cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monitored Natural Attenuation of MTBE

Since the mid-1990s, managers and regulators of sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons have increasingly turned to a remedial strategy called MNA. This strategy relies on naturally occurring processes — without human intervention or enhancement — to reduce concentrations and exposure risks from ground water contaminants. Although the name MNA is commonly used, at least two other names are associated with the same strategy (NRC, 2000): natural attenuation and intrinsic remediation. This chapter routinely uses the shorter name, natural attenuation, but the three terms can be taken as synonyms.\
Immunosorbent analysis of toxin contamination in milk and ground beef using IgY-based ELISA

ABSTRACTAnalytical methodology to detect ricin and Shiga toxins (Stx) in food matrices is important for food safety and biosecurity. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind each toxin were used for capture in sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and IgY polyclonal antibodies were prepared as detection antibodies. The ricin assay systems, using colorimetric or chemiluminescent substrates, detected native, but not heat-denatured ricin. The lower limit of detection (LOD) was 0.13 ng mL−1 in milk and 0.8 ng g−1 in ground beef. The Stx2 assay systems detected native Stx2, but not heat-denatured Stx2 or Stx1. The LOD was 0.13 ng mL−1 in milk and 0.7 ng g−1 in ground beef. Using a standard 96-well-plate format, the assays can detect less than 1 × 10−4 of an estimated lethal oral dose of either toxin in a serving of milk. The IgY detection antibodies for ricin were more heat-stable than mouse polyclonal anti-ricin at 65°C.
Preparation of rock thin sections

A firm rock of mineral of which a thin section is to be made must first be sawed to obtaln a slice approximately 1/8 in. thick. This is then cemented to a numbered glass slide with Canada balsam, pressing the slice at an oblique angle against the glass slide to eliminate bubbles. The slice is then ground on a rotating lap using 1F silicon carbide and finally on a similar lap using # 600 silicon carbide until the standard thickness of 0.03 mm. is obtained, when the cover glass is cemented firmly to the section. Friable rocks such as sandstones, clays and shales must first be impregnated with Canada balsam or some other medium before sawing and grinding. Coals are treated with a mixture of two parts of Canada balsam and one part of marine glue. Kollolith and glycol phthalate are also used to cement the rock slice to the glass slide. Very friable rocks are impregnated with Bakelite varnish.
Production of Unilateral Reversible Cataracts in the Hamster.

SummarySeveral highly effective methods for production of unilateral reversible cataracts in hamsters are described. With each method, the eyelids must remain open to expose the cornea, and the len...
ANALYSIS OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS WIND TUNNEL AND DESIGN OF AN EDUCATIONAL DERIVATIVE

A project is described whose original intent was to document the design and performance of the Wright Brothers 1901 wind tunnel, then to proceed to design and develop a derivative version for educational use. During the project, it was discovered that the flow quality in the original wind tunnel appears to have been extremely poor, leading to interesting historical questions about the Wright’s aerodynamic data, but also bringing the utility of the derivative design into question. The paper addresses what is known and unknown about the original design and provides some analysis of the tunnel’s actual performance. BACKGROUND
What are the long-term results of conventional open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms?

PURPOSE To determine the long-term results of conventional open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and the prevalence of late arterial abnormalities. METHODS CT scan follow-up was obtained between 8 and 9 years after elective AAA repair on a cohort of patients enrolled in the Canadian Aneurysm Study, a registry that originally consisted of 680 patients. A request for CT follow-up was sent to the responsible surgeon in 1994 when 251 patients were alive and available. Ninety-four of the 251 patients agreed to undergo an abdominal and thoracic CT scan, and each scan was interpreted independently by two vascular radiologists. RESULTS The aorta was analysed in five defined segments, and an aneurysm was defined as > 50% enlargement from the expected normal value as defined in the Reporting Standards for Aneurysms. Using this strict definition, 64.9% of patients had an aneurysm, but the abnormality was considered a possible indication for surgical repair in 13.8%. Of the 39 patients who had an initial repair with a tube graft, 12 (30.8%) were found to have an iliac aneurysm and 6 (15.4%) were considered to be of possible surgical significance. The median graft size at the time of operation was 18 mm, which increased to a median size of 22 mm at follow-up. Fluid or thrombus around the graft was observed in 28%, and bowel was intimately associated with the graft in 7%. CONCLUSIONS The longterm results of conventional open surgical repair is durable. CT scan follow-up between 8 and 9 years postoperatively often demonstrates aortic and iliac abnormalities, but the majority are not clinically significant. On the basis of these findings, a routine CT scan of the abdomen and chest is recommended after 5 years. This study provides a population based study for comparison with the longterm results of endovascular repair.
Die Bedeutung der Hebräischen Bibel Für Die Christlich Kirche und Theologie

