cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 6-month assessment of sleep during naval deployment: a case study of a commanding officer.

Background Sleep deprivation is known to be a common problem in the U.S. Navy and has been documented using wrist-worn actigraphy in various operational studies that typically span 2 to 4 wk in duration. However, sleep patterns over an extended period of time have not been objectively measured. Case report This 6-mo study used actigraphy and the Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool (FAST) to quantify the sleep patterns of a 39-yr-old Commanding Officer (CO) of an Arleigh Burke class destroyer while the ship was forward-deployed. On average, the CO received 5.2 h of sleep daily and averaged 6 h time in bed each day. The participant received more than 8 h of sleep for only 2% (N = 3) of the study days; for 17% (N = 27) of the days, he received less than 4 h of daily sleep. For 15% of waking time, the CO had a predicted effectiveness of less than 70% on the FAST scale, equating to a blood alcohol equivalent of 0.08%-or legally drunk. The CO's predicted effectiveness was below 65% approximately 10% of waking time. Discussion Results from this study are aligned with earlier research showing that crewmembers on U.S. Navy ships suffer from chronic sleep restriction. During a typical deployment, personnel accrue a considerable sleep debt even during normal operations. Should critical events with additional sleep restriction occur, the ship has limited reserve capacity, potentially placing her crew and their mission in grave jeopardy.
Don't Disturb My Circles! Boundary Preservation Is at the Center of Location-Sharing Concerns

Past research on location-sharing technologies and social media has uncovered many types of privacy concerns such as informational privacy, impression management and interactional privacy. We interviewed 21 users and nonusers of location-sharing technology and found that many of these privacy concerns are actually just symptoms of a higher-level motivation: the desire to preserve one’s existing offline relationship boundaries. We confirmed and generalized this finding through a nation-wide survey (N=1532) and path analysis. These results imply that designers of location-sharing systems should focus on preserving users’ relationship boundaries to address this cause of privacy concerns.
Economic models of periodic marketing systems

In third-world economies, staple food crops and many other consumer items are usually marketed through periodic markets. If the size of a marketing system is measured by the number of its participants or even by the monetary value of the goods exchanged, periodic markets are commonly the largest component of the overall marketing system. Our current research is aimed at modelling such systems. A typical model is a large number of nonlinear difference equations representing the interactions of supply and demand within and between the various markets in the system. From this we have obtained a number of qualitative conclusions regarding the temporal and spatial characteristics of price and commodity-flow variations.
Diffuse imaging: Replacing lenses and mirrors with omnitemporal cameras

Conventional imaging uses steady-state illumination and light sensing with focusing optics; variations of the light field with time are not exploited. We develop a signal processing framework for estimating the reflectance f of a Lambertian planar surface in a known position using omnidirectional, time-varying illumination and unfocused, time-resolved sensing in place of traditional optical elements such as lenses and mirrors. Our model associates time sampling of the intensity of light incident at each sensor with a linear functional of f . The discrete-time samples are processed to obtain � 2 -regularized estimates of f . Using non-impulsive, bandlimited light sources instead of impulsive illumination significantly improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and reconstruction quality.
Bioactive Glass Innovations Through Academia-Industry Collaboration

Since the discovery of 45S5 bioactive glass by Hench in 1969, numerous studies have been conducted on the use of bioactive glasses for the repair of hard and soft tissues. However, limited progress has been achieved in the commercialization of bioactive glass as medical products, with the most successful ones being 45S5-based Perioglas®, Novabone®, and NovaMin®. This indicates that a gap exists between academic research and industrial scale-up. Our work attempts to provide a preliminary study on the two well-known bioactive glasses, 45S5 and 13-93, to evaluate their suitability for mass production in an industrial platform. Glass properties including strain, annealing, and softening points, thermal expansion, density, and liquidus temperature are characterized. Our results show that both glasses have a substantially lower liquidus viscosity than soda lime silicate (SLS) glass, suggesting that melting and forming them in an industrial continuous-unit melting system could be challenging. Innovations in bioactive glass compositions by delving into literature, referencing relevant phase diagrams, conducting design of experiments (DOE), and utilizing modeling tools are needed. Furthermore, joint research between academia and industry on the development of new forming techniques is critical to meet the increasing demand for bioactive glass in a variety of sizes and shapes.
Age-Related Declines in Early Sensory Memory: Identification of Rapid Auditory and Visual Stimulus Sequences

Age-related temporal-processing declines of rapidly presented sequences may involve contributions of sensory memory. This study investigated recall for rapidly presented auditory (vowel) and visual (letter) sequences presented at six different stimulus onset asynchronies (SOA) that spanned threshold SOAs for sequence identification. Younger, middle-aged, and older adults participated in all tasks. Results were investigated at both equivalent performance levels (i.e., SOA threshold) and at identical physical stimulus values (i.e., SOAs). For four-item sequences, results demonstrated best performance for the first and last items in the auditory sequences, but only the first item for visual sequences. For two-item sequences, adults identified the second vowel or letter significantly better than the first. Overall, when temporal-order performance was equated for each individual by testing at SOA thresholds, recall accuracy for each position across the age groups was highly similar. These results suggest that modality-specific processing declines of older adults primarily determine temporal-order performance for rapid sequences. However, there is some evidence for a second amodal processing decline in older adults related to early sensory memory for final items in a sequence. This selective deficit was observed particularly for longer sequence lengths and was not accounted for by temporal masking.
Economic Analysis of Converters Used in Flexible HVDC

Economic performance is an important indicator for evaluating the performance of power equipments under the same working conditions.In order to analyze the economic differences between the two-level voltage source converter with direct series IGBTs and modularization multi-level converter(MMC),and to provide theoretical basis for selecting the type of converter for flexible HVDC in a specific working condition,the parameter design method of main circuits devices and the loss calculation approach for two kinds of the converters are analyzed,based on which the appropriate economic indicators are proposed and the economic performance of the converters are assessed and compared quantitatively.The results show that the economy of converter with direct series IGBTs is better in the condition of AC voltage being 35kV and below.
Putative roles of melatonin in glucose regulation.

Le role eventuel de la melatonine dans la regulation glucidique chez l'homme a ete peu explore. Dans des conditions normales, la tolerance au glucose est modulee par la rythmicite circadienne et par le sommeil, deux processus du systeme nerveux central qui peuvent etre influences par la melatonine. En presence d'un stimulus constant (par ex. perfusion intraveineuse de glucose a debit constant), les taux sanguins de glucose augmentent progressivement tout au long de la journee et culminent au milieu de la periode de sommeil. Ce rythme de tolerance au glucose resulte de modifications de l'utilisation (insulino-dependante et non insulino-dependante) du glucose ainsi que d'alterations de la sensibilite a l'insuline et de la secretion insulinique. Le rythme circadien du cortisol et la secretion d'hormone de croissance liee au sommeil sont impliques dans les mecanismes sous-jacents. Des variations de la balance sympatho-vagale au niveau du pancreas pourraient egalement etre impliquees mais n'ont pas encore ete explorees chez l'homme. Il est probable que la melatonine influence le metabolisme glucidique de l'homme par l'intermediaire de ses effets sur les noyaux suprachiasmatiques et sur la regulation du sommeil.
Association of blood lead levels in children 0-72 months with living in Mid-Appalachia: a semi-ecologic study.

INTRODUCTION Lead exposure in children remains a significant public health issue, although many advances have been made. The Mid-Appalachia area (Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) is 89-91% rural with a population density of 16-21 people/km2 (41-54 people/mi2). Mid-Appalachia has significant health disparities including concerns for the consequences of greater lead exposure to children due to mining and industrial footprints, and existing older housing. The purpose of this study is to compare the reported blood lead levels of screened children, aged 0-72 months in Mid-Appalachia, to the children in the USA in general. METHODS Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the US Census Bureau were analyzed in a semi-ecological study. The blood lead level of 5 μg/dL was compared between children in Mid-Appalachia and the US housing units built before 1950; US housing units built before 1940 were also compared. RESULTS The number of children with blood lead levels of 5 μg/dL was significantly greater in Mid-Appalachia than nationally (7.75% vs 5.79%, respectively; p<0.0001). The number of homes built before 1950 (p<0.0001) and built before 1940 (p<0.0001) was significantly greater in Mid-Appalachia than nationally. CONCLUSIONS Blood lead levels in children are higher in Mid-Appalachia than nationally and there is an ecological relationship with the number of homes built before 1950 and before 1940.
Optimal surgical timing and treatment of thumb duplication in children

Objective To investigate the optimal surgical timing and treatment of congenital duplication of the thumb in children.Methods A clinical study was performed on 154 fingers of the 132 patients (including 85 males,47 females; mean age (1.53 ± 2.47) years; ranged from 2 months to 13 years).Duplicated thumbs were surgically treated from December 2007 to February 2012.All patients underwent detailed physical examination and radiological assessment.Surgical methods should be selected according to the age,Wassel classification and deformity.The operation steps included resection of the most hypoplastic thumb,followed by skin flap plasty,tendon shift (transplantation),reconstruction of collateral ligament and articular capsule.11 cases over the age of 6 underwent osteotomy discretion as appropriate.Results A total of 117 fingers of the 104 patients were followed up for an average 36.7 months (range,6-55 months).We adopted upgrade Tada standard to evaluate the follow-up results as excellent in 77 thumbs,good in 21 thumbs,fair in 15 thumbs and poor in 4 thumbs.Three thumbs appeared secondary angular deformity 2 years after operation and one thumb appeared residual osteoepiphysis in the radial side of metacarpophalangeal joint 3 years after operation.The appearance and the function were almost normal after second operation.Conclusions The optimal surgical timing of congenital duplication of thumb should be based on the appearance of thumb ossification center.The surgical timing of Wassel type-Ⅰ and Ⅱ should be chosen at 1.5 years old when the ossification center of distal phalanx appears,Wassel type-Ⅲ and Ⅳ should be chosen at 1 year old when the ossification center of proximal phalanx appears,Wassel type-Ⅴ and Ⅵ should be chosen at 2.5 years old when the ossification center of metacarpal appears,and Wassel type-Ⅶ should be chosen at 2.5 years old.The surgical method should be selected on individualized principle.The key points are reconstruction of collateral ligament,tendon and articular capsule and correction of ulnar deviation(or radial deviation). Key words: Child; Thumb; Polydactyly; Surgical procedures,operative
Through Adventure Education: Using a Socio-ecological Model in Adventure Education to Address Environmental Problems

This chapter considers the relationship between adventure education and the socio-ecological model. A first look at the socio-ecological model might leave one wondering how adventure education fits within it. Given that the model is historically about promoting health behaviours by focusing on the interactions of people with both their physical environments and socio-cultural settings in their everyday lives, adventure education may seem at odds with socio-ecological thinking. After all, the nature of multi-day adventure education programs is to take participants out of their everyday environments, or what might be called their everyday social ecology. This chapter however, highlights the connections by suggesting there are three primary reasons why adventure education programs fit well within the socio-ecological model. First, both adventure education and socio-ecological models regard positive behaviour change as a desired outcome. Second, adventure education and socio-ecological models both offer insights to address environmental problems. Third, both models highlight our social and environmental interrelatedness. Adventure education provides a unique opportunity to step away from the complexities and distractions of day-to-day life and learn directly about both human and ecological interrelationships. Adventure education can be an effective way to teach systems thinking and the socio-ecological model provides a useful framework to do so.
Microsolvation of Fluoromethane

Fluorinated organic compounds are ubiquitous in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. To better discern the mode of action of these compounds, it is critical to understand the potential for and strength of hydrogen bonds involving fluorine. It is known that CH3F forms a hydrogen bond with H2O in the gas phase but does not dissolve in bulk water. This paper examines CH3F surrounded by one to six water molecules. For systems of similar topologies, CH3F formed hydrogen bonds of nearly the same strength as water. Although CH3F can bind to a second water cluster with only a modest loss in binding energy, it must bind to these clusters as a double hydrogen bond acceptor. This means that CH3F cannot form a low-energy cyclic 2D hydrogen bonding network with water molecules, which limits its solubility in bulk water. However, CH3F should be able to bind to the periphery of small hydrogen bonding networks. These conclusions were not appreciably altered by SMD calculations. A more complete consideration of...
Control of pulse format in high energy per pulse all-fiber erbium/ytterbium laser systems

A multi-stage linearly polarized (PM) (15 dB) pulsed fiber laser system at 1550 nm capable of operating at repetition rates between 3 and 20 kHz was investigated. A narrow linewidth seed source was linewidth broadened to approximately 20 GHz and pulses were created and shaped via an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in conjunction with a home built arbitrary waveform generator. As expected, a high repetition rate pulse train with a near diffraction limited beam quality (M2~1.12) was achieved. However, the ability to store energy was limited by the number of active ions within the erbium/ytterbium doped gain fiber within the various stages. As a result, the maximum energy per pulse achievable from the system was approximately 0.3 and 0.38 mJ for 300 ns and 1 μs pulses, respectively, at 3 kHz. Because the system was operated at high inversion, the erbium/ytterbium doped optical fiber preferred to lase at 1535 nm versus 1550 nm resulting in amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) both intra- and inter-pulse. For the lower power stages, the ASE was controllable via a EOM whose function was to block the energy between pulses as well as ASE filters whose purpose was to block spectral components outside of the 1550 nm passband. For the higher power stages, the pump diodes were pulsed to enable strategic placement of an inversion resulting in higher intrapulse energies as well as an improved spectrum of the signal. When optimized, this system will be used to seed higher power solid state amplifier stages.
Confidence Intervals of Fit Indexes by Inverting a Bootstrap Test

Fit indexes are an important tool in the evaluation of model fit in structural equation modeling (SEM). Currently, the newest confidence interval (CI) for fit indexes proposed by Zhang and Savalei (2016) is based on the quantiles of a bootstrap sampling distribution at a single level of misspecification. This method, despite a great improvement over naive and model-based bootstrap methods, still suffers from unsatisfactory coverage. In this work, we propose a new method of constructing bootstrap CIs for various fit indexes. This method directly inverts a bootstrap test and produces a CI that involves levels of misspecification that would not be rejected in a bootstrap test. Similar in rationale to a parametric CI of root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) based on a noncentral χ2 distribution and a profile-likelihood CI of model parameters, this approach is shown to have better performance than the approach of Zhang and Savalei (2016), with more accurate coverage and more efficient widths.
Abstract 20: The Effect of Resistance Training on Survival and Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect of resistance training (RT) on survival and other cardiovascular outcomes including ischemic heart diseas...
Detection and Prevention of Medication Errors Using Real-Time Bedside Nurse Charting

Objective: Charting systems with decision support have been developed to assist with medication charting, but many of the features of these programs are not properly used in their clinical application. An analysis of medication error reports at LDS Hospital revealed the occurrence of errors that should have been detected and prevented by decision support features if real-time entry at the bedside had taken place. The aim of this study was to increase the real-time bedside charting behavior of nurses. Design: A quasiexperimental before and after design was used. The study took place in two 40-bed surgical units, one of which served as the study unit, the other as control unit. The study unit received educational intervention about error avoidance through real-time bedside charting, and 12 weeks of monitoring and performance feedback. The real-time and bedside charting rates for the study and control units were measured before and after the intervention. Results: Before the intervention on the study unit, the real-time charting rate was 59% and the bedside rate was 40%. At the conclusion of a 12-week intervention period, the real-time rate increased to 73% and the bedside rate increased to 63%. Postintervention real-time rates were 75% after eight weeks and remained at 75% after one year. Equivalent control unit real-time rates varied from 53% to 57%, and bedside rates varied from 34% to 44% during the same intervals. Conclusion: Targeted educational intervention and monitored feedback yielded measurable improvements in the effective use of the computerized medication charting system and must be an ongoing process.
Catastrophe Micro-Insurance for Those at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Bridging the Last Mile

Helping the poor in developing societies from the ravages of catastrophic events such as earthquakes should be one of the highest priorities of any society. It is always this sector of any society that takes a major portion of brunt and negative consequences. Providing them with a safety umbrella of decent and safe housing as well as economic relief should be on top of strategic risk reduction policy. In this paper, we discuss as to how those who are at the bottom of the economic ladder can be assisted by developing a safety economic net in the form of micro insurance. Such a product should be a sustainable, profitable and of true economic relevance to all the stake holders. The solution of micro insurance for the poor should help the insured, the insurance/reinsurance food chain and the governments. Any micro insurance solution that is based on pure altruistic and philanthropic considerations cannot be sustained as a viable solution in the long term. Two pilot projects currently under development by the authors are discussed in this paper. One micro insurance product is for the earthquake risk transfer for the poor in China based on two triggers. The second product is for the State of Gujarat in India where micro finance institutions and those who borrow from such institutions are both protected from earthquake risk. If we can truly implement some of these pilot projects on a wide basis, we can provide economic assistance through global insurance schemes to those at the bottom of the pyramid. This will be a much needed bridge to the last mile.
The effects of morphology and fitness on catastrophic interference

Catastrophic interference occurs when an agent improves in one training instance but becomes worse in other instances. Many methods intended to combat interference have been reported in the literat...
The Role of Race on Mortality in Hyponatremic Patients Admitted for Heart Failure: Not all are Created Equal

Background Hyponatremia is a well-established poor prognostic marker in patients with heart failure (HF). Whether the mortality risk is comparable among different races of HF patients with hyponatremia is unknown. Hypothesis Mortality risk among hyponatremic patients with heart failure differ based on race. Methods Consecutive patients admitted with acute HF and an admission sodium level Results We included 4,343 patients, from which 1,356 identified as Caucasian (31%), 1,248 as AA (29%), 780 as Hispanic (18%) and 959 as other (22%). During a median follow-up of 23 months, a total of 2,384 patients died: 678 were AA, 820 were Caucasian, 298 were Hispanic and 588 were other. As shown in table 1 , Hispanics had the highest rates of HTN, DM, HLD, CKD, prior MI, and use of ACEI/ARB, beta blockers and ICDs. Caucasians had the highest rates of AF, CAD and COPD. There was no difference in 30-day readmission proportions among groups ( Table 1 ). After adjusting for all variables in Table 1 except for sodium levels, Hispanic patients had a 45% less risk of death as compared to AA (HR .55, CI .48-.64, p Conclusion Hispanic patients admitted for HF and who were hyponatremic on admission had independent lower risk of mortality compared to other races.
Destroyed by Slavery? Slavery and African American Family Formation Following Emancipation

This study introduces a new sample that links people and families across 1860, 1880, and 1900 census data to explore the intergenerational impact of slavery on black families in the United States. Slaveholding-the number of slaves owned by a single farmer or planter-is used as a proxy for experiences during slavery. Slave family structures varied systematically with slaveholding sizes. Enslaved children on smaller holdings were more likely to be members of single-parent or divided families. On larger holdings, however, children tended to reside in nuclear families. In 1880, a child whose mother had been on a farm with five slaves was 49 % more likely to live in a single-parent household than a child whose mother had been on a farm with 15 slaves. By 1900, slaveholding no longer had an impact. However, children whose parents lived in single-parent households were themselves more likely to live in single-parent households and to have been born outside marriage.
Evaluation of an intelligent team tutoring system for a collaborative two-person problem: Surveillance

Abstract This paper describes the development and evaluation of an Intelligent Team Tutoring System (ITTS) for pairs of learners working collaboratively to monitor an area. In the Surveillance Team Tutor (STT), learners performed a surveillance task in a virtual environment, communicating to track hostile moving soldiers. This collaborative problem solving task required significant communication to achieve the common goal of perfect surveillance. In a pilot evaluation, 16 two-person teams performed the task within one of three feedback conditions (Individual, Team, or None) across four trials each. The STT used a unique approach to filtering feedback so that teams in both individual and team conditions received a similar amount of feedback. In one performance measure, Team condition participants made fewer errors in one task than those in other conditions, though at a potential cost of mental workload. Feedback condition also significantly affected participants' subjective rating of both their own performance and their teammate's. This ITTS is one of the first automated team tutoring systems that provided real-time feedback during task execution. Recommendations are offered for the design of the optimal team task for future ITTSs that offer tutoring for small teams performing collaborative problem solving.
Book Review: Rethinking Autocracy at Work

This essay reviews Elizabeth Anderson’s book, Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don’t Talk About It), based on her 2015 Tanner Lectures. It explores Anderson’s overarching theme of employer domination from several perspectives: the rise and decline and animating logic of union organizing and collective bargaining as a response to employer domination; the proliferation and limits of employment laws and doctrines that aim to restrain employer domination; and the theory – both economic and philosophical – behind the gospel of employment at will that provides the legal underpinnings of employer domination. The essay concludes by reflecting on the implications of “fissured work” – firms’ outsourcing of work to supplier firms and individual “independent contractors,” including through software platforms – for the problem of employer domination. That trend is undermining the value and centrality of workplace-based rights and voice – long the focus of workers’ advocates and organizations, and generations of labor law scholars, as well as Anderson – while underscoring the problems of economic inequality and insecurity and the need for sectoral and societal solutions.
IMPACT OF LEFT VENTRICULAR END-SYSTOLIC VOLUME ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY: A MADIT-CRT LONG-TERM SUB-STUDY

Patients with varying degrees of LV dilation could potentially have differences in response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) therefore we aimed to assess CRT outcomes by baseline left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV). In 1,274 patients with mild heart failure (HF), reduced LVEF <30
Synchronous Rendezvous for Networks of Marine Robots in Large Scale Ocean Monitoring.

We develop a synchronous rendezvous strategy for a network of minimally actuated mobile sensors or {\it active drifters} to monitor a set of Lagrangian Coherent Structure (LCS) bounded regions, each exhibiting gyre-like flows. This paper examines the conditions under which a pair of neighboring agents achieves synchronous rendezvous relying solely on the inherent flow dynamics within each LCS bounded region. The objective is to enable drifters in adjacent LCS bounded regions to rendezvous in a periodic fashion to exchange and fuse sensor data. We propose an agent-level control strategy to regulate the drifter speed in each monitoring region as well as to maximize the time the drifters are connected and able to communicate at every rendezvous. The strategy utilizes minimal actuation to ensure synchronization between neighboring pairs of drifters to ensure periodic rendezvous. The intermittent synchronization policy enables a locally connected network of minimally actuated mobile sensors to converge to a common orbit frequency. Robustness analysis against possible disturbance in practice and simulations are provided to illustrate the results.
Mathematics of Malaria and Climate Change

This chapter is concerned with malaria and the impact of climate change on the spread of malarial diseases on the African continent. The focus is on mathematical models describing the dynamics of malaria under various climate scenarios. The models fit into the Ross–Macdonald framework, with extensions to incorporate a fuller description of the Anopheles mosquito life cycle and the basic physics of aquatic anopheline microhabitats. Macdonald’s basic reproduction number, \(\mathcal {R}_0\), is used as the primary metric for malaria potential. It is shown that the inclusion of air–water temperature differences significantly affects predicted malaria potential. The chapter includes several maps that relate the local ambient temperature to malaria potential across the continent. Under plausible global warming scenarios, western coastal Africa is likely to see a small decrease in malaria potential, while central, and especially eastern highland Africa, may see an increase in malaria potential.
Correlates of Exchanging Sex for Drugs or Money for Adolescent Males: A Hidden Population.

Research from prostitution, sex trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) literature have found risk factors that can lead to both male and female youth becoming involved in this sex tr...
High Prevalence of Buprenorphine in Prenatal Drug Screens in an Appalachian City.

