cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carrier dynamics, optical nonlinearities, and optical gain in nanocrystal quantum dots

Nanoscale semiconductor particles in which carrier motion is restricted in all three dimensions are often referred to as semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). While the crystalline structure of the bulk solid is maintained in QDs, the three-dimensional (3D) quantum confinement imparted by the nanoscale size causes the bulk energy bands to collapse into discrete, atomic-like levels that exhibit strong size dependence.1,2 One of the approaches to fabricating sub-10 nm semiconductor nanoparticles is through chemical synthesis. Chemically synthesized QDs are also called nanocrystals or nanocrystal QDs. Synthetic methods are particularly well developed for QDs of II–VI semiconductors. The two principle chemical routes for fabrication of these QDs are high-temperature precipitation in molten glasses3,4 and colloidal synthesis using, e.g., organometallic reactions.5 Glass samples provide rigidity and environmental stability; however, they have a broad QD size distribution (typically greater than 20%) and a large number of surface defects. A much higher level of synthetic flexibility and control is provided by colloidal QDs that can be chemically manipulated in a variety of ways including size-selective precipitation5 (resulting in less than 5% size variations), surface modification by exchange of the passivation layer,6,7 formation of layered core-shell heterostructures,8,9 immobilization in sol-gel10 and polymer11 matrices, and self-assembly into 3D superlattices.12,13
Emergency Resource Allocation for Disaster Response: An Evolutionary Approach

The efficient response to a disaster plays an important role in decreasing its impact on affected victims. In some cases, the high volume of potential casualties and the urgency of a fast response increase the complexity of the disaster response mission. Such cases have created the need for an effective and efficient emergency logistics response. This paper identifies three research gaps in emergency logistics and develops a framework to fill these gaps. The framework includes a multi-objective (MO) optimization model and a heuristic algorithm that can obtain nearly optimal emergency medical response strategies characterized by the selection of the following: (1) locations of temporary emergency units (TEUs), (2) dispatching strategies of emergency vehicles to evacuate injured victims to the TEUs, and (3) number of victims to evacuate to each unit. The objectives of the optimization model are to minimize the response time and cost of the response strategy. An evolutionary algorithm is developed to solve the model and find an approximate set of Pareto optimal solutions where each solution represents a different emergency medical response strategy. This approach can help decision-makers to evaluate the tradeoffs among different strategies. Three experiments are presented to exemplify the model.
Scalable high performance loop filter architecture for video codecs

There is continuous thrust on improved and innovative video solution to facilitate video conferencing, video surveillance, transcoding, streaming video and many more customer centric new solutions. Increasing frame rate and frame size demands high performance hardware accelerators (HWA) to enable efficient 16×16 pixels macroblock level (MB) pipelining inside video processing engine (IVAHD). Inloop de-blocking filter of H.264 codec reduces blocking artifacts in MB and it is very demanding in terms of cycles and resources (memory access and memory storage). Removal of blocking artifacts due to block-based video codecs takes around 20-25% of overall decoder complexity in current generation of standards (H.264) and trend will continue going forward in H.265. Higher adaptability of filter process, smaller block sizes (4×4), motion vector (MV) dependent boundary strength (BS) computation for each edge of 4×4 block, predefined order for doing filtering (vertical edge followed by horizontal edge) and data pixel loading of current and neighbor MB requires large number of accesses to shared memory of IVAHD (SL2), higher processing cycles and larger internal pixel buffer (IPB). This paper discusses novel approach of loop filter (LPF) operation to overcome above barriers and facilitate IVAHD to go up to 240fps frame rate in full HD processing of H.264 codec with leadership area and power. The final design in 28nm CMOS process is expected to take around 0.10 mm2 after actual place and route (consisting of 220 KGate with 5 KB of internal memory). Proposed design is capable of handling 4K@60fps and scalable to support H.265 inloop de-blocking filter.
The dark-energy game

The universe is not like a clock, where well-understood parts tick in predictable ways, nor like a balloon expanding or contracting.
Peer Support for Students with Disabilities