Resumo: o artigo se ocupa com os motivos do Antigo Testamento fazer parte do cânone sagrado do Cristianismo e como se pode ensinar e anunciar o seu conteudo, em tres perspectivas: a) ele contem afirmacoes fundamentais em relacao a criacao e a antropologia pressupostas no Novo Testamento, com destaque a dignidade e aos direitos humanos; b) e necessario o testemunho dos dois Testamentos para confessar Jesus Cristo, „como ele e testemunhado na Escritura Sagrada“ (Barmen I); c) as igrejas pos-holocausto reconheceram teologicamente a eleicao do povo Israel como conteudo central do Antigo Testamento, o que, mesmo permanecendo como algo estranho, de acordo com Rm 11,16-24 e a raiz da qual nos brotamos e a partir da qual vivemos. Palavras-chave: Antigo Testamento. Marciao. Bonhoeffer. Imagem de Deus. Israel. Cristologia.
Human Wayfinding: Integration of Mind and Body

Understanding how people learn about places and find their way through them is basic to conceptualizing wayfinding and to effectively responding to informational needs through community design, wayfinding support systems, and wayfinding tools. This chapter, written primarily from a psychological perspective, addresses the conjoined cognitive and sensorimotor demands of wayfinding, environmental knowledge acquisition as it occurs not only in the mind but also kinesthetically as people move through the environment, and strategies for reducing cognitive load in navigating, learning, and remembering one’s way. The author presents the research base pertaining to commonalities across populations as well as individual differences, including factors that affect wayfinding performance. Discussed also are challenges that wayfinding presents to vulnerable populations, including children, older adults, and people with cognitive or visual impairment, along with strategies that allow for compensation. The author summarizes the strengths and limitations of the research base in human wayfinding and concludes with recommendations for future research in this area.
Reengineering a database for clinical trials management: lessons for system architects.

Abstract This paper describes the process of enhancing Trial/DB, a database system for clinical studies management. The system's enhancements have been driven by the need to maximize the effectiveness of developer personnel in supporting numerous and diverse users, of study designers in setting up new studies, and of administrators in managing ongoing studies. Trial/DB was originally designed to work over a local area network within a single institution, and basic architectural changes were necessary to make it work over the internet efficiently as well as securely. Further, as its use spread to diverse communities of users, changes were made to let the processes of study design and project management adapt to the working styles of the principal investigators and administrators for each study. The lessons learned in the process should prove instructive for system architects as well as managers of electronic patient record systems. Control Clin Trials 2000;21:440–461
Comparison of the 3/9 and 6/6 Watchstanding Schedules for Crewmembers of a U.S. Navy destroyer:

This naturalistic study of 52 sailors on the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) compared actigraphic sleep and psychomotor vigilance performance of crewmembers working a 3hours-on/9hours-off (“3/9”) with t...
Asteroid detection using a single multi-wavelength CCD scan

Asteroid detection is a topic of great interest due to the possibility of diverting possibly dangerous asteroids or mining potentially lucrative ones. Currently, asteroid detection is generally performed by taking multiple images of the same patch of sky separated by 10-15 minutes, then subtracting the images to find movement. However, this is time consuming because of the need to revisit the same area multiple times per night. This paper describes an algorithm that can detect asteroids using a single CCD camera scan, thus cutting down on the time and cost of an asteroid survey. The algorithm is based on the fact that some telescopes scan the sky at multiple wavelengths with a small time separation between the wavelength components. As a result, an object moving with sufficient speed will appear in different places in different wavelength components of the same image. Using image processing techniques we detect the centroids of points of light in the first component and compare these positions to the centroids in the other components using a nearest neighbor algorithm. The algorithm was used on a test set of 49 images obtained from the Sloan telescope in New Mexico and found 100% of known asteroids with only 3 false positives. This algorithm has the advantage of decreasing the amount of time required to perform an asteroid scan, thus allowing more sky to be scanned in the same amount of time or freeing a telescope for other pursuits.
Sleep patterns and problems among early adolescents: Associations with alcohol use.

Abstract Introduction Sleep and sleep-related problems are associated with alcohol use and related problems among adults. However, existing research on associations between sleep and alcohol use among early adolescents is minimal, and potential individual and family factors that may affect this association remain largely unexplored. We examined potential associations between frequency of alcohol use and initial insomnia, subjective daytime sleepiness, sleep irregularity, and disturbed sleep among a low-income, ethnic minority sample of early adolescents; we also considered whether psychopathology symptoms and/or parental monitoring accounted for any associations found. Methods 127 youth who participated in the Camden Youth Development Study (64 male; mean age = 13.2; 71% Hispanic, 32% African-American) were assessed using self-report measures of sleep, alcohol use, psychopathology symptoms (depressive and conduct disorder), and parental monitoring; in addition, teacher reports of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder were used. Results Initial insomnia and daytime sleepiness (but not sleep irregularity or disturbed sleep) were associated with frequency of alcohol use. The association between initial insomnia and alcohol use remained significant when each form of psychopathology and parental monitoring were adjusted for. Conclusions Among early adolescents, frequency of alcohol use is associated with initial insomnia, even once symptoms of psychopathology and family environment (parental monitoring) are adjusted for. Longitudinal research investigating the direction of this effect and other possible mediators and moderators would be useful in developing preventative and treatment interventions.
Fast Precomputed Vector Quantization with Optimal Bit Allocation for Lossless Compression of Ultraspectral Sounder Data

The compression of three-dimensional ultraspectral sounder data is a challenging task given its unprecedented size. We develop a fast precomputed vector quantization (FPVQ) scheme with optimal bit allocation for lossless compression of ultraspectral sounder data. The scheme comprises of linear prediction, bit-depth partitioning, vector quantization, and optimal bit allocation. Linear prediction approach a Gaussian Distribution serves as a whitening tool to make the prediction residuals of each channel close to a Gaussian distribution. Then these residuals are partitioned based on bit depths. Each partition is further divided into several sub-partitions with various 2 k channels for vector quantization. Only the codebooks with 2 m codewords for 2 k -dimensional normalized Gaussian distributions are precomputed. A new algorithm is developed for optimal bit allocation among sub-partitions. Unlike previous algorithms [19, 20] that may yield a sub-optimal solution, the proposed algorithm guarantees to find the minimum of the cost function under the constraint of a given total bit rate. Numerical experiments performed on the NASA AIRS data show that the FPVQ scheme gives high compression ratios for lossless compression of ultraspectral sounder data.
MEIGS Soil Ecology Project - Turco Lab 2014-2015

The purpose of this project was to study the effects of organic and conventional farming methods on soil microbial ecosystems by monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the soil during the planting season.
Methods of Valuation for Mergers and Acquisitions

This note addresses the methods used to value companies in an M&A (mergers and acquisitions) setting. It provides a detailed description of the discounted-cash-flow (DCF) approach and reviews other methods of valuation such as book value, liquidation value, replacement cost, market value, trading multiples of peer firms, and comparable transaction multiples.
Substance using Mothers Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts: Impact of Parenting Behaviors on Child Behavior Problems

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are common among women with a substance use disorder (SUD). Additionally, a significant number of women substance users have children in their care. While the negative impact of maternal substance use on child outcomes has been documented, little is known about how the co-occurrence of suicidal ideation influences child outcomes. The current study examined the relationship between parenting behaviors and child outcomes in a sample of 183 treatment seeking women with a SUD who had a child in their care. Findings showed that maternal autonomy promotion, maternal acceptance and parental monitoring were associated with decreased child behavior problems. However, the presence of maternal suicidal ideation presented unique risk in which children generally did not benefit from positive parenting behaviors. The findings imply that children of suicidal mothers who also have a SUD could benefit from different parenting strategies than children of mothers who are not suicidal. This study suggests that suicidal ideation is a unique risk factor that should be addressed with both mothers and children when mothers seek substance use treatment.
Asset Pricing Models: Specification, Data and Theoretical Foundation

The author surveys and discusses linear asset pricing models with the intent to identify some sets of variables or factors with reduced dimensionality to approximate the core or pricing kernel of asset returns. A theoretical foundation may start with discussion on factor pricing models where asset returns are projected onto some lower-dimensional sets of factors that possibly explain the major variations of asset returns. The aim is to identify major determinants for the fluctuations of asset returns where these determinants satisfy some systematic properties that ensure their indispensable roles.
Complexity in Individual Trajectories toward Online Extremism

Society faces a fundamental global problem of understanding which individuals are currently developing strong support for some extremist entity such as ISIS (Islamic State), even if they never end up doing anything in the real world. The importance of online connectivity in developing intent has been confirmed by recent case studies of already convicted terrorists. Here we use ideas from Complexity to identify dynamical patterns in the online trajectories that individuals take toward developing a high level of extremist support, specifically, for ISIS. Strong memory effects emerge among individuals whose transition is fastest and hence may become “out of the blue” threats in the real world. A generalization of diagrammatic expansion theory helps quantify these characteristics, including the impact of changes in geographical location, and can facilitate prediction of future risks. By quantifying the trajectories that individuals follow on their journey toward expressing high levels of pro-ISIS support—irrespective of whether they then carry out a real-world attack or not—our findings can help move safety debates beyond reliance on static watch-list identifiers such as ethnic background or immigration status and/or postfact interviews with already convicted individuals. Given the broad commonality of social media platforms, our results likely apply quite generally; for example, even on Telegram where (like Twitter) there is no built-in group feature as in our study, individuals tend to collectively build and pass through the so-called super-group accounts.
Secondary Amenorrhea and the Menopause

Are regular cyclic menses the unnatural state for a healthy, normal female? During her reproductive years, nature may have intended her to have only a few menstrual periods interspersed with pregnancies followed by lactation. The reproductive system may not have been designed for long-term monthly menstruation. In the absence of pregnancy or lactation, it is surprising that secondary amenorrhea develops in so few women. Nonetheless, the absence of previously regular menses for 6 months or three menstrual cycles is defined as secondary amenorrhea and warrants investigation.
Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Next Generation Sequencing Data from Paired Tumor-Normal Samples

The emergence of next generation sequencing technologies has brought cancer studies into a genomic era. With reasonable cost, cancer genomes can be scrutinized with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. In this chapter, we discuss statistical methods that have been proposed to detect somatic variations at the DNA level using paired tumor and normal sequencing data, including single nucleotide alterations (SNAs) and copy number alterations (CNAs). We describe selected statistical methods, their strengths and limitations, and discuss future directions.
Parenting Satisfaction Among Homeless Caregivers

This study explored the impact of parenting satisfaction and shelter comfort on depression and parenting stress among an urban sample of homeless caregivers residing in New York City. This research...
Artefact-free wireless closed-loop device.

A miniaturized 128-electrode brain implant enables wireless closed-loop neuromodulation with artefact cancellation in a non-human primate.
The Prevalence of Bladder Cancer During Cystoscopy for Asymptomatic Microscopic Hematuria

Abstract Objective To investigate the rate of bladder cancer in patients undergoing cystoscopic evaluation for asymptomatic microscopic hematuria (AMH) in order to identify groups at sufficiently low-risk for bladder cancer in whom invasive testing may be avoided. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent cystoscopic evaluation for AMH between 2010 and 2018. Age, gender, smoking status, history of pelvic radiation, and number of red blood cells per high-power field on urine microscopy were recorded. We used logistic regression to explore the association between specific risk factors and a diagnosis of bladder cancer on cystoscopy. Results Among the 2118 patients who underwent cystoscopy for AMH, 25 patients (1.2%) were diagnosed with a bladder cancer, all of which were nonmuscle invasive urothelial carcinoma. There were no bladder cancers detected in patients under the age of 50. Older age and positive smoking history were significantly associated with bladder cancer. Conclusion Bladder cancer was an uncommon finding on cystoscopy among patients being evaluated for AMH, especially in younger patients. We confirmed several known risk factors for bladder cancer, including older age and smoking history. Further studies are required to evaluate the utility of cystoscopy for identifying latent bladder cancers in low-risk patients.
Reduced-order modeling of parameterized multi-group diffusion k-eigenvalue problems

Abstract In this paper, a group-wise Reduced-Order Model, based on a Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) technique, is presented for parameterized multi-group diffusion k-eigenvalue problems. The group-wise approach is shown to be more robust than model-order reduction based on monolithic multi-group POD modes. In addition, fewer POD modes are required. The method of snapshots is employed to generate the offline training set. Two Naive and a Greedy snapshot-generation strategies are compared. The input parameter space is surveyed using Latin Hypercube Sampling techniques. The effectiveness of the group-wise model-order reduction method is demonstrated on two reactor-physics benchmarks, a two-group 3D Pressurized Water Reactor problem with 26 uncertain input parameters and a seven-group UO 2 -MOX fuel 3D mini-core with 287 uncertain input parameters. In both examples the Reduced-Order Models built using the snapshots generated by the Greedy algorithm proved to be slightly better. Model-order reduction yields results that are within 1 pcm of the full-order model, with speed-up factors of about 1000–3000, depending upon the test case.
Systematic Searching: Practical Ideas for Improving Results

The work of Paul Levey and Jenny Craven describes systematic searching, used not only in medical research, but also across different areas including social sciences. This book is broken into three ...
Association between time interval from bariatric surgery to pregnancy and maternal weight outcomes.

The majority of patients having bariatric surgery are reproductive-age women who are advised to delay pregnancy for at least 12 months after surgery. Many women become pregnant sooner and the assoc...
Updates in Genetic Testing Guidelines for Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes: a Change in the Paradigm

Up to 10% of all breast cancers are associated with inherited germline mutations. Genetic testing guidelines for hereditary breast cancer susceptibility have changed significantly since their inception in the late 1990s. The purpose of this review is to discuss the changes in technology that have improved our ability to efficiently detect germline mutations, introduce the recent paradigm change towards population-based testing currently supported by the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and highlight the challenges that expansion of testing parameters presents. Next-generation sequencing with multi-gene panels has replaced the traditional Sanger method of genetic testing and has quickly become the standard of care for germline mutation analysis. Benefits of this technology include increased efficiency and cost reduction. While National Comprehensive Cancer Network and US Preventive Task Force guidelines maintain family history as the basis for testing in both unaffected and affected women, new evidence supports testing of all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and thereby cascade testing to increase rate of mutation detection prior to the diagnosis of breast cancer. Furthermore, recent studies of population-based testing in high-risk groups suggest that population-based screening in the general population is feasible and cost effective. Recent developments in technology and germline mutation testing studies support the expansion of genetic testing criteria for hereditary breast cancer. Consensus guidelines are starting to reflect these changes at a national level. The next great challenge will be determining the effectiveness of population-based testing for all women in an effort to increase breast cancer prevention for all.
Artifact reduction in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by means of a dense residual network with K-space blending (DRN-KB)

Motion artifacts in MRI degrade image quality typically with blurring or ghosting across the image along the phase encoding direction, and severe motion artifacts may result in non-diagnostic exams. We developed a deep learning model based on a densely connected residual network (DRN) with K-space blending (DRN-KB) method in a purpose to reduce motion artifacts in brain MRI. Our DRN model took advantage of residual learning and dense connection to achieve higher performance in motion reduction compared with denoising convolutional neural network (DnCNN). In addition, to overcome over-smoothing and reduced tissue contrast in the motion-reduction images produced by DRN, K-space blending was performed that part of central K-space of the original motion image were reserved whereas the remaining Kspace was replaced by the motion-reduction images from DRN. The final MRI images were reconstructed using the blended K-space. The optimal blending ratio of the K-space was determined during the training process. Our DRN model was trained and tested with the axial T1-weighted (T1W) images with simulated motion. Two clinical cases (50 images) were used in training and validation and 16 cases (417 images) were used in testing. Structural SIMilarity (SSIM) index and improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (ISNR) were calculated to evaluate the image quality. Our DRN-KB method reduced motion artifacts with an increased SSIM of motion-reduction images (SSIM:0.95) compared with that of original motion images (SSIM:0.83) and demonstrated an improved SNR (ISNR: 2.89 dB). The performance of DRN-KB method was significantly better than that of the conventional DnCNN (P-value < 0.05).
Is preoperative anemia a significant risk factor for splenectomy patients? A NSQIP analysis.

Background Prior literature has examined the association between preoperative anemia and complications across surgical settings; however, evidence is lacking for splenectomy patients. We investigated the association between preoperative hematocrit and 30-day postoperative outcomes in this population using a national database. Methods Patients who underwent splenectomy (2012-2017) were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Analyses were performed for the overall cohort and elective versus emergent subsets, adjusting for transfusion among other covariates. Results Our sample included 5,580 patients. As hematocrit decreased, complication rates increased incrementally in both the univariate and multivariate analyses. Adjusted odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) for moderate anemia (26% ≤ hematocrit < 30%) as compared to no anemia (hematocrit ≥ 38%) were readmission = 1.5 (1.1-1.8), sepsis = 2.2 (1.6-3.0), and composite outcome = 1.8 (1.0-3.2). Parameter estimates (standard error, P value) for the moderate versus no anemia group were length of stay = 3.0 (0.5, P < .001) and days to discharge = 1.2 (0.3; P < .001). Conclusion Our results demonstrate a dose-response relationship between increasing degree of anemia and odds of various postoperative adverse outcomes after adjusting for several potential confounders. The subset analysis further suggests that elective splenectomy cases are more likely to have poor outcomes when in the presence of anemia or when transfusions are performed as compared to emergent cases. This suggests that the harm associated with transfusion may offset the benefit of optimizing anemia in an elective splenectomy case.
The Role of Disgust in Eating Disorders

In current review, we evaluate the current literature examining the role of disgust in eating disorders (EDs), and provide a theoretical model designed to inform the study and treatment of disgust-based symptoms in EDs. Findings from this review suggest that aberrant disgust-conditioning processes represent promising but understudied mechanisms that may contribute to the risk and maintenance of core eating disorder (ED) psychopathology. In addition, preliminary evidence supports the use of interventions designed to target aversive disgust cues and disrupt maladaptive disgust-based conditioning that may maintain eating pathology. However, experimental studies designed to elucidate the role of disgust and aversive learning processes remain limited. Disgust is a promising risk and maintenance factor in EDs. Future systematic investigation is needed to examine disgust-based processes at a mechanistic level in order to better understand the links between disgust, avoidance behaviors, and EDs. Further investigation of the mechanistic role of disgust in EDs is warranted.
Women demonstrate lower markers of stress and oxidative stress during active shooter training drill

Abstract It has been well documented that police officers are frequently engaged in a variety of high stress situations during their normal daily tasks, such as civilian encounters where force is needed or domestic violence situations, that cause significant increases in a variety of physiological and psychological stress markers. Chronic exposure to stressors increases risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) progression. The purpose of this study was to compare male and female salivary and blood markers of stress in response to an active shooter training drill (ASD) to determine if acute stress differentially impacts men and women to better understand if interventions should be targeted. Thirty-one participants (males ​= ​15 [mean age: 23], females ​= ​16 [mean age: 21]) participated in an ASD involving professional actors playing the role of one active gunman, as well as four victims. The ASD lasted approximately 50 seconds. Blood samples were collected 15 ​min prior as well as after the ASD and analyzed for epinephrine (EPI), norepinephrine (NE), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels. Saliva samples were collected 30 and 5 ​min prior to the ASD and 5 and 30 ​min after the ASD, and were analyzed for cortisol, α-amylase, uric acid, and secretory immunoglobulin-A (SIgA). Our analysis revealed that acute (~50 ​sec) psychological stress in the form of an ASD resulted in significant increases in blood and salivary stress and oxidative stress markers in both men and women. However, four of the seven markers were lower in female participants (cortisol, uric acid, H2O2, and α-amylase presented significant main effects for sex). In addition, SIgA was significantly lower in women compared to men 30 ​min prior to, and five min post ASD. These findings suggest females may be at a lower risk to stress induced oxidative stress and CVD.
Declining Opioid Distribution to US Hospitals

ABSTRACT The United States is enduring a preventable opioid crisis, particularly involving a population specifically being treated in a hospital setting. This project analyzed trends in distribution of opioids by hospitals in the United States from 2000 to 2019. Opioids monitored included buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, powdered opium, remifentanil, and tapentadol. The Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) reports controlled substances via the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Data from ARCOS reports 5 and 7 from 2000 to 2019 were utilized for an observational study on hospital opioid distribution in the US. Morphine milligram equivalents (MME) were calculated using oral conversion factors for each opioid. The MME per person per state was calculated to compare data from the peak year, 2012, to data from 2019. Opioid use in the United States peaked in 2012 with a 46.6% decline from 2012 to 2019. Within the US, 25 of 50 states have seen a decrease of 50% or greater. Of the opioid compounds observed, buprenorphine has seen increased (123%) hospital use from 2000 to 2019. All other opioids have been experiencing a slow decline (>40%) in hospital use since that time. This study demonstrated the progress made thus far by hospitals in curbing the US opioid epidemic.
Maxine Hall at Northwest Middle School (a)

Maxine Hall, the new principal at Northwest Middle School, knew when she started that the school was suffering from a sense of distrust between teachers and administration, as well as a high degree of student disengagement and absenteeism. To unlock student achievement and instill much-needed consistency and alignment across the school, Hall implemented data-driven instruction, but her efforts were stymied by an unwillingness to change among staff and teachers. This case is used at Darden in executive programs for leaders in education and second-year MBA courses on leading change. It would also be suitable in courses covering data-driven instruction, school transformation, leadership, and change processes. Excerpt UVA-OB-1271 Rev. Jul. 30, 2020 Maxine Hall at Northwest Middle School (A) The summer before she became principal at Northwest Middle School in Anaheim, California, Maxine Hall held a retreat for teachers and staff. She knew that the relationship between teachers and the administration was contentious. Hall had inherited a leadership team that included two deans and two assistant principals, one of whom had tried for Hall's job and thus resented her presence. Teachers had lacked support from these administrators, and a sense of apathy permeated the school. There was also a heavy union presence at the school because teachers believed the previous administration had violated teacher contracts. During the summer retreat, Hall acutely felt the environment of distrust, as various factions of teachers argued with each other and with the administration about who was to blame for the school's past struggles. The school also suffered from student disengagement and absenteeism. Students who were perceived to be disruptive were typically sent to the office and then home, so they missed significant instructional time. . . .
Detecting Bias in Randomness by PT-Symmetric Quantum State Discrimination

Random number generators are used in computing, security, and cryptographic applications. The random number outputs retaining the entropy without bias is critical for the integrity of the random number generator and the relying applications. $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$-symmetric quantum mechanics provides a mechanism to improve the detection of the bias in randomness since it can convert two non-orthogonal quantum states into orthogonal ones. We propose a new randomness bias detection and quantification method by using $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$-symmetric quantum mechanics. Previous studies show that, if the bias amount is a priori known, its presence can be detected by, in principle, a single measurement in $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$-symmetric system. Taking advantage of an additional degree of freedom provided by $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$ symmetry, we extend this approach to the case when the bias amount is not a priori known. We provide an algorithm and the analysis using $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$ symmetry for randomness bias detection and quantification.
Effect of a wear-resistant resin coat on the color stability of a resin-modified glass ionomer restorative material.

Aim: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of the Equia Forte Coat on the color stability of Equia Forte Fil. Materials and Methods: Sixty discs of Equia Forte Fil were randomly divided into two groups. One group of 30 samples was treated with Equia Forte Coat according to the manufacturer's directions. The other 30 discs were not coated. All discs were continuously soaked in cola for 7 consecutive days. The color changes in the Equia Forte Fil samples were determined using a colorimeter. The color difference (△E) was calculated using the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L*a*b* coordinates. Results: There was a significant difference in ΔE between the two groups (P
Fault and calibration shift detection in a robust MEMS accelerometer array

The latest generation micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers offer high bandwidth and low noise floors previously limited to piezoelectric transducer (PZT) based sensors. These relatively low cost MEMS sensors drastically expand the financially practical applications for high frequency, vibration based, prognostic health management (PHM). This paper examines a physically redundant array of MEMS accelerometers for applications where sensor access after deployment is difficult or infeasible. Three identical single axis MEMS accelerometers were placed in an array for testing. Instead of a typical tri-axial configuration, the three sensors were placed with a common sensitivity axis. The construction and basic performance parameters of the MEMS array is discussed. Signal correlation was chosen as a condition indicator (CI) to use in conjunction with majority voting to determine sensor operating status. Signal correlation is reviewed and various synthesized signals were analyzed to study the anticipated cross-correlation of different waveforms. The theoretical effect of sensor noise was analyzed to determine its impact on the method. Auto-correlation was used with previously collected vibration data to confirm feasibility with real world signals. Subsequent measurements with the physically redundant array of impulses and motor vibration show the feasibility of implementing robust MEMS accelerometer arrays using the latest generation of high bandwidth MEMS accelerometers. Planned future work includes deploying the sensor array on tribology test equipment to validate MEMS sensor effectiveness compared to traditional PZT based accelerometers for the detecting of scuffing faults.
Asymmetric Reductions and Miscellaneous Reactions

The use of boranes as reducing agents is widespread, and only highly enantioselective reactions will be reviewed here, with a few minor exceptions. The two major categories of enantioselective reductions include those that donate hydride by p-elimination of boron from alkylboranes (Section 9.2), and those that donate hydride directly by breaking a B—H bond (Section 9.3). Some of the latter have been made catalytic (Section 9.3.3), and even though the amount of asymmetric catalyst required is often fairly high, these have generated major recent interest. Asymmetric reductions with boranes have been reviewed by Midland [1], and asymmetric boron catalyzed reactions by Deloux and Srebnik [2].
Nucleotide methylation patterns in eukaryotic mRNA.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that the use of enzymes for selective hydrolysis, coupled with high-resolution liquid chromatography for assay of products, provides an efficient means of determining the specific patterns of methylation in eukaryotic mRNA molecules. Continuous labeling with levels of L-[methyl- 3 H] methionine permits normal growth of Novikoff cells to examine the methylation of specific sites of cytoplasmic mRNA as a function of time. The main site of cytoplasmic mRNA labeling is at the second position (N'') of the 5'-terminal sequence. Data obtained by comparing methylnucleoside composition of these sequences and the ratio of doubly to singly O-methylated termini as a function of labeling time is consistent with a model in which m 7 G, N'm and the m 6 A located in the mRNA molecule are all products of nuclear methylation events. Subsequently there is a cytoplasmic methylation of some singly O-methylated structures at the second (N'') position yielding the doubly O-methylated structure. The kinetics of methyl labeling and the changing composition within the caps show a distinct pattern, possibly reflecting a selection or enrichment of a stable class of mRNA molecules, many of which contain the doubly labeled structure at their 5'-terminus and are of smaller size.
Interaction between an elastic circular inclusion and two symmetrically placed collinear cracks

The paper investigates the fracture toughness of a flat large elastic cracked plate containing an elastic circular inclusion, using the plane stress crack-tip stress intensity factor as a criterion for fracture. In this plane stress geometry, each of the two collinear finite cracks is located on either side of the elastic circular inclusion and the geometry is subjected to uniform stresses at infinity. The analysis is based on the two-dimensional theory of elasticity by using the Muskhelishvili complex variable approach. Numerical calculations are reported for the case of simple tension normal to the crack direction and show the variation of the stress intensity factor with the configuration and elastic properties of the plate and the inclusion.
Effects of Colicins E1 and K on Cellular Metabolism

Colicins E1 and K inhibited a whole series of energy-dependent reactions in Escherichia coli cells, including motility, biosynthesis of nucleic acids, proteins and polysaccharides, and the conversion of ornithine to citrulline. Respiration was only partially affected, and substrates such as glucose continued to be catabolized through the normal pathways, albeit with reduced CO2 production. The soluble products of aerobic glucose catabolism by colicin-treated cells were analyzed. Pyruvate replaced acetate as the major excreted product, and the following intermediates of glycolysis were excreted in significant amounts: glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-1,6-diphosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, and 3-phosphoglycerate. Anaerobically growing cells manifested a somewhat enhanced tolerance to the colicins. This protection by anaerobiosis appeared to depend on the exclusion of oxygen more than on the extent of fermentative catabolism versus catabolism of the respiratory type. These results are interpreted in terms of possible functions of colicin in lowering the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of the cells and in terms of the role of lowered ATP levels in inhibiting many of the energy-requiring reactions.
Consistent and Flexible Integration of Morphological Annotation in the Arabic Treebank

Complications arise for standoff annotation when the annotation is not on the source text itself, but on a more abstract representation. This is particularly the case in a language such as Arabic with morphological and orthographic challenges, and we discuss various aspects of these issues in the context of the Arabic Treebank. The Standard Arabic Morphological Analyzer (SAMA) is closely integrated into the annotation workflow, as the basis for the abstraction between the explicit source text and the more abstract token representation. However, this integration with SAMA gives rise to various problems for the annotation workflow and for maintaining the link between the Treebank and SAMA. In this paper we discuss how we have overcome these problems with consistent and more precise categorization of all of the tokens for their relationship with SAMA. We also discuss how we have improved the creation of several distinct alternative forms of the tokens used in the syntactic trees. As a result, the Treebank provides a resource relating the different forms of the same underlying token with varying degrees of vocalization, in terms of how they relate (1) to each other, (2) to the syntactic structure, and (3) to the morphological analyzer.
Candidate Performance On The Business Environment And Concepts Section Of The CPA Exam

This paper examines how differences in curricular design of undergraduate accounting programs influence pass rates on the Business Environment and Concepts Section of the CPA Exam. The association of the pass rate of a school's accounting graduates to the design of the schools accounting program and to other school characteristics was examined with linear regression models. Characteristics considered were semester hours in courses covered by the CPA exam section, entrance exam scores of the schools' freshmen, whether the schools were AACSB accredited and whether the schools were public or private institutions. The number of cost and managerial accounting semester hours was consistently found to be a significant determinant of success on the new section of the CPA exam.
A study of perfluorocarboxylate ester solvents for lithium ion battery electrolytes

Abstract Several high-purity methyl perfluorocarboxylates were prepared (>99.5% purity by mole) and investigated as potential fluorine-rich electrolyte solvents in Li-ion batteries. The most conductive electrolyte, 0.1 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in dimethyl perfluoroglutarate (PF5M2) (ionic conductivity = 1.87 × 10−2 mS cm−1), is investigated in Si thin-film half-cells. The solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI) formed by the PF5M2 electrolyte is composed of similar organic and inorganic moieties and at comparable concentrations as those formed by ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate electrolytes containing LiPF6 and LiTFSI salts. However, the SEI formed by the PF5M2 electrolyte undergoes reversible electrochemical defluorination, contributing to the reversible capacity of the cell and compensating in part for capacity fade in the Si electrode. While far from ideal these electrolytes provide an opportunity to further develop predictions of suitable fluorinated molecules for use in battery solvents.
Architectural considerations for scalable, secure, mobile computing with location information

To take full advantage of the promise of mobile/ubiquitous computing requires the availability and use of location information about the various physical objects and persons in an environment. At the same time, indiscriminant use of location information for people can result in an invasion of privacy and provides the potential for abuse by third parties. In this article we describe a suite of useful location-based applications and discuss architectural considerations for supporting them in a scalable, secure fashion. >
Poststall prediction of multiple-lifting-surface configurations using a decambering approach

A novel scheme is presented for an iterative decambering approach to predict the post-stall characteristics of wings using known section data as inputs. The new scheme differs from earlier ones in the details of how the residual is computed. With this scheme, multiple solutions at high angles of attack are brought to light right during the computation of the residual for the Newton iteration. As with earlier schemes, multiple solutions are obtained for wings at high angles of attack and the resulting converged solution depends on the initial conditions used for the iteration. In general, the new scheme is found to be more robust at achieving convergence. Results are presented for a rectangular wing with two different airfoil lift curves and for a wing-tail configuration.