Objectives To define the magnitude of buprenorphine presence in the urine drug screens of pregnant women and to assess the presence of illicit buprenorphine use versus the presence of prescribed buprenorphine use. Methods Initial prenatal drug screen results for all pregnant patients in our practice for a 1-year period were analyzed and tabulated. Results Buprenorphine was found in the urine drug screens of 16% of pregnant patients. The presence of buprenorphine was by far the highest for any substance associated with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). We estimate that the exposure to buprenorphine of approximately one-third of individuals in our population is associated with illicit buprenorphine use. Conclusions The high rate of NAS in our region is primarily associated with both illicit and prescribed buprenorphine rather than other substances. Buprenorphine usage at the time that prenatal care is initiated, rather than opiate use at the onset of prenatal care, is the underlying factor that must be addressed if our region is to successfully combat our high rates of NAS.
Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on food craving and eating when using a control method that minimizes guessing of the real vs. control condition.

Validation of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to treat obesity is hampered by evidence that participants can distinguish real from the traditional-control condition. Correctly guessing the real condition precludes knowing if it is neuromodulation or expectation that suppresses food craving and eating. Therefore, this study tested the putative efficacy of tDCS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to reduce food craving and eating when an alternative control condition was used that would be difficult to distinguish from the real condition. N = 28 adults with a 26–50 BMI range received a typical 20-min 2 mA current session of tDCS targeting the DLPFC as the real condition and a same duration/current tDCS session targeting the sensorimotor cortex (SMC), a region not expected to affect appetite, as the control. Food image craving ratings, in-lab food consumption, and momentary ratings of physical sensations were measured. DLPFC failed to reduce food craving and consumption compared to SMC stimulation. When interviewed, 71% of participants were unable to guess real from control conditions. Those who guessed DLPFC tDCS as real attributed their guess to increased number and frequency of sensations. However, their sensation ratings during tDCS did not differ between conditions. The results question if tDCS suppresses craving and eating at all, or if the DLPFC is the best target to do so. The results also indicate that alternate-site constant stimulation as the control method may strengthen the scientific evaluation of tDCS to treat obesity. Level I, experimental study.
Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Effects of Varying Degrees of Control Abstraction for Manned-Unmanned Teaming on Mental Workload of Pilots

The future of air combat is expected to evolve significantly to include new technologies and novel concepts of operation. The Manned-Unmanned Teaming concept involves low cost, attritable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that could be deployed along with a manned aircraft. The UAVs act as a complementary asset and bolster offensive air operations. Given the complexity of future operating environments, the degree of autonomous control required for pilots to concurrently operate multiple UA Vs and their own aircraft is one area of concern. To determine the amount of autonomous control abstraction that has the largest impact in reducing operator workload and increasing system performance, a predictive workload model was developed using the Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT). This research concluded that maned-unmanned teams can increase mission performance and maintain the pilot’s cognitive workload at a manageable level by utilizing higher levels of human control abstraction, where unmanned systems have greater degree of autonomy.
Reciprocal Peer Coaching and Teaching Teams’ Use of Pyramid Model Practices:

A multiple probe design across behaviors, replicated across teaching teams, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of training plus reciprocal peer coaching on teaching teams’ implementation of Pyr...
High-Pressure Injection Injuries to the Foot: A Case Report of 2 Patients:

Background:High-pressure injections injuries to the extremities can result in significant disability, including amputation of the affected limb. Proprietary mixtures associated with drill mud and h...
Improvement in Right Ventricular Stroke Work Index in Cardiogenic Shock Associated with Excellent Durable Left Ventricular Assist Implantation Results

Purpose Cardiogenic shock results from inadequate cardiac output to satisfy organ perfusion with potential need for pharmacologic and mechanical circulatory support for survival. Impella 5.0 insertion is used as a rescue device and bridge to durable mechanical circulatory support. We sought to evaluate changes in right ventricular parameters in patients bridged with Impella 5.0 undergoing durable left ventricular device implantation (LVAD). Methods A single center retrospective review of patients presenting in cardiogenic shock requiring micro-axial circulatory support with Abiomed Impella 5.0 between 2016-2020 was performed. Patient demographics, pre- and post-implant laboratory values and right heart catheterization pressures were reviewed. Patient demographics were evaluated using chi square test, clinical value means compared with unpaired t-test, p Results A total of 24 patients presenting in cardiogenic shock receiving durable LVAD after Impella 5.0 were included for analysis. The majority of patients were male, 59.3 ± 11.1 years old, with history of ischemic heart disease. All patients received an Impella 5.0 via axillary approach. Significant improvement in serum creatinine (1.83 vs 1.42, p 0.05). No patients received right ventricular assist device support, 30-day mortality was 8.3% Conclusion Impella 5.0 insertion for cardiogenic shock significantly decreased central venous and mean pulmonary artery pressure with concomitant improvement in RV function as measured by increased right ventricular stroke work index. Total bilirubin increased, likely as a result of pump hemolysis. Excellent results can be obtained with LVAD implantation in cardiogenic shock patients utilizing Impella 5.0 as a bridge.
Stochastic Sizing of Energy Storage for Installed Solar Systems

We propose a stochastic mixed-integer linear optimization model to size the storage system capacity of a solar system installed by electric power consumers at the distribution grid. Battery storage devices are chosen as the investment technology for storage capacity. Since multiple battery options are commercially available, the proposed model can accommodate multiple options to select the optimal option(s) and it's (their) optimal system capacity. The model is suitable for a solar net metering program, and its stochastic variables are the solar radiation and the consumer's power load. A numerical example with various experiments is used to conduct model's parametric analyses and assess the value of its stochastic solution. Experiment results demonstrated the model capability for selecting the best battery option when multiple options are available as well as indicated that solar consumers can decrease their total cost by investing in storage capacity and that the optimal number of battery units identified by the model is invariant for a large number of stochastic scenarios.
The Photopolymer Science and Technology Award

The Photopolymer Science and Technology Award No.091100, the Outstanding Achievement Award 2009, was presented to James V. Crivello (Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) for his outstanding achievement in photopolymer science and technology, "Invention of photoacid generators and its contribution to advancement of microlithography".
LUBAC Suppresses IL-21-Induced Apoptosis in CD40-Activated Murine B Cells and Promotes Germinal Center B Cell Survival and the T-Dependent Antibody Response.

B cell activation by Tfh cells, i.e., through CD154 engagement of CD40 and IL-21, and survival within GCs are crucial for the T-dependent Ab response. LUBAC, composed of HOIP, SHARPIN, and HOIL-1, catalyzes linear ubiquitination (Linear M1-Ub) to mediate NF-κB activation and cell survival induced by TNF receptor superfamily members, which include CD40. As shown in this study, B cells expressing the Sharpin null mutation cpdm (Sharpincpdm ) could undergo proliferation, CSR, and SHM in response to immunization by a T-dependent Ag, but were defective in survival within GCs, enrichment of a mutation enhancing the BCR affinity, and production of specific Abs. Sharpincpdm B cells stimulated in vitro with CD154 displayed normal proliferation and differentiation, marginally impaired NF-κB activation and survival, but markedly exacerbated death triggered by IL-21. While activating the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway in both Sharpin+/+ and Sharpincpdm B cells, IL-21 induced Sharpincpdm B cells to undergo sustained activation of caspase 9 and caspase 8 of the mitochondria-dependent and independent pathway, respectively, and ultimately caspase 3 in effecting apoptosis. These were associated with loss of the caspase 8 inhibitor cFLIP and reduction in cFLIP Linear M1-Ub, which interferes with cFLIP poly-ubiquitination at Lys48 and degradation. Finally, the viability of Sharpincpdm B cells was rescued by caspase inhibitors but virtually abrogated - together with Linear M1-Ub and cFLIP levels - by a small molecule HOIP inhibitor. Thus, LUBAC controls the cFLIP expression and inhibits the effects of caspase 8 and IL-21-activated caspase 9, thereby suppressing apoptosis of CD40 and IL-21-activated B cells and promoting GC B cell survival.
Impaired Adaptation and Laminar Processing of the Oddball Paradigm in the Primary Visual Cortex of Fmr1 KO Mouse

Both adaptation and novelty detection are an integral part of sensory processing. Recent animal oddball studies have advanced our understanding of circuitry underlying contextual processing in early sensory areas. However, it is unclear how adaptation and mismatch (MM) responses depend on the tuning properties of neurons and their laminar position. Furthermore, given that reduced habituation and sensory overload are among the hallmarks of altered sensory perception in autism, we investigated how oddball processing might be altered in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (FX). Using silicon probe recordings and a novel spatial frequency (SF) oddball paradigm, we discovered that FX mice show reduced adaptation and enhanced MM responses compared to control animals. Specifically, we found that adaptation is primarily restricted to neurons with preferred oddball SF in FX compared to WT mice. Mismatch responses, on the other hand, are enriched in the superficial layers of WT animals but are present throughout lamina in FX animals. Last, we observed altered neural dynamics in FX mice in response to stimulus omissions. Taken together, we demonstrated that reduced feature adaptation coexists with impaired laminar processing of oddball responses, which might contribute to altered sensory perception in FX syndrome and autism.
Real-World DNA Applications

DNA is the total genetic information of an organism, which is also called “the genetic code book”. DNA was discovered six decades ago. Since, it’s discovery, it has made great progress in its multiple applications in the lifetime of Dr. James Watson, one of the discoverers of DNA. It has various applications ranging from genetic engineering, nano-medicine, personalized medicine, biotechnology, sex determination, pharmacogenetics, drug development and testing, forensics, bioinformatics, anthropology, archeology, ancestry, animal production, immigration to agriculture, and cloning organisms. It expands further in host of other biological and non-biological areas among which some of them are reviewed by this article.
Is Cure of Hepatitis B Infection a Mission Possible

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health problem. Current antiviral therapy including pegylated interferon and nucleos(t)ide analogue is effective in reducing progression to cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma but the rate of HBsAg seroclearance is low. In this chapter, we review the barriers to eradicate HBV and how they may be overcome. We also discuss how cure of chronic HBV infection should be defined and measured and the likelihood that new antiviral and immune-modulatory drugs in development can achieve the goal of HBV cure.
Early-life inflammation primes a T helper 2 cell–fibroblast niche in skin

Inflammation early in life can prime the local immune milieu of peripheral tissues, which can cause lasting changes in immunological tone that confer disease protection or susceptibility1. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that prompt changes in immune tone in many nonlymphoid tissues remain largely unknown. Here we find that time-limited neonatal inflammation induced by a transient reduction in neonatal regulatory T cells causes a dysregulation of subcutaneous tissue in mouse skin. This is accompanied by the selective accumulation of type 2 helper T (TH2) cells within a distinct microanatomical niche. TH2 cells are maintained into adulthood through interactions with a fibroblast population in skin fascia that we refer to as TH2-interacting fascial fibroblasts (TIFFs), which expand in response to TH2 cytokines to form subcutaneous fibrous bands. Activation of the TH2–TIFF niche due to neonatal inflammation primes the skin for altered reparative responses to wounding. Furthermore, we identify fibroblasts in healthy human skin that express the TIFF transcriptional signature and detect these cells at high levels in eosinophilic fasciitis, an orphan disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the skin fascia. Taken together, these data define a previously unidentified TH2 cell niche in skin and functionally characterize a disease-associated fibroblast population. The results also suggest a mechanism of immunological priming whereby inflammation early in life creates networks between adaptive immune cells and stromal cells to establish an immunological set-point in tissues that is maintained throughout life. Time-limited skin inflammation in neonatal mice promotes a reciprocal interaction between type 2 helper T cells and fascial fibroblasts that regulates wound repair in later life.
Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery practice patterns: IUGA member survey

The purpose of this study is to describe the current practice patterns of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) members regarding the diagnosis, evaluation, and surgical management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). A 30-item internet-based survey was sent to IUGA members. Response to the survey was voluntary, and subjects answered questions regarding demographics, the evaluation of POP and SUI, including urodynamics (UDS) testing, preferred management of POP and SUI, and the application of mesh in reconstructive surgery. Three hundred and thirty-four IUGA members responded to the survey; most of the responses were from Europe (40 %) and North America (23 %). After the FDA safety communication regarding serious complications of using transvaginal mesh, 45 % of responders reported decreased use of mesh, while 31 % reported that it had no effect or that they did not use mesh for transvaginal prolapse (23.6 %). Regarding the evaluation and treatment of SUI, 51 % of responders would perform urodynamics (UDS) before surgical correction of uncomplicated SUI and 78.5 % of responders would perform UDS if no urine leakage was demonstrated on examination. The preferred method of treatment for SUI is midurethral sling (MUS), regardless of prior treatments (65.1 %), concomitant surgeries (74.5 %), or examination findings (50.8–92.6 %). Regarding POP repair, the preferred approach for apical (61 %) and posterior (99.4 %) prolapse repair is vaginal. Most respondents use a vaginal approach for POP surgery. The FDA safety communication regarding serious complications related to the use of transvaginal mesh for prolapse surgery led to a global decrease in the employment of mesh for POP. Synthetic midurethral slings are predominant in the current treatment of SUI. Despite new recommendations, many responders still perform UDS for uncomplicated SUI.
The role of certain infauna and vascular plants in the mediation of redox reactions in marine sediments

Abstract The mechanisms by which certain animals and plants affect redox processes in sediments was examined by studying three environments: (1) subtidal sediments dominated by the deposit-feeding polychaete Heteromastus filiformes; (2) a saltmarsh inhabited by the tall form of Spartina alterniflora; (3) tropical carbonate sediments inhabited by three species of seagrasses. 35S-sulfide production rates were compared to pool sizes of dissolved sulfide and dissolved iron. In all of the sediments studied, rates of sulfate reduction were enhanced by macroorganisms while the rate of turnover of dissolved sulfide increased. The polychaete enhanced microbial activity and redox cycling primarily by subducting particles of organic matter and oxidized iron during sediment reworking. The Spartina species enhanced anaerobic activity by transporting primarily dissolved organic matter and oxidants. Although the final result of both animal and plant activities was the enhancement of subsurface cycling of sulfur and iron, decreased dissolved sulfide and increased dissolved iron concentrations, the mechanisms which produced these results differed dramatically.