This paper presents an innovative methodology for teaching Excel spreadsheets, consisting of mutually reinforcing sets of case studies. Each set contains a number of integrated and interlocking projects, where one project is designed to introduce one or more topics, and subsequent projects within a set are used to reinforce and incrementally add depth to the topic(s) under consideration. Flexibility, based on time constraints, individual student needs and classroom settings is maintained. The results, benefits, and implications of this method to teaching spreadsheets are discussed.
Limitations of Collateral Flow after Occlusion of a Single Cortical Penetrating Arteriole

Occlusions of penetrating arterioles, which plunge into cortex and feed capillary beds, cause severe decreases in blood flow and are potential causes of ischemic microlesions. However, surrounding arterioles and capillary beds remain flowing and might provide collateral flow around the occlusion. We used femtosecond laser ablation to trigger clotting in single penetrating arterioles in rat cortex and two-photon microscopy to measure changes in microvessel diameter and red blood cell speed after the clot. We found that after occlusion of a single penetrating arteriole, nearby penetrating and surface arterioles did not dilate, suggesting that alternate blood flow routes are not actively recruited. In contrast, capillaries showed two types of reactions. Capillaries directly downstream from the occluded arteriole dilated after the clot, but other capillaries in the same vicinity did not dilate. This heterogeneity in capillary response suggests that signals for vasodilation are vascular rather than parenchymal in origin. Although both neighboring arterioles and capillaries dilated in response to topically applied acetylcholine after the occlusion, the flow in the territory of the occluded arteriole did not improve. Collateral flow from neighboring penetrating arterioles is neither actively recruited nor effective in improving blood flow after the occlusion of a single penetrating arteriole.
ELISA FOR DETECTING OKADAIC ACED IN MODEL SYSTEMS USING PURIFIED POLYCLONAL ANTIBODIES

Polyclonal antibodies were produced in rabbits against okadaic acid (OA) following its coupling to bovine serum albumin using standard carbodiimide condensation procedure to form the immunogen. The immunogen was dialyzed against Tris buffer pH 7.45 at 4C and used to immunize two rabbits. Each rabbit received (at four sites) 0.5 mL immunogen (i.d.) together with adjuvant followed by three repeated injections of 0.3 mL emulsified immunogen-adjuvant mixture at weekly intervals. The last injection was made 60 days after the fourth. The antiserum was collected, at intervals, the immunoglobulin fraction (IgG) isolated, purified and used in an ELISA system to capture the okadaic moiety of the immunogen. Antibody titers increased following repeated immunization and the IgG recognized low levels of OA. However, ELISA was more sensitive for detecting the immunogen than for pure OA, but using the biotinylated-IgG enhanced the titration to both and the detection limit for OA was 0.63 ng per 0.1 mL buffer-methanol and the assay linearity ranged from 0.63 to 5.0 ng OA.
The human is the loop: new directions for visual analytics

Visual analytics is the science of marrying interactive visualizations and analytic algorithms to support exploratory knowledge discovery in large datasets. We argue for a shift from a `human in the loop' philosophy for visual analytics to a `human is the loop' viewpoint, where the focus is on recognizing analysts' work processes, and seamlessly fitting analytics into that existing interactive process. We survey a range of projects that provide visual analytic support contextually in the sensemaking loop, and outline a research agenda along with future challenges.
A mathematical model for social influences on perceptual judgments

Abstract A mathematical model based upon signal detection theory is developed that characterizes social influences upon judgments of a stimulus. A social influence cue and the physical aspects of the stimulus were assumed to have independent effects upon performance. A visual movement discrimination task was employed in which subjects could make their judgment either before or after a cue that they had been led to believe was the response of another subject. The accuracy of this “response” was varied. The model provided a good account of the data. A model-based estimate of the magnitude of the influence effect indicated that this effect was greater when the “other” was highly accurate. The model provided an interpretation of social influences on perceptual judgments in which influence pressures have their effects only when subjects' sensory impressions are ambiguous.
Catalytic supercritical water oxidation: Stability of Cr2O3 catalyst

Supercritical water oxidation has become a well-known treatment technology for conversion of aqueous wastes. By introducing a catalyst, higher conversion and selectivity to carbon dioxide can be achieved at a lower temperature and at shorter residence times. The stability of chromium oxide in supercritical water was studied to determine the feasibility of using catalysts during supercritical water oxidation. Various process variables, including oxygen and water concentrations, fluid flow rate, and temperature were found to affect the reactivity of the chromium oxide catalyst. Under these conditions, chromium was present in the reactor effluent as chromic acid, H{sub 2}CrO{sub 4}. The visual observation of the catalyst after the completion of the experiments suggested that a reaction front moved along the length of the reactor. A rate expression, based on Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics, with dissociative chemisorption of oxygen on a hydrated chromium oxide surface, was proposed. The model, developed based on this rate expression and the continuity equation for the fluid phase, was consistent with the experimental results.
Morphology and fine structure of the Russian sturgeon, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii (Acipenseridae, Chondrostei) spermatozoa

Summary Spermatozoa morphology and fine structure were studied in the Russian sturgeon, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii (Acipenseridae, Chondrostei) spermatozoon using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The spermatozoon is composed of an elongated head (length: 6.84 ± 0.04 μm) with an acrosome (1.18 ± 0.01 μm length and 1.05 ± 0.01 μm width), a cylindrical midpiece (length: 1.64 ± 0.03 μm) and a flagellum (length: 49.42 ± 0.37 μm). Eleven to 12 postero-lateral projections (length: 0.65 ± 0.02 μm) were observed at the posterior edge of the acrosome. Three endonuclear canals was observed from the acrosome to the implantation fossa. In the midpiece, 4–6 mitochondria were observed as well as (i) a proximal centriole close to the implantation fossa and (ii) a distal centriole at the base of the axoneme. The flagellum consisted of nine peripheral microtubules and a central pair surrounded by the plasma membrane, which was extended while developing a pair of lateral fins along it. Inter-individual differences in morphological dimensions of spermatozoa were detected. Principal component analysis performed on morphological parameters revealed 74.08% of the variance for the first three components. The acrosome width, midpiece length and posterior width of midpiece were correlated with component 1, flagellar length and total length with component 2, and head length, anterior width of head, posterior width of head and anterior width of midpiece with component 3. Inter-species comparisons in Acipenseridae showed differences in morphological dimensions of spermatozoa. In this context, acrosome, head and midpiece dimensions in the Russian sturgeon were similar to those of Shortnose sturgeon, white sturgeon and Persian sturgeon. Length of the flagellum and total length of spermatozoon in the Russian sturgeon showed similarity to those of Lake sturgeon and Persian sturgeon.
Opening Switch Utilizing Stress Induced Conduction in Polymethylmethacrylate

It is known that polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA, becomes conductive under shock loading. To develop an opening switch utilizing shock induced conduction, the reversibility of this process must be studied. It is suggested in literature that changes in electrical properties begin at pressures as low a ~2 GPa. Applying the minimum pressure necessary for conduction is desirable in order to maximize the reversibility by limiting compression heating of the material. CTH, a hydrodynamic code written at Sandia National Laboratory, was used to design various drivers that deliver pressures in the range of ~2 GPa to ~6 GPa to the PMMA. By utilizing the switch to trigger an RC discharge, the resistance and on-time of the switch was characterized. Experiments have shown conduction durations on the order of ~4 mus. The switch was then placed into a capacitive driven inductive energy storage circuit, IES, to determine the polymer's ability to recover. This paper will present experimental data, CTH simulation results, and discuss the attained switching characteristics under varying shock pressure profiles.
Development of an Improved High Cycle Fatigue Criterion

An integrated computational-experimental approach for prediction of total fatigue life applied to uniaxial stress state is developed. The approach consists of the following elements: (1) development of a vibration based fatigue testing procedure to achieve low cost bending fatigue experiments and (2) development of a life prediction and estimation implementation scheme for calculating effective fatigue cycles. A series of fully reversed bending fatigue tests were carried out using a vibration-based testing procedure to investigate the effects of bending stress on fatigue limit. The results indicate that the fatigue limit for 6061-T6 aluminum is approximately 20% higher than the respective limit in fully reversed tension-compression (axial). To validate the experimental observations and further evaluate the possibility of prediction of fatigue life, an improved high cycle fatigue criterion has been developed, which allows one to systematically determine the fatigue life based on the amount of energy loss per fatigue cycle. A comparison between the prediction and the experimental results was conducted and shows that the criterion is capable of providing accurate fatigue life prediction.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Evaluation of a predoctoral implant curriculum: does such a program influence graduates' practice patterns?

Purpose: Didactic predoctoral dental implant education is part of the curriculum in most US dental schools. However, fewer than half offer laboratory instruction, and only a few allow dental students to place and restore dental implants. The additional time necessary for laboratory and clinical experience encroaches on an already crowded curriculum. Is the additional time necessary in the curriculum for laboratory and clinical experience by dental students reflected by the practice patterns of graduates who have completed such a program over the past 10 years? Materials and Methods: A survey was designed to determine the implant practice patterns of graduates of the Creighton School of Dentistry, Omaha, Nebraska, for the 10-year period 1988 to 1997. These graduates had all participated in a formal undergraduate didactic and laboratory curriculum in implant dentistry. Approximately half also had the opportunity to place and/or restore dental implants while students. The survey was also sent to graduates (also 1988 to 1997) from a midwestern dental school without a formal laboratory or clinical component (used as a control group). The data were analyzed statistically. Results: In comparison to the control group (56% versus 23%), more than twice as many Creighton graduates restore dental implants as a part of their general practice, surgically place more dental implants, refer more implant patients to surgical specialists, and seek more continuing education hours related to implant dentistry. These conclusions were all supported by statistical analysis of the data. Discussion: Student clinical experience with implant dentistry appears to significantly increase the incorporation of implant dentistry into future dental practices. Even if clinical experience was not an option, a school curriculum which included both didactic and laboratory participation still significantly increased the number of graduates who included implant dentistry in their practices. Conclusion: The inclusion of laboratory and clinical experience in implant dentistry in the CUSD undergraduate curriculum resulted in significantly greater participation in implant dentistry at the general practice level.
United States of America: Internal Commitments and External Pressures

With the varied definitions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) we examine the motivation for firms’ CSR activities, how firms credibly demonstrate CSR, and firms’ CSR reporting. These three topics, i.e., why firms participate, how firms participate, and CSR reporting rubrics, help describe and explain the core question of this chapter: what is the practice of CSR in the United States (US)? We argue that the practice of CSR in the US is evolving and accelerating at an uneven pace across industries and within firms because of differences in beliefs in CSR, leadership, employee pressures, government demands, and community input. This chapter suggests examining specific stakeholder relations and how firms cocreate value that leads to a more nuanced view of CSR. The practice of CSR in the US continues to be a matter of choice within a market-driven economy. This freedom to choose underlies many CSR activities. CSR for consumers may include better, safer, and quality products. For employees, CSR is about pride, retention, and being an employer of choice. CSR is a differentiator from rival firms – especially in fiercely competitive markets. For policy makers, CSR is about building trust, credibility, and repetitive access. For suppliers, CSR is about being the partner of choice. And for communities, CSR is about pride, sponsorships, and inclusion. CSR in U.S. firms is the sum of these stakeholder systems plus the innovative creativity resulting in new product/markets to serve shifting social demands.
The conjunction as catalyst in the Zulu novels of C.L.S. Nyembezi

Certain Zulu conjunctions as used in narrative are discussed. I attempt to justify the assumption that, with respect to kanti, the author's third person omniscient narrator, or sometimes the author himself, marshalls knowledge in strategic ways to enhance the aesthetic appeal of his narrative. In doing so, he brings reader and characters into ironically contrasting relationships in which the knowledge is revealed either to the reader (to enhance mounting anxiety) or to a concerned character to give him a definite advantage over another character with whom he may be in an antagonistic relationship. The character to whom the crucial knowledge is never revealed is overcome by the events of the story (for better or for worse) without having been forewarned. With respect to phela, there is an underlying assumption that certain values are held in common by the author's cultural group (replicated in the story) and the reader. Universal values are also often marshalled by means of phela to reveal the basic onenes...
Life Cycle Environmental Implications of CO2 Capture and Sequestration with Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Acetate

In this paper, for the first time, we present findings on the life cycle environmental implications of an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, [bmim]+[Ac]−)-based carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) process retrofitted to a coal-fired power plant. Ionic liquids are considered as promising alternative solvents to currently proven technology based on monoethanolamine (MEA). The results indicate that a CCS process with 90% CO2 capture efficiency based on [bmim]+[Ac]− reduces life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by only 50%. This does not compare favorably with 75% life cycle GHG reductions offered by the MEA-based CCS process. In depth analysis reveals that despite lower total energy requirements for the ionic liquid process the increased need for electricity results in poor environmental performance. The insights gained from the results of the ionic liquid [bmim]+[Ac]− CCS process is used to explore critical life cycle environmental performance parameters and trade-offs in the context ...
Influence of substrate elasticity on droplet impact dynamics

Droplet impact dynamics is vital to the understanding of several phase-change and heat-transfer phenomena. This work examines the role of substrate elasticity on the spreading and retraction behavior of water droplets impacting flat and textured superhydrophobic substrates. Experiments reveal that droplet retraction on flat surfaces decreases with decreasing substrate elasticity. This trend is confirmed through a careful measurement of droplet impact dynamics on multiple PDMS surfaces with varying elastic moduli and comparison with impact dynamics on hard silicon surfaces. These findings reveal that surfaces tend to become more wettable upon droplet impact as the elastic modulus is decreased. First-order analyses are developed to explain this reduced retraction in terms of increased viscoelastic dissipation on soft substrates. Interestingly, superhydrophobic surfaces display substrate-elasticity-invariant impact dynamics. These findings are critical when designing polymeric surfaces for fluid-surface interaction applications.
Comparisons of Computational and Experimental Thermochemical Properties of α-Amino Acids

This study provides comprehensive benchmark calculations for the thermochemical properties of the common α-amino acids. Calculated properties include the proton affinity, gas-phase basicity, protonation entropy, ΔH°(acid), ΔG°(acid), and enthalpies of formation for the protonated and deprotonated α-amino acids. In order to determine the performance at various levels of theory, including density functional methods and composite methods, the calculated thermochemical properties are compared to experimental results. For all the common α-amino acids investigated, the thermochemical properties computed with the Gaussian-n theories were found to be quite consistent with each other in terms of mean absolute deviation from experiment. While all Gaussian-n theory values can serve as benchmarks, we focus on the G3MP2 values as it is the least resource-intensive of the Gaussian-n theories considered.
The Four Habits of High-Value Health Care Organizations

Health care organizations considered among the nation's highest performers often have unique personalities, structures, resources, and local environments. Yet they often have remarkably similar approaches to care management, common habits that may be transferrable.
Cross-beam Nonlinear Photoacoustic Microscopy

We present a cross-beam nonlinear photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) technique that enhances the axial resolution. By combining cross-beam illumination with optical nonlinearity, an axial resolution of 8.7 µm is measured experimentally, a fourfold improvement over the acoustically determined value.
Surveillance of iodized salt and iodine deficiency diseases in Hubei Province

Objective To understand the surveillance situation of iodine deficiency diseases in Hubei Province from 2005 to 2011.Methods According to " Surveillance program of Iodine Deficiency Diseases of Hubei Province" and " Action Project for realizing the aim of eliminating Iodine Deficiency Diseases by 2010",Thyromegaly condition,urinary iodine of children aged 8 to 10,and edible salt of household were investigated.Some of the indexes,such as the rate of thyromegaly,the median of urinary iodine,the eligible rate of iodized salt,the intake rate of eligible iodized salt,the coverage rate of iodized salt,were calculated and compared.Results Since 2005,the median of salt iodine was stable at about 31mg / kg.The surveillance results of urinary Iodine indicated that the median of urinary iodine was all above 250 and the urine iodine concentration was high.Conclusions The target of eliminating iodine deficiency diseases has realized in Hubei Province.However,iodine concentration of edible salt has room for further reduction.
Estrogen receptor binding and bioactivity of individual isomers of active tamoxifen metabolites and their glucuronides

A147 Tamoxifen (TAM), (1-[4-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)-phenyl]-1,2-diphenylbut-1-(Z)-ene), is a non-steroidal anti-estrogen that has been commonly used for the prevention and treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. The active metabolites of TAM including 4-hydroxy-TAM and endoxifen are subjected to conjugation with glucuronic acid and excretion via the biliary system. Although the loss of anti-estrogenic activity of glucuronides of both 4-OH-TAM and endoxifen has been reported, studies examining the mechanism of this loss of activity have not been previously performed. In the present study, the estrogen receptor (ER) binding affinity for glucuronides of active TAM metabolites were determined by in vitro competitive binding assay and their anti-estrogenic properties were further evaluated by 17β-estradiol (E2)-induced MCF-7 cell proliferation as compared to their unconjugated counterparts. Both trans-4-OH-TAM and trans-endoxifen exhibited significantly higher relative binding affinity (RBA) for ER-alpha (RBA=195 and 158, respectively) than their respective cis isomers (RBA = 2.9 for cis-4-OH-TAM and 4.5 for cis-endoxifen; p
Intelligent Data Mining for Translator Correctness Prediction

This paper presents a new approach to predictive data analytics, called Radius of Neighbors (RN), and its mobile application, a multilingual RN-Chatter, devoted to improve communication among people, speaking different languages. RN is a modeless method of unsupervised machine learning, what makes it a fairly simple but effective way of analyzing big amounts of data while keeping acceptable speed of execution and taking up little run-time space. In the first preparatory stage of our research, we discovered that RN gives better results than well-known K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) in some cases. We then extended our research to simulating the adjustments of floating radiuses, various volumes of the training data sets and ups and downs of the dimensions to tune RN for its optimum accuracy. We took experimental approach of not only extending the number of dimensions, but, instead, shrinking and modifying them in order to keep the predicted value' neighbors close by.
The Treatment of Non-Participants in Travel Cost Analysis

When estimating demand models, such as those used in travel cost analysis, the procedures used to collect data must be considered. When the statistical assumptions underlying the chosen model are inconsistent with the sample design, biased results will be produced. In this paper, three types of bias related to the improper treatment of nonparticipants are reviewed: censoring, truncation, and endogenous stratification. Methods that control for these sources of bias are considered in the context of both continuous and count models.
“Stony the Road” to Change: The Final (Af)front: Space and the Black Public Sphere

Before examining the function of the Black public sphere and its relationship to use of space by Blacks in Oxford/Lafayette County, I want to address more generally the practices of subordinate groups for instituting change in stratified societies. This discussion sheds light on examples of getting over provided in previous chapters. The chapter goes on to describe what constitutes the Black public sphere in Oxford/Lafayette County and then addresses the use-of-space problems that become impediments to the operation of that sphere. The general concern of this chapter is social change. Social scientists recognize that social change is often brought about through two distinct methods – either as a result of the deliberate attempt of a group to solve some perceived problem or as a result of forced subordination during especially intense contact between two societies. Despite this awareness, we rarely acknowledge that, in addition to the expected changes, unintended consequences often accompany these two methods. In stratified systems, the model for change is influenced and constructed by the ideology of the dominant society. This is largely the result of its control over the necessary resources and the means of production – both economic and cultural. The dominant society constructs the major institutions, such as churches, schools, and newspapers. These institutions in turn legitimate the position of the dominant society. They enforce and maintain changes made through political and social repression.
Flexible Esophagoscopy as Part of Routine Panendoscopy in ENT Resident and fellowship Training

We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the use of flexible esophagoscopy as part of routine panendoscopy in an academic setting. We reviewed the results of 378 procedures that were performed over a 4-year period in an academic otolaryngology--head and neck surgery program for residents and fellows. Medical records were reviewed for early and late complications as well as for adequacy of the examination. We found no immediate or long-term complications associated with flexible esophagoscopy. Adequate examination was achieved in all but two cases (99%), both of which involved patients who had significant strictures related to radiation therapy and who were not able to be evaluated by rigid esophagoscopy. We conclude that flexible esophagoscopy is a safe and accurate means of evaluating the esophagus during a panendoscopic evaluation of the upper aerodigestive tract, and that it should be included in the diagnostic armamentarium of every otolaryngology--head and neck surgery resident and fellow.
Putting Prognosis Into Perspective

In the current information age, patients want clarity about their diagnosis and prognosis. A patient who is being prepared for cardiac catheterization and possible percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) wants to understand the risks and benefits of the procedure. Once they undergo PCI, they want to know whether the procedure was successful, if there were any complications, and if their risk for future events is lower than before PCI. When they are seen in follow-up, these same questions may arise, particularly about prognosis. How can clinicians answer these questions quantitatively? Cumulative survival probabilities post-PCI are readily available, but those do not accurately answer the patient’s question. Most studies do not take into account the prognosis based on survival to a certain time point and even fewer place those findings in the context of a demographically similar, external population. See Article by Baart et al In this month’s issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes , Baart et al1 introduce relative conditional survival estimation …
The Effect of an Out-of-School Enrichment Program on the Academic Achievement of High-Potential Students From Low-Income Families

High-potential students from low-income families are at an academic disadvantage compared with their more affluent peers. To address this issue, researchers have suggested novel approaches to mitig...
Acoustic control of microstructures during direct ink writing of two-phase materials

Abstract New methods to 3D print multiphase materials with tailored microstructures could expand additive manufacturing capabilities to include structures with unprecedented complexity. One promising technique to control microstructure is acoustic focusing, a method by which particles in a fluid are manipulated by acoustic waves. By combining acoustic focusing with direct ink writing (where fluid inks are solidified after extrusion), the distribution of particles in fluid matrices can be modified throughout print lines. Here, we describe the design space for acoustic focusing with direct ink writing and explore the associated trade-offs, for inks composed of epoxy resin, silica, acetone, and glass microspheres. Increasing silica content increases the viscosity, widening the spatial distribution of particles, but it improves the preservation of printed shapes. Increasing the amplitude of the acoustic wave and decreasing the printing speed allow for narrower distributions of particles in printed lines but increase the time and energy needed for the print. To quantify these trade-offs, we conducted a combinatorial study of four factors: fumed silica and acetone loadings in epoxy-based matrices (which control ink rheology), print speed, and acoustic wave amplitude. We show that after deposition, particle distributions within focused lines are preserved; particle-poor regions on the edges of focused lines spread out farther than the particle-rich regions in the middle. The present study relating device operating parameters, ink properties and printed microstructures structure provide key insights to future designs of actuated print nozzles, which target new microstructures enabled by field-assisted control.
Psychometric Comparison of Dissociative Experiences Scales II and C: A Weak Trauma-Dissociation Link

Summary The debate regarding the relationship between dissociation and trauma has raised questions regarding the validity of measures of dissociation. Dalenberg et al.'s (2012) meta-analysis included studies using the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES II), but excluded the DES-Comparison (DES-C) scale, claiming that it lacked validity as a measure of dissociation. Lynn et al. (2014) contended that omitting those studies might have skewed the results. In the current study, we compared the psychometric properties of both measures in two nonclinical US adult (student, general population) samples to evaluate the convergent and discriminant validity of the scales. We found support for the DES-II as a measure of dissociation as well as the validity and reliability of the DES-C, which compares well to the DES II. Compared with studies in Dalenberg et al., we found lower correlations between trauma and dissociation. No empirical basis exists to exclude studies using the DES-C in literature reviews. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bayesian regression model for recurrent event data with event-varying covariate effects and event effect

In the course of hypertension, cardiovascular disease events (e.g., stroke, heart failure) occur frequently and recurrently. The scientific interest in such study may lie in the estimation of treatment effect while accounting for the correlation among event times. The correlation among recurrent event times come from two sources: subject-specific heterogeneity (e.g., varied lifestyles, genetic variations, and other unmeasurable effects) and event dependence (i.e., event incidences may change the risk of future recurrent events). Moreover, event incidences may change the disease progression so that there may exist event-varying covariate effects (the covariate effects may change after each event) and event effect (the effect of prior events on the future events). In this article, we propose a Bayesian regression model that not only accommodates correlation among recurrent events from both sources, but also explicitly characterizes the event-varying covariate effects and event effect. This model is especially useful in quantifying how the incidences of events change the effects of covariates and risk of future events. We compare the proposed model with several commonly used recurrent event models and apply our model to the motivating lipid-lowering trial (LLT) component of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) (ALLHAT-LLT).
Coercion, Access, and Control: Understanding Drugging

This special issue on drugging presents five articles that make important contributions to this still emerging literature. Although historical incidents of drugging, which is the nonconsensual administration of psychoactive substances, have been documented for decades, scientific scholarship on this phenomenon is relatively new. These articles provide in-depth consideration of conceptual issues around this behavior, which can be difficult to detect and is not always perceived as an offense by young adults. The authors also contribute important new quantitative and qualitative data on a range of risk factors include differential vulnerability across racial groups and sexual identities. Data on victimization responses and revictimization are presented. Regarding perpetrators, an analysis of the media treatment of high-status perpetrators, in this case medical professionals, also illuminates ongoing challenges in the social perceptions of drugging and the criminal status of the offense.
Using GIS-Based Models to Protect Children from Lead Exposure

In an effort to protect children from lead exposure, the Children’s Environmental Health Initiative (CEHI) at Duke University has created a lead exposure risk model for 32 North Carolina counties and several national replication sites. The model combines county tax assessor data, blood lead screening data from clinic visits, and US Census data through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis to predict the risk of lead exposure at the individual household level. CEHI has disseminated the model to public health departments, city housing agencies, local nonprofit organizations, and state agencies in support of their lead poisoning prevention efforts. These groups have effectively used CEHI’s lead model for a diverse set of applications including setting action levels for lead, targeting blood lead screening and home lead sampling, identifying homes for lead abatement interventions, and planning educational programs in high-risk neighborhoods. The lead model has helped groups select the strategies and project areas that will lead to the greatest possible reductions in childhood lead poisoning with limited resources. The model also provides a basis for potential decision modeling applications by which government agencies and other organizations can develop least-cost interventions to reduce the risk of lead poisoning.
Statistical Foundations and Data Integration for Microbial Forensics

The anthrax mailings of 2001 dramatically heightened concerns about the possibility of terrorist incidents involving microbiological agents. In the wake of the attacks, microbial forensics has emerged as a new focus area for research. Researchers in this nascent field have been working to develop new analytical methods that provide information useful in an investigation and ultimately a courtroom. This chapter summarizes the important role statistics has to play in the development of this new scientific discipline.
Recurrent Incisional Hernia Repair

Repairing recurrent incisional hernias comprises thousands of operations performed nationwide each year. Patients suffering from these abdominal wall defects constitute a true challenge to general, minimally invasive, and plastic surgeons across the country. Traditional approaches to repairing these hernias, including open suture and mesh repair, have been plagued by repeated recurrences in both the short and long term. Other options, such as abdominal wall myofascial advancement flaps and laparoscopic approaches to incisional hernias have been proposed as superior alternatives with the potential for lower recurrence rates. Dozens of different mesh prostheses are available for recurrent hernia repairs, yet none offers a panacea immune to recurrence or other complications. Knowledge of all these options is required to provide the best possible care for patients with these difficult problems.
Type 1 Diabetes Recurrence After Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) is an important option for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and end-stage renal disease. While most SPKT recipients experience long-term euglycemia, about 5% return to insulin therapy, 5–20 years after transplantation due to T1D recurrence (T1DR). Over the last two decades, we have assessed autoimmunity in our patients, evaluating autoantibodies (GAD65, IA2, and ZnT8), autoreactive T cells, and pancreas transplant biopsies. Most patients demonstrate seroconversion for multiple autoantibodies. Autoreactive memory T cells have been identified in the peripheral blood, pancreas transplant, and peri-pancreas transplant tissues. Biopsies generally exhibit insulitis, the typical lesion of T1D, affecting pancreatic islets in the pancreas transplant, and lack of rejection in the pancreas and kidney transplants. In addition to membrane expression of memory markers, we have identified other biomarkers, including CXCR3, on circulating and infiltrating autoreactive memory T cells. We hope that this work will lead to therapeutic intervention in our patients with T1DR, and that this will translate to effective treatment for T1D.
Prospective Study of Central versus Peripheral Obesity in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Purpose: Body mass index (BMI) is often used to predict surgical difficulty in patients receiving total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, BMI neglects variation in the central versus peripheral distribution of adipose tissue. We sought to examine whether anthropometric factors, rather than BMI alone, may serve as a more effective indication of surgical difficulty in TKA. Materials and Methods: We prospectively enrolled 67 patients undergoing primary TKA. Correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the associations of tourniquet time, a surrogate of surgical difficulty, with BMI, pre- and intraoperative anthropometric measurements, and radiographic knee alignment. Similarly, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was compared to BMI. Results: Tourniquet time was significantly associated with preoperative inferior knee circumference (p=0.025) and ankle circumference (p=0.003) as well as the intraoperative depth of incision at the quadriceps (p=0.014). BMI was not significantly associated with tourniquet time or any of the radiographic parameters or KOOS scores. Conclusions: Inferior knee circumference, ankle circumference, and depth of incision at the quadriceps (measures of peripheral obesity) are likely better predictors of surgical difficulty than BMI. Further study of alternative surgical indicators should investigate patients that may be deterred from TKA for high BMI, despite relatively low peripheral obesity.
Public Policy Issues in Clinical Research Informatics

Recently, a national imperative to “develop better cures faster” has been a rally cry for clinical research, as stakeholders work to apply advances in data storage, computation, and methodology toward the clinical research enterprise. This work is, at its core, the domain of Clinical Research Informatics (CRI), and the intersection of public policy and CRI will be the focus of this chapter. The goal of this chapter is to provide a foundation for clinical research policies impacting the domain of CRI and to describe the emerging landscape of public policies likely to impact CRI for some time to come.
Measurements of Total Hemispherical Emissivity of A508/A533B Alloy Steel

The total hemispherical emissivity of A508/A533B alloy steels was measured for conditions of interest in nuclear plant safety. The effect of long-term oxidation on the emissivity of A508/A533B was ...
Effect of the CPAP-SAVER Intervention on Adherence:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice, but adherence is poor, contributing to a myriad of comorbidities that increase health burden. The study purpose was to examine the effect of the CPAP-SAVER intervention on adherence among adults with newly diagnosed OSA. Sixty-six participants were randomly assigned to intervention or standard care groups. Data were analyzed using chi-square, t-tests, and correlations. At one month, there was no significant difference in adherence between groups; CPAP beliefs and attitude were significantly higher and attitude significantly increased for the intervention group. Focus on CPAP beliefs and attitude by practitioners may impact CPAP adherence. With further research and replication of this study in larger samples to determine generalizability, the CPAP-SAVER intervention may provide underpinnings for the eventual development of an OSA-CPAP adherence management protocol.
Books: Halberstam Book Is Insider's View

(1979). Books: Halberstam Book Is Insider's View. Journalism History: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 124-128.
Recommended foscarnet dose is not associated with improved outcomes in cytomegalovirus salvage therapy.

Abstract Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection causes significant morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. Ganciclovir and valganciclovir have proven efficacy but are limited by resistance and toxicity, whereas foscarnet typically retains activity when CMV has become resistant to other antivirals. Foscarnet dosing used in practice may be discordant with what is recommended in product labeling, as the result of an unconventional dosing nomogram or prescriber preference; however, it is unknown how discordant foscarnet dosing affects outcomes. Objective Our purpose was to characterize the relationship between initial foscarnet dosing intensity (relative to product labeling) and key effectiveness and safety endpoints. Study design This single-center, retrospective study included immunosuppressed adults with CMV viremia who received foscarnet between January 2012–July 2017. Subjects were divided into low dose (LD) and non-low dose (NLD) groups, according to foscarnet dose intensity. The primary endpoint was time-to-CMV eradication. Secondary endpoints included time-to-CMV clearance, acute kidney injury, hematologic toxicity, and mortality. Results Of 87 subjects, 38 met inclusion. Primary immunosuppression reasons were solid organ (63%) or hematopoietic cell transplant (29%). Seventeen and 21 subjects were in the LD and NLD groups, respectively. Median time-to-CMV eradication was 17 days (LD group) versus 13 days (NLD group), p = 0.823. Median time-to-CMV clearance was also non-significant (p = 0.505). There was no association between initial foscarnet dosing intensity and acute kidney injury, hematologic toxicity, or mortality (24% in both groups). Conclusions These findings suggest outcomes may be sensitive to other factors and underscore the need for further studies to improve understanding of foscarnet dosing in immunosuppressed patients.
The Maiden and the Witch: CLAMP’s Subversion of Female Character Tropes

This chapter focuses on the work of CLAMP, a prolific four-woman team of writers and artists. Its discussion focuses on three of their most popular titles: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, xxxHolic, and Chobits. These three manga belong to the demographic genres of shōnen (for boys) and seinen (for men), publishing categories designed to target and attract a male-gendered audience. CLAMP employs a female gaze to the conventions of these genres to subvert gendered character tropes, providing a viable means of female empowerment while queering the gendered specificity of manga genres in the 2000s. This chapter thereby offers an alternative reading of common narrative patterns within contemporary Japanese popular culture by demonstrating the agency of female creators and female readers.
Response to "Quantitative Clinical Pharmacology INPUT to SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics Should be Based on Robust Data".

Author(s): Garcia-Cremades, Maria; Solans, Belen P; Hughes, Emma; Ernest, Jacqueline P; Wallender, Erika; Savic, Radojka M
Going private: Are private prisons cost‐saving options for states?

As prison populations have increased, states have often turned to private prisons in an effort to save on correctional costs. This paper first considers the trade‐offs between private and public prisons, then assesses the cost‐effectiveness of such strategies across all 50 states over 1999–2015 using a fixed‐effects panel model. We find that private prisons provide no significant systematic cost savings over the period of study, adding econometric clarification to previously inconclusive case study evidence.