Barriers to effective interaction occur between typical peers and students with disabilities. Our study highlights the advantages to participation in peer support programs for the typical student, for those students with disabilities, and for the rural East Texas communities in general. The study determined, within a geographic location, how many rural high schools had peer support programs, the types of peer support offered, and the characteristics of high schools that offered peer support for students with disabilities. The analysis focused on both the nature and the likelihood of a high school in East Texas having peer support groups for students with disabilities. There was a statistically significant difference in the strength of the correlations between high school campuses with special education support groups and without on campus budget, enrollment, special education count, and the number of special educators. Conclusions support an action plan for peer support group formation based on statistical analysis of local campuses.
Queues with Choice via Delay Differential Equations

Delay or queue length information has the potential to influence the decision of a customer to join a queue. Thus, it is imperative for managers of queueing systems to understand how the information that they provide will affect the performance of the system. To this end, we construct and analyze two two-dimensional deterministic fluid models that incorporate customer choice behavior based on delayed queue length information. In the first fluid model, customers join each queue according to a Multinomial Logit Model, however, the queue length information the customer receives is delayed by a constant Δ. We show that the delay can cause oscillations or asynchronous behavior in the model based on the value of Δ. In the second model, customers receive information about the queue length through a moving average of the queue length. Although it has been shown empirically that giving patients moving average information causes oscillations and asynchronous behavior to occur in U.S. hospitals, we analytically and ...
Mothers matter: A feminist perspective on child welfare-involved women

Mothers involved in child welfare services are often marginalized and misunderstood while the system focuses on protecting their children. These women are mothering within a context of poverty, vio...
Matrix-Free Polymer Nanocomposite Thermoplastic Elastomers

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) grafted nanoparticles were prepared by grafting block copolymer poly(styrene-block-(n-butyl acrylate)) onto silica nanoparticles (NPs) via surface-initiated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The effects of polymer chain length and graft density on the mechanical properties were investigated using films made solely from the grafted NPs. The ultimate tensile stress and elastic modulus increased with increasing PS chain length. The dispersion of the silica NPs and the microphase separation of the block copolymer in the matrix-free polymer nanocomposite were investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The higher polymer graft density TPEs exhibited better microphase separation of the block copolymers and more uniform silica NP dispersion than lower polymer graft density TPEs with similar polymer chain length and ...
Photoacoustic imaging of prostate cancer

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI), also known as optoacoustic imaging, is a rapidly growing imaging modality with potential in medical diagnosis and therapy monitoring. This paper focuses on the techniqu...
The classification of the Masa group of languages

The Chadic family of languages comprises approximately 140 languages classified into three major branches: West Chadic, Biu-Mandara, and East Chadic. Newman [l977b] has proposed an additional, fourth branch of Chadic consisting of the Masa group of languages, previously classified in the Biu-Mandara branch. This article provides supporting evidence for Newman's classification of the Masa group as a fourth branch by demonstrating that this group does not exhibit the phonological, lexical, and morphological innovations characteristic of the Biu-Mandara branch. It follows from the absence of these innovations that there is no evidence for the classification of the Masa group in the Biu-Mandara branch.
Advanced Technologies For Turbomachinery Systems - An Overview

Turbomachinery system components and associated technologies are discussed. Specific technologies reviewed include the compressor, turbine, internal flow analysis methods, combustion, fuels, materials, structures, bearings, seals, and lubrication, dynamics and controls, and instrumentation. Analytical procedures as a path to improved performance are discussed. The strong interaction between the various technologies if turbomachinery performance gains are to be realized is reflected.
EIS and differential capacitance measurements onto single crystal faces in different solutions: Part II: Cu(111) and Cu(100) in 0.1 M NaOH

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of Cu(111) and Cu(100) in 0.1 M NaOH solution in the underpotential region of Cu2O formation has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and EIS (differential capacitance) measurements. By the analysis of differential capacitance versus potential and differential capacitance versus frequency curves it is shown that the process of OH− species adsorption/desorption, takes place on both faces of the copper substrate. It is also shown that, on Cu(111), slow reconstruction of the original surface occurs during the process of OH− species adsorption/desorption, while on Cu(100), this process was found to be very fast involving a much greater amount of adsorbed OH− species.
The 5d Transition Metals

As shown in the total energy plots the ground state of the 5d elements follow the same trend as in the 3d and 4d elements of the same columns of the periodic table. There are two exceptions La (which we have in the section of f-electron metals) that has the dhcp structure and Hg which crystallizes in a rhombohedral structure. It is interesting to note that while in La the f-states are just above the Fermi level in the other 5d elements the f-states are fully occupied and lie deep below the valence bands. Hf is an exception having its f-states close to the valence bands but still below them. The reader should also keep in mind that in this series, as in other heavy elements, the spin-orbit coupling, which is not included in these calculations, may introduce significant changes to the band structure. The main characteristics of the energy bands and DOS found in the 3d and 4d elements are present in the 5d-series when crystal structure and number of valence electrons are taken into account. Again, as in the 3d-4d comparison, a close comparison of the 4d and 5d elements show that a further widening of the d bands occurs in the 5d metals. A comparison of Ir with Rh and Pt with Pd reveals a change in the ordering of levels at L. Also, Au appears to have a band structure much closer to that of Cu than that of Ag.
The Meaning of the Epistemological Situation: Reading Douglass Rushkoff’s Program or Be Programmed with Slavoj Žižek’s A Pervert’s Guide to Ideology

Douglas Rushkoff’s Program or Be Programmed (2010) presents a set of rules about how to navigate the contemporary, digital world, when considering the sentiments in the book’s subtitle “Ten Commands for a Digital Age.” To be sure, through how he outlines his understanding of the contemporary, digital world, Rushkoff proposes a hermeneutical exercise, dictating an understanding of the human situation. Similarly, Slavoj Žižek’s A Pervert’s Guide to Ideology (2012), as a film, aims to confront what is occurring in the world situationally that might not be understood in the human situation itself.
Paths to Alternative and Supplemental Water Supplies

This chapter looks at examples of the successes and failures of nations in their efforts to achieve a sustainable supply of clean, safe water. The examples chosen are experiencing high to extreme water stress in the face of natural and human-caused barriers to achieving water sustainability. Supply gaps examined include Russia, China, India and Jordan. Present and future water crises exist in many other parts of the world as well.
Differentiation as Measured by the Classroom Practices Survey: A Validity Study Updating the Original Instrument.

The Classroom Practices Survey assesses educators’ use of differentiated instruction with students achieving at average and high levels. The purposes of this study were to investigate if the Classroom Practices Survey (1) yields reliable and valid data from the groups for which it was originally designed and (2) can be used to evaluate teachers’ differentiation practices for students who achieve at low levels. Participants included 648 elementary teachers who completed the Classroom Practices Survey for students achieving at high, average and low levels. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the original six-factor model was not supported by the current data. Model fit was improved with a four-factor model, but did not reach the recommended values for good model fit. Further research and possibly modifications are needed before this tool is used by researchers and schools. This study highlights the importance of periodically evaluating instruments and revising them if necessary.
A Classification Framework for Online Social Support Using Deep Learning

Health consumers engage in social interactions in online health communities (OHCs) to seek or provide social support. Automatic classification of social support exchanged online is important for both researchers and practitioners of online health communities, especially when a large number of messages are posted on regular basis. Classification of social support in OHCs provides an efficient way to assess the effectiveness of social interactions in the virtual environment. Most previous studies of online social support classification are based on “bag-of-words” assumption and have not considered the semantic meaning of words/terms embedded in the online messages. This research proposes a classification framework for online social support using the recent development of word space models and deep learning methods. Specifically, doc2vec models, bag-of-words representations, and linguistic analysis methods are used to extract features from the text messages that are posted in OHC for online social interaction or social support exchange. Then a deep learning model is applied to classify two major types of social support (i.e., informational and emotional support) expressed in OHC reply messages.
Selective area epitaxy of GaP nanowire array on Si (111) by MOCVD

Because of its indirect bandgap nature, Gallium phosphide (GaP) in its conventional zinc blende crystal structure, has only limited optoelectronic applications in the visible light spectrum. The WZ structured GaP, on the other hand, has a direct band gap between 2.18 and 2.25 eV, ideal for a green-yellow spectral range light emitting devices. It is well known that the crystal structure of the III-V materials can be modulated when they are grown in nanowire (NW) form via the VLS/SAE mechanism so that either a ZB, WZ, or an intermixing of the ZB and WZ structured III-V NWs can be achieved. The realization of WZ GaP NWs were experimentally verified but the mechanism of selecting a crystal structure while NW is grown are still controversial. However, a common factor that promotes the realization of WZ structured NW is the suppression of the lateral overgrowth, because the ZB structure has the lowest surface energy at $\{11^{-}0\}$ side facets of the hexagonal NW. On the other hand, the nucleation at side $\{11^{-}00\}$ facets of WZ NW is difficult so that the hexagonal WZ NWs tend to grow more vertically with less lateral overgrowth. Understanding, developing, and controlling the growth condition of GaP NWs to form WZ structures would be crucial to practical applications of this highly promising material system. In addition, integrating GaP on silicon is also challenging. Recently, GaP nanowire (NW) heteroepitaxial growth have been demonstrated on Si (111) and Si (100) substrates using the VLS method. However, selective area epitaxy (SAE) of GaP NWs on Si (111) substrate or even on the GaP (111) substrate have not been well developed yet.
Playing Around with Quitting Smoking: A Randomized Pilot Trial of Mobile Games as a Craving Response Strategy.

Objective: Strong cravings to smoke are an obstacle to cessation success. Unfortunately, cessation medication and counseling only modestly quell craving. This pilot study was designed to examine th...
Disability Inclusion in Nursing Education

Abstract A diverse nursing workforce is essential for progress toward the achievement of health equity and the mitigation of health disparities in the United States. Diversity in health care will improve the quality of care and access to care for underrepresented groups. The noted lack of diversity in nursing education also includes persons with disabilities. The legislative history that protects persons with disabilities are widely known; however, a recent action implemented by the federal government requires all facilities that receive federal contracts to employ a percentage of their workforce with disabled individuals. This new implementation will impact many health-care facilities and will increase the demand for educating health-care professionals with disabilities. Therefore, a nursing school in the southeast region of the United States was proactive to the call for more diversity in nursing’s workforce. The school revised their essential functions/core performance (technical) standards for admission to the undergraduate nursing program by collaborating with disability experts in the Access Center. The interprofessional collaboration was instrumental in creating new core performance standards that focus on the skills necessary to practice nursing safely rather than focusing on individual strengths or weaknesses. The purpose of this article is to share the nursing school’s new core performance standards and the background information related to best practices and improving health equity in nursing related to persons with disabilities.
A Novel Method to Improve Perfusion of Ex Vivo Pumped Human Kidneys.

Objective To determine if addition of the S-nitrosylating agent ethyl nitrite (ENO) to the preservation solution can improve perfusion parameters in pumped human kidneys. Background A significant percentage of actively stored kidneys experience elevations in resistance and decreases in flow rate during the ex vivo storage period. Preclinical work indicates that renal status after brain death is negatively impacted by inflammation and reduced perfusion-processes regulated by protein S-nitrosylation. To translate these findings, we added ENO to the preservation solution in an attempt to reverse the perfusion deficits observed in nontransplanted pumped human kidneys. Methods After obtaining positive proof-of-concept results with swine kidneys, we studied donated human kidneys undergoing hypothermic pulsatile perfusion deemed unsuitable for transplantation. Control kidneys continued to be pumped a 4°C (ie, standard of care). In the experimental group, the preservation solution was aerated with 50 ppm ENO in nitrogen. Flow rate and perfusion were recorded for 10 hours followed by biochemical analysis of the kidney tissue. Results In controