cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase of Spontaneous Slow Oscillations during Sleep Influences Memory-Related Processing of Auditory Cues.

Slow oscillations during slow-wave sleep (SWS) may facilitate memory consolidation by regulating interactions between hippocampal and cortical networks. Slow oscillations appear as high-amplitude, synchronized EEG activity, corresponding to upstates of neuronal depolarization and downstates of hyperpolarization. Memory reactivations occur spontaneously during SWS, and can also be induced by presenting learning-related cues associated with a prior learning episode during sleep. This technique, targeted memory reactivation (TMR), selectively enhances memory consolidation. Given that memory reactivation is thought to occur preferentially during the slow-oscillation upstate, we hypothesized that TMR stimulation effects would depend on the phase of the slow oscillation. Participants learned arbitrary spatial locations for objects that were each paired with a characteristic sound (eg, cat–meow). Then, during SWS periods of an afternoon nap, one-half of the sounds were presented at low intensity. When object location memory was subsequently tested, recall accuracy was significantly better for those objects cued during sleep. We report here for the first time that this memory benefit was predicted by slow-wave phase at the time of stimulation. For cued objects, location memories were categorized according to amount of forgetting from pre- to post-nap. Conditions of high versus low forgetting corresponded to stimulation timing at different slow-oscillation phases, suggesting that learning-related stimuli were more likely to be processed and trigger memory reactivation when they occurred at the optimal phase of a slow oscillation. These findings provide insight into mechanisms of memory reactivation during sleep, supporting the idea that reactivation is most likely during cortical upstates. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Slow-wave sleep (SWS) is characterized by synchronized neural activity alternating between active upstates and quiet downstates. The slow-oscillation upstates are thought to provide a window of opportunity for memory consolidation, particularly conducive to cortical plasticity. Recent evidence shows that sensory cues associated with previous learning can be delivered subtly during SWS to selectively enhance memory consolidation. Our results demonstrate that this behavioral benefit is predicted by slow-oscillation phase at stimulus presentation time. Cues associated with high versus low forgetting based on analysis of subsequent recall performance were delivered at opposite slow-oscillation phases. These results provide evidence of an optimal slow-oscillation phase for memory consolidation during sleep, supporting the idea that memory processing occurs preferentially during cortical upstates.
Influence of temperature, pH, and glycerol monolaurate on growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes

The effect of temperature, pH, and monolaurin on the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes in tryptic soy broth with yeast extract (TSBYE) was investigated. TSBYE medium containing 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 μg/ml monolaurin was adjusted to pH 5.0, 5.5, or 7.0, inoculated with L. monocytogenes , and incubated at 7, 15, or 35°C. The effect of sublethal concentrations of monolaurin was measured by calculating generation times. Results indicated that temperature and pH were very important factors influencing the efficacy of monolaurin against L. monocytogenes . Bactericidal effects were observed at pH 5.0 but not observed at pH 5.5 or pH 7.0. Further, lethal effects of monolaurin increased as temperature increased at constant pH. Conversely, bacteriostatic effects on growth increased as temperature decreased at constant pH. At constant temperature the bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects of monolaurin increased as the pH of the medium decreased. Generation time of the organism as significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by pH, temperature, concentration of monolaurin, or their combined interactions. Thus, the results indicate that pH and temperature interact to affect the antimicrobial potential of monolaurin against L. monocytogenes .
Gestational Weight Gain and Breastfeeding Outcomes in Group Prenatal Care

Introduction This study sought to examine the differences in pregnancy outcomes with a focus on gestational weight gain for women attending group prenatal care compared to standard individual prenatal care. Methods A matched case-control study was conducted including 65 women who chose group care and 130 women who chose standard individual care. Women were matched based on prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) category, eligibility for midwifery care, and age within 5 years. Results Women choosing group prenatal care and women choosing standard individual care had similar gestational weight gain, birth weight, gestational age at birth, and mode of birth. Women choosing group prenatal care did have a significantly higher rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum (odds ratio [OR], 4.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-9.15; P < .001) than women choosing individual care. Discussion Group prenatal care participation resulted in equivalent gestational weight gain as well as pregnancy outcomes as compared to standard individual care. Breastfeeding rates were improved for women choosing group prenatal care. Randomized controlled trials are needed in order to eliminate selection bias.
Low picomolar, instrument-free visual detection of mercury and silver ions using low-cost programmable nanoprobes

The EPA's recommended maximum allowable level of inorganic mercury in drinking water is 2 ppb (10 nM). To our knowledge, the most sensitive colorimetric mercury sensor reported to date has a limit of detection (LOD) of 800 pM. Here, we report an instrument-free and highly practical colorimetric methodology, which enables detection of as low as 2 ppt (10 pM) of mercury and/or silver ions with the naked eye using a gold nanoprobe. Synthesis of the nanoprobe costs less than $1.42, which is enough to perform 200 tests in a microplate; less than a penny for each test. We have demonstrated the detection of inorganic mercury from water, soil and urine samples. The assay takes about four hours and the color change is observed within minutes after the addition of the last required element of the assay. The nanoprobe is highly programmable which allows for the detection of mercury and/or silver ions separately or simultaneously by changing only a single parameter of the assay. This highly sensitive approach for the visual detection relies on the combination of the signal amplification features of the hybridization chain reaction with the plasmonic properties of the gold nanoparticles. Considering that heavy metal ion contamination of natural resources is a major challenge and routine environmental monitoring is needed, yet time-consuming, this colorimetric approach may be instrumental for on-site heavy metal ion detection. Since the color transition can be measured in a variety of formats including using the naked eye, a simple UV-Vis spectrophotometer, or recording using mobile phone apps for future directions, our cost-efficient assay and method have the potential to be translated into the field.
The lefschetz property for families of curves

By the Lefschetz hyperplane theorem, if X is a smooth quasi-projective variety and C a general curve section of X then the fundamental group of C surjects onto the fundamental group of X. Here we consider when this conclusion holds for a general member of an arbitrary family of curves that covers X. The most interesting case is families of rational curves.
Performance evaluation measures for toponym resolution

In this paper, we point out to the shortcomings of precision and recall in evaluating the performance of geoparsing algorithms. We propose separate processes for evaluating toponym recognition and toponym resolution stages, and also propose new metrics that quantify the performance of toponym resolution.
Lung cancer screening on YouTube: Difficulty of finding balanced information.

162Background: Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the US, the ACS estimates upwards of 220,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. Recently, the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) agreed to cover LC screening with low-dose CT for patients however, CMS requires prior documentation of a shared-decision making (SDM) visit between the patient and the referring clinician to inform them about risks of screening. LC Screening programs have begun to use YouTube for patient recruitment, education and marketing of screening. The objective of this study is to shed light on the role of YouTube in lung cancer screening in terms of guidelines, screening options, target population, steps after screening, and risks and benefits of screening. Methods: We searched YouTube.com to identify videos dealing with lung screening using the keywords: lung cancer screening. Videos without sound, uploaded before 2009, longer than 20 minutes, duplicates and videos in a language other than English ...
Reduced growth and survival in the larval blue crab Callinectes sapidus under predicted ocean acidification.

ABSTRACT The decreasing average pH of the world's oceans, called ocean acidification, can be detrimental to marine organisms. Decreased pH causes dissolution of calcium carbonate shells, as well as changes to metabolism, behavior, growth, survival, and early development of many species; however, the impacts of lower pH on crustaceans have not been widely researched. This study investigated the effects of lower pH on the growth and survival of larval blue crabs Callinectes sapidus through laboratory experiments. Blue crab larvae live at the surface of the open ocean where the pH is decreasing with ocean acidification. A pH of 7.8 was used to mimic the average surface ocean pH predicted to be attained by 2,100 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and was compared with a control pH of 8.2, the current average surface ocean pH. Larvae raised at the lower pH were 10% smaller and there was a 23% reduction in survival. Larval populations within an aquarium with a lower pH were more likely to exhibit ...
The Place of Logic within Kant’s Philosophy

This chapter spells out in detail how Kant’s thinking about logic during the critical period shapes the account of philosophy that he gives in the Critiques. Tolley explores Kant’s motivations behind his formation of the idea of a new “transcendental” logic, drawing out in particular how he means to differentiate it from the traditional “merely formal” approaches to logic, insofar as transcendental logic investigates not just the basic forms of the activity of thinking but also its basic contents. Kant’s understanding of both of these logics directly factor into the first Critique’s more general project of the critique of reason in particular, as not just a capacity for a certain kind of thinking (inferring), but as a possible source of a priori cognition.
Technical Note: Preemptive Surgical Revision of Impending Deep Brain Stimulation Hardware Erosion.

Background While deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a relatively safe procedure, skin erosion is a commonly reported hardware complication that can threaten the DBS system. Patients with Parkinson disease are especially at risk for this complication due to their autonomic dysregulation and impaired nutrition. Early detection of impending skin erosion allows for intervention that may prevent hardware destruction. Here we report a novel technique to address this complication preemptively. We describe the use of an acellular dermal matrix to prevent skin erosion in 20 patients with Parkinson disease who were treated with DBS and showed signs of impending skin erosion. Methods Twenty patients with signs of impending hardware erosion were identified. An acellular dermal matrix was surgically placed under the at-risk skin overlying the DBS lead. Results None of the 20 patients treated with this technique went on to require further revision surgery or removal of hardware. Conclusions Surgical placement of acellular dermal matrix in patients identified as having impending hardware erosions is a safe and cost-effective way to prevent hardware complications.
Side-to-side differences in Achilles tendon geometry and mechanical properties following achilles tendon rupture.

Background Recovery of tendon structure has been suggested to play a role in clinical success following Achilles tendon rupture. The purpose of this study was to identify side-to-side differences in tendon geometry and mechanical properties following Achilles tendon rupture and investigate the relationship of tendon structure with clinical outcomes. Methods Participants within 1 year post complete rupture were included. Tendon geometry and mechanical properties were quantified using B-mode ultrasound imaging and continuous shear wave elastography (cSWE). Clinical outcomes included the heel-rise test. Participant self-reported function was measured using the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score - quality of life subscale, and the Physical Activity Scale. Results Twenty participants [mean (SD) age: 42.7(13.6) years, 13 managed surgically] were included. Tendon thickness was greater on the ruptured side (p <0.001) [median (IQR) rupture: 1.38(1.21-1.56) cm, non-rupture: 0.49(0.40-0.52)]. Tendon length to the gastrocnemius was longer (p <0.001) on ruptured [22.8 (21.71-24.31) cm] than non-ruptured [21.66(20.74-23.62) cm] sides. Viscosity was lower on the ruptured side (p <0.001) [median (IQR) rupture: 37.7(30.6-43.3) Pa*s, non-rupture: 53.5(48.4-59.6) Pa*s]. Shear modulus was not different between sides. Tendon thickness (rho = 0.675, p = 0.002) and shear modulus (rho = -0.791, p = 0.001) related to total work on the heel-rise test. Conclusion Ultrasound imaging, including cSWE, can be used to detect side-to-side differences in tendon structure in individuals with Achilles tendon rupture and tendon structure relates to clinical performance. Level of evidence III b.
Relationship Between Claims Data and the Preferences and Trends Survey: An Analysis of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Medication Choice for Age-Related Macular Degeneration:

Purpose:To compare published self-reported practice patterns among retina specialists with published claims data representing actual practice patterns for the use of anti-vascular endothelial growt...
A Bridge to Understanding Smoking among Women in Rural Central Appalachia: Qualitative Interviews with Local Nurses

The rural Central Appalachian area of Southeast Ohio has a persistently higher rate of tobacco-related women’s health issues, low birth weight, and preterm birth than other parts of the state and the nation. Nurses from Appalachia can provide a bridge for health care providers who are not from the region to understand the perspectives of people who reside in Central Appalachian counties. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the influences and the special needs in Central Appalachia to inform women’s health promotion and smoking cessation interventions. Method : Semi-structured small focus group and individual interviews were conducted with 15 nurses working with women in rural Central Appalachia. Participants were asked about smoking and smoking cessation in relation to their knowledge and experience of women in their home county. Findings : Major themes discovered included reasons for smoking, reasons for quitting, barriers to quitting, and perceptions of current interventions. The influence of the rural social environment on smoking, such as smokers in the social network and ambivalence toward the dangers of smoking, were particularly emphasized. Conclusions : The particularly strong influence of the social environment is a force for change that must be considered in women’s health promotion activities in this area. Tips for quitting smoking in Public Health Service guidelines may be more discouraging than helpful for women in the region according to study participants. Using the information gathered, smoking cessation interventions for rural women in this region should incorporate salient issues such as the social environment, smokers in the household, and the desire for gradual smoking cessation. The data suggests that the social context of smoking may dramatically affect smoking cessation efforts in this region. Keywords: Smoking cessation, Women’s health, Appalachia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v18i1.505
The Athlete’s Heart: Cardiovascular Disease in the Athlete

With the rising popularity of recreational and competitive athletics, clinicians will benefit from an understanding of the unique physiology, clinical presentations, and management of highly trained athletes. Cardiac enlargement in athletes has been documented since the late 1800s and our understanding of the “athlete’s heart” continues to advance as cardiovascular diagnostic technology improves. The term exercise-induced cardiac remodeling has been used to describe the significant changes in myocardial structure and function that result from repeated exposure to vigorous physical exercise. In clinical practice, these adaptations can be encountered during the physical examination and are clearly manifest on the electrocardiogram and during echocardiography of trained athletes. The approach to the athlete with symptoms including chest pain, syncope, or palpitation, all common in this population, requires a careful medical history with thorough assessment of athlete-specific topics including training regimen, competition history, and inquiry about performance-enhancing agents. This review provides an up-to-date summary of the science of cardiac remodeling in athletes as well as an overview of common clinical issues that are encountered in the cardiovascular care of the athlete.
Genetics of Aging in Lower Organisms

One of the major problems confronting investigators in the field of aging is identifying the proper experimental organisms for study. The organism should have a short enough life span to facilitate experiments on duration of life span and progressive changes occurring during aging, and ideally, the results should be applicable to problems of human aging.
Breaking through the Ordinary: The Arts and Future Possibility.

Informed and active engagements with works of art make new experimential openings visible as they turn attention to the concreteness of the world. The ordinary and the taken-for-granted must be bra...
The Co-ordinated Portfolio Investment Survey – A model to follow?

In recent years, countries have experienced difficulty in adjusting their data collection systems to the growth in the scale and complexity of international financial transactions. For portfolio investment, this may have resulted in a significant underreporting of both transactions in and holdings of portfolio investment assets. Concern over this development led the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (IMF Committee) to promote the idea of an internationally co-ordinated benchmark survey of cross-border portfolio investment asset holdings broken down by the country of residence of the issuer. This paper reviews experience in conducting the first Co-ordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (CPIS) for end-December 1997 (in which twenty-nine mostly industrial countries participated), and the second CPIS for end-December 2001 (in which sixty-seven countries participated, covering all groups except some oil-exporting countries). The paper notes that the CPIS has achieved many of the objectives envisaged by the IMF Committee, including (i) the development and implementation by national compilers of best practices in conducting benchmark surveys of portfolio investment asset positions; (ii) provision of partner country data sources to national compilers for portfolio investment liability positions; (iii) creation of a global database for portfolio investment asset and liability positions (the latter from creditor sources). The paper discusses further work that is planned to fill gaps in the coverage of the CPIS database, reviews the role of the IMF in facilitating the efforts of participating countries, and draws lessons from the CPIS that can be applied to other projects in which an international agency can play a facilitating and co-ordinating role in working directly with interested national compilers to improve national and global statistics.
A Parallelized Multi-Solver Algorithm for Solving Large and Complex Electromagnetic Problems

A parallelized multi-solver algorithm based on Robin transmission condition (MS-RTC) is developed on distributed computing systems. To solve large and complex electromagnetic problems using the MS-RTC method, the object with its background is partitioned into multiple non-overlapping subdomains based on their respective material properties, which are modeled by either the finite element method or the method of moments (MoM). Each subdomain problem in the MS-RTC method is solved in parallel to achieve a better efficiency. In particular, for the subdomains modeled by the MoM, the parallelized multilevel fast multipole algorithm is applied to accelerate the computation on many processors. Numerical examples are given to show the parallel efficiency and modeling capability of the proposed algorithm.
Optophysiology of cardiomyocytes: characterization of cell motion with quantitative phase imaging (Conference Presentation)

Beating heart cells, cardiomyocytes, are used in drug testing and have the potential for regenerative medicine. Currently their classification into atrial, nodal and ventricular subtypes is performed using destructive and tedious patch clamp measurements. We present a method for analyzing cardiomyocyte contraction cycles using diffraction phase microscopy, a fast quantitative phase imaging method based on off-axis common-path interferometry. The phase variation during the beating cycle can exceed 300 mrad in the most active regions, and is about 40 mrad on average. The phase noise is about 2 mrad per pixel, and it can be reduced by temporal averaging over multiple frames and spatial averaging over the cell. With a maximum acquisition rate exceeding 25,000 fps and with approximately 100 fps required for the characterization of cardiomyocyte motion, 250 frames can be averaged per step, reducing the temporally white noise by a factor of 16. Additional improvements can be obtained by averaging over multiple contraction cycles. Averaging over space does not reduce noise to the same extent due to low-pass spatial filtering during the phase extraction procedure. Low-pass filtering by the pinhole in the reference arm, resulting in high-pass filtering of the image, and low-pass filtering during the phase reconstruction highlight the dynamics of redistribution of dry mass within the cell during a beat cycle. Quantitative phase imaging is a promising approach for rapid, non-invasive, high-throughput characterization of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in culture, with applications to modeling of diseases with patients' specific genes, drug development, and repair of damaged heart tissue.
Evaluating the Whole Language Approach to Language Arts

Whole language is an approach to teaching written language that focuses on the oral language experiences of the child, and the communication of meaning through print, rather than emphasizing the te...
Microbial pathogen primary sequence inversely correlates with blood group antigen immunogenicity.

Background It is well known that specific groups of patients immunologically respond more readily than others to red blood cell (RBC) antigens. While allogeneic RBC antigen exposure is the primary determinant of alloantibody formation, other variables are also involved. Given the significant primary sequence identity between common RBC and microbial antigens, we hypothesized that certain individuals may be immunologically primed to form RBC alloantibodies via environmental exposure to cross-reactive microbial epitopes, and that such a correlation may be linked to blood group antigen immunogenicity. Study design and methods We examined the relationship between RBC-microbe peptide homology and the formation of alloantibodies to the most immunogenic RBC antigens, using the BLASTp homology database. Thirteen-residue peptides centered on the polymorphic amino acids of K, Jka , Lua , E, c, M, C, and S antigens were queried for identity with microbial peptides using the BLASTp database. Results were restricted to bacteria and fungi, with a selective threshold of >80% identity for inclusion, to allow for minor peptide variability. Results Significant peptide identity was found between RBC antigens and pathogenic organisms including B. fragilis, P. aeruginosa, and Candida spp., among others. Linear regression and k-medoids clustering analysis of the microbial genera meeting the inclusion criteria showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with RBC immunogenicity (b = -0.0017, r2 = 0.624 & p = 0.0197), with lower immunogenicity antigens associated with larger number of genera. Conclusions Our findings raise a potential relationship between microbial exposure and alloantibody formation, and lead to interesting questions regarding the potential relationship between RBC antigen immunogenicity and microbial prevalence.
Nature versus Nurture: A Comparison of Russian Law Graduates Destined for State Service and for Private Practice

This article explores the mind‐set of Russian law students on the cusp of graduation. Drawing on a 2016 survey, the analysis finds that, despite having taken different paths to their degrees, the respondents share a confidence in the Russian courts that distinguishes them from Russians without legal education. Within the sample, a natural division is evident between those who plan to go into state service and those who plan to go into private practice. Aspiring state lawyers are more likely to support the policies of the Putin regime, even when they preference politics over the letter of the law. This strongly suggests that the tendency of judges and state lawyers within the criminal justice system to work as a team to ensure convictions is not solely the result of workplace incentives, as had previously been assumed, but is an element of a worldview that these lawyers share that predates their legal education. Aspiring private lawyers, by contrast, are consistently more skeptical of the state. To the extent that they are later coopted by the state, as studies of criminal defense lawyers suggest, such behavior would likely be the result of a desire to endear themselves to investigators and prosecutors in order to ensure further appointments to represent indigent clients.
I May Not Agree With You, but I Trust You: Caring About Social Issues Signals Integrity.

What characteristics of an individual signal trustworthiness to other people? I propose that individuals who care about contentious social issues signal to observers that they have integrity and th...
Noninvasive Ventilation in the Age of Surfactant Administration

Numerous advances in neonatal care have improved outcomes in preterm infants. Antenatal steroids, through their ability to promote lung maturation and function, have led to significant improvements in death, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and respiratory distress syndrome. For years, exogenous surfactant administration has been used in conjunction with antenatal steroids to further improve outcomes for preterm infants. However, as continuous positive airway pressure has been shown to be effective in treating respiratory distress syndrome, it has become less clear how exogenous surfactant should be used. Novel approaches combining these therapies may lead to further improvement in clinical outcome.
Estradiol and body weight during temporally targeted food restriction: Central pathways and peripheral metabolic factors.

Abstract We used temporally-targeted food restriction (TTFR), in which ovariectomized rats had chow only for 2 h/day, to test the hypothesis that estradiol benzoate (EB) suppresses feeding and decreases body weight during brief (4 day) TTFR, as it does during ad libitum feeding. All rats lost weight during TTFR, but the loss was greater with EB treatment. However, OIL and EB-treated rats ate comparable amounts of chow during TTFR. We next investigated central nervous system pathways and peripheral hormonal and metabolic changes that accompany the effects of TTFR to determine the mechanism for this effect. Immunolabeling for fos in the nucleus of the solitary tract, the terminal site of vagal afferents from the gastrointestinal tract, was increased when rats on TTFR had access to chow for 1 h on the test day, indicating neuronal activation associated with consumption of the meal. However, fos immunolabeling was not affected by EB treatment, nor were numbers of the α subtype of estrogen receptors. TTFR had the expected effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolites and metabolic hormones, with only slight differences in plasma glucose, triglycerides, and free fatty acids attributable to EB treatment. Interestingly, plasma corticosterone levels were greater in EB-treated rats on TTFR, and increased further after eating. Given that corticosterone affects metabolism, these findings suggest that elevated corticosterone may explain the persistence of EB-induced differences in body weight during TTFR despite the lack of effect on food intake.
High-Speed Multiplexed Vibrational Imaging by Femtosecond Stimulated Raman Scattering and Deep Learning

High-speed chemical imaging is achieved by combining femtosecond pulse stimulated Raman scattering with deep learning. Speed is improved by ∼60 times with four sub-cellular organelles (lipid droplets, endoplasmic reticulum, nuclei, cytoplasm) classified in MiaPaCa2 cells.
Leverage and Coverage Ratios

This paper shows how a firm’s expectation about costs of external financing in distress will affect its leverage choice at time-zero. A firm is very conservative in its leverage policy ex-ante if it knows that costs of external financing will grow with leverage. Such a model can resolve the underleverage and distress puzzles in cases where bankruptcy costs are only 10% of the firm’s assets value. In contrast, a firm’s initial leverage is much higher in a model in which external financing costs are constant, even if they are as high as 30 cents per dollar raised. To resolve the puzzles in the latter model, bankruptcy costs should exceed 50%.
Strategies for antigen testing: An alternative approach to widespread PCR testing

Multiple applications of low cost and rapid antigen tests for individuals, in parallel (at the same time) or at times sufficiently close to each other, when appropriately interpreted can considerably increase sensitivity of these tests, improving on their performance greatly. Under reasonable assumptions, this occurs when considering a positive to arise in a composite test if at least one of two underlying repeated tests are positive. Parallel Rapid Testing can potentially provide a form of testing that is accessible (combining wide availability and lack of expense) and quick. Moreover, it can provide a level of sensitivity that is comparable to seemingly more sophisticated but more expensive alternatives. In combination with sequential testing, this strategy offers an alternative method of testing that can be applied immediately and on a widespread basis.
Dental students' attitudes and hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Dentists are a group of providers who have been identified by CDC at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their contact with patients. This would apply to dental students as well. Thus, it is important to achieve high COVID-19 vaccination rates in this group. Further, as healthcare providers, they are entrusted with providing health recommendations and advocating for their patients, community, and profession, including vaccinations. METHODS: Using ualtricsXM an online platform, in 2020, a survey was administered anonymously to dental students at three dental schools to assess the attitudes of dental students to the novel COVID-19 vaccine. Factors and reasons associated with vaccine hesitancy and acceptance toward the COVID-19 vaccine and likelihood of recommending and giving the vaccination to patients were assessed. RESULTS: Nearly, all participants had positive attitudes toward vaccines in general, agreed they would likely be exposed to COVID-19, and personally knew someone who had COVID-19; however, only 56% are willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as an FDA-approved vaccine was available. Of those unwilling to take the vaccine, 63% reported they would take it if mandated by the health systems/dental school; however, 16.3% of the overall respondents would not take the COVID-19 vaccine even if mandated. Several factors are associated with vaccine acceptance and the likelihood of recommending the vaccination, such as trusting public health experts, concerns about side effects, and agreeing with vaccine mandates. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the need for an educational curriculum about the safety and effectiveness to promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine.
Vibration-Based Indoor Human Sensing Quality Reinforcement via Thompson Sampling

This paper presents an online learning algorithm that recommends sensor locations for structural vibration-based indoor human sensing systems to achieve optimal sensing quality for high learning accuracy. The intuition is that we model the deployment environment features (physics models) to reflect the environmental impact on the signals, which would further impact the sensing applications' performance. We acquire these features by re-purposing the ambient sensing data used for sensing applications. Then we combine these environment features and the application performance acquired as user feedback (data-driven knowledge) to recommend the sensor locations with optimal sensing quality. We formulate the task as a multi-armed bandit problem and develop an online learning algorithm based on Thompson sampling. Real-world datasets are collected to validate the proposed algorithm for both online and offline learning scenarios. The system achieves 56% for R@1 and 90% for R@3, which demonstrate an up to 2.5× improvement compared to baseline approaches.
Material Requirements for CdSe Wide Bandgap Solar Cells

Little work has been done understanding and implementing CdSe as a solar cell absorber, despite its ideal bandgap for the absorber of a top subcell in tandem solar cell configuration. With similar thermodynamic properties to CdTe as well as demonstrated low cost, high volume depositions in the manufacturing of CdTe photovoltaic (PV) devices, CdSe is expected to be a robust and reliable material for commercial PV if high-quality materials can be fabricated. In this work, optical and electrical simulations are used to determine key material conditions required to achieve high power conversion efficiency CdSe solar cells.
Association between Refractive Error Types and Asthenopia in Primary School Students

Refractive error is a condition in which the cornea and lens fail to focus the light, resulting in reduced visual efficiency. Twelve million children are experiencing refractive errors worldwide and uncorrected refractive errors in children have been reported to cause asthenopia. This study aimed to determine the association between the types of refractive errors and asthenopia in children. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 111 students aged 10-13 years old in a public elementary school in Indonesia, SDN Penjaringan 10, in 2019. A questionnaire was used to assess asthenopia and the Snellen Chart, trial frames, and trial lenses were used for refractive errors examination. It was demonstrated that 87.4% of respondents experienced asthenopia, and 53.2% of respondents suffered from uncorrected refractive errors, mostly due to myopia. Fisher’s exact test results showed an association between refractive errors and asthenopia (p=0.019) with all myopic students experienced asthenopia. However, there was no significant association between astigmatism and asthenopia (p=0.754). In conclusion, not all types of refractive errors are associated with asthenopia.
A computational estimate of the physical effort in human poses

This paper deals with the problem of estimating the effort required to maintain a static pose by human beings. The problem is important in developing dance summarization and rehabilitation applications. We estimate the human pose effort using two kinds of body constraints – skeletal constraints and gravitational constraints. The extracted features are combined together using SVM regression to estimate the pose effort. We tested our algorithm on 55 dance poses with different annotated efforts with excellent results. Our user studies additionally validate our approach.
Evaluation of kalman filters and genetic algorithms for delayed neutron nondestructive assay data analyses.

The ability to nondestructively determine the presence and quantity of fissile/fertile nuclei in various matrices is important in several areas of nuclear applications, including international and domestic safeguards, radioactive waste characterization, and nuclear facility operations. An analysis was performed to determine the feasibility of identifying the masses of individual fissionable isotopes from a cumulative delayed-neutron signal resulting form the neutron irradiation of several uranium and plutonium isotopes. The feasibility of two separate data-processing techniques was studied: Kalman filtering and genetic algorithms. The basis of each technique is reviewed, and the structure of the algorithms as applied to the delayed-neutron analysis problem is presented. The results of parametric studies performed using several variants of the algorithms are presented. The effect of including additional constraining information such as additional measurements and known relative isotopic concentration is discussed. The parametric studies were conducted using simulated delayed-neutron data representative of the cumulative delayed-neutron response following irradiation of a sample containing {sup 238}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 239}Pu, and {sup 240}Pu. The results show that by processing delayed-neutron data representative of two significantly different fissile/fertile fission ratios, both Kalman filters and genetic algorithms are capable of yielding reasonably accurate estimates of the mass of individual isotopesmore » contained in a given assay sample.« less
Irradiation uniformity studies and fusion experiments on the OMEGA laser facility

Summary form only given. OMEGA is a 60-TW 60-beam, frequency tripled Nd:glass laser system designed to perform precision direct-drive inertial confinement-fusion (ICF) experiments. Construction and activation of the facility was completed in 1995. We report on the system configuration and its performance; then we describe the first stage of enhancements expected to improve the on-target irradiation uniformity to control of the pulse shape.
Size Dependence of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Coal Fly Ash

Publisher Summary For the assessment of the environmental significance and potential health hazards associated with exposure to environmental pollutants, detailed studies of physical and chemical properties are required. It is these properties that determine the route and biological consequences of exposure. The aerodynamic behavior of aerosols released during coal combustion will determine the potential for atmospheric transport and subsequent human exposure. Large particles escaping the power plant's control technology will fall out near the plant, ultimately resulting in general population exposure by ingestion of agricultural products or water. This chapter reviews the size dependence of physical and chemical properties of coal fly ash.
Living on the edge of asthma: A grounded theory exploration

Purpose Most asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for asthma are preventable. Our purpose was to develop a grounded theory to guide interventions to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and ED visits. Design and Methods Grounded theory inquiry guided interviews of 20 participants, including 13 parents and 7 children. Results Living on the edge of asthma was the emergent theory. Categories included: balancing, losing control, seeking control, and transforming. Practice Implications The theory provides the means for nurses to understand the dynamic process that families undergo in trying to prevent and then deal with and learn from an acute asthma attack requiring hospitalization or an ED visit.
Newborn screening for sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies. Alternative methods for screening.

Alternative methods (Fig 1) are already available for screening newborns for hemoglobinopathies. When choosing among the methods, one should remember three aims: (1) to identify Hb S; (2) to detect when Hb A is absent, suggestive of an S/S homozygote or a double heterozygote for S/β°-thalassemia or for S/C or S/another β-globin variant; and (3) to screen for other potentially pathologic states. (Double heterozygosity for S/β+-thalassemia is also important to detect, for example.) Detection of β-thalassemia major by newborn screening would be useful but is not yet reliable. SPECIMENS Blood Both liquid (anticoagulated) blood and dried blood spots have been used. Liquid blood is easier to hemolyze, but dried blood spots are much easier to mail and store. Dried blood spots are already used in most states to screen for other disorders. Age In most states, a newborn capillary blood sample is obtained by heel puncture before the baby leaves the hospital to screen for phenylketonuria (and often for other disorders such as hypothyroidism). Cord blood, however, can be obtained in larger volume and is less likely to be contaminated by transfusion but more likely to be contaminated by maternal blood. I prefer the newborn specimen because of the advantages of coordinating screening programs both for thorough population coverage and for economic savings at several levels. In a coordinated screening program for multiple disorders, hemoglobinopathy screening may help in recognizing specimens from infants in whom a transfusion has taken place but the time the specimen was taken for screening has not been noted.
Activation of the thromboxane A2 receptor by 8-isoprostane inhibits the pro-angiogenic effect of vascular endothelial growth factor in scleroderma

The pathogenesis of scleroderma (SSc) includes components of autoimmunity, vascular dysfunction, and accumulation of extracellular matrix. 8-isoprostane, an oxidized lipid created by oxidative stress, activates the thromboxane A2 receptor (TXAR) and the Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) pathway. In this study, we determined whether the TXAR was activated by 8-isoprostane in SSc endothelial cells (ECs) and whether this pathway inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis. Elevated 8-isoprostane was observed in plasma and conditioned media from SSc patients. SSc-conditioned media inhibited EC tube formation, whereas addition of vitamin E, by reducing 8-isoprostane, increased tube formation. VEGF did not induce angiogenesis in SSc ECs, but vitamin E or TXAR inhibition restored its effect. The expression of TXAR, RhoA, and ROCK1/2 was elevated in SSc ECs. ROCK activity and 8-isoprostane-induced ROCK activation were significantly higher in SSc ECs, whereas VEGF had no effect. The hyper-activation of the TXAR leads to inhibition of VEGF-induced angiogenesis, as inhibition of the TXAR pathway results in a blockade of 8-isoprostane-induced ROCK activation and restoration of VEGF activity. These results suggest that the TXAR pathway has a crucial role in angiogenesis and that 8-isoprostane is not just a by-product of oxidative stress but also has a significant role in the impaired angiogenesis that characterizes SSc.
Estimation of Cotton Fiber Dimensions from Shirley I.I.C. Fineness/Maturity Tester Readings

In previous studies methods were developed for calibrating the Arealometer readings A and D to optically-determined measurements of standard cotton fiber samples. In this paper similar principles are applied to the PH and PL readings obtained from the Shirley I.I.C. Fineness/Maturity Tester, using the same standards and optical measurements. The I.I.C. Tester is already calibrated to give the following equivalents: Micronaire, Causticaire, percent maturity, and linear density. The interrelations of these equivalents with appropriate optical measurements have been investigated.
Leadership Education from within a Feminist Ethos.

This paper describes the ways that feminist theories, history and pedagogies can be infused into leadership preparation programs in educational administration. This work is situated with the larger movement of leadership for social justice. The authors describe the theoretical frame for this work and the organization of a feminist leadership course in a graduate program within a large Midwestern university program. Specific data from a planned study of one semester's class is described. Findings are analyzed and recommendations and conclusions are made.
Evidence for strength imbalances as a significant contributor to abnormal synergies in hemiparetic subjects

Abnormal synergies in the paretic shoulder and elbow of hemiparetic subjects were quantified during maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) in 27 subjects with a history of stroke and 8 age-matched control subjects. A six-axis load cell allowed simultaneous measurement of the primary torque the subject was attempting to maximize and the secondary torques at other joint actions. For example, during MVC of shoulder flexion, shoulder flexion is the primary torque and the secondary torques are internal/external rotation, abduction/adduction, and elbow flexion/extension. In general, the stroke subjects had increased secondary torques compared to controls, resulting in abnormal joint torque coupling within the set consisting of elbow flexion, internal rotation, adduction, shoulder flexion. Unlike previous studies, abnormal secondary torques in several cases were due to strength imbalances, which occur when the strength deficit for a particular joint action is greater than the strength deficit in the opposite joint action. This hypothesis was supported by electromyographic recordings and by the finding that subjects with larger strength imbalances tended to produce larger secondary torques. Possible mechanisms and consequences for rehabilitative treatments are discussed.
Forbidden Love, Persianate Style: Re-reading Tales of Iranian Poets and Mughal Patrons

The patronage system at the Mughal court drew many Safavid poets and men of learning to India who interacted with Indians at various levels. In an unusual case, the young Iranian poet ‘Urfī's attachment to his patron, Prince Salīm (later Emperor Jahāngīr), was interpreted by some as more than merely professional and the poet's death at a young age gave rise to speculations of intrigue. Mughal princesses were also actively involved in the literary scene of the time. In another instance, the association of Princess Zībunnisa, daughter of the Emperor Awrangzīb, with Persian poets was sometimes personal, leading to gossip and scandal about her. It turns out that in both cases stories about the sexual aspects of the relationships between Mughal patrons and Iranian poets arose in the eighteenth century and are more reflective of the concerns of the literary culture of that period. This paper explores the power and gender dynamics of these poet–patron relationships in the context of the general Iranian–Indian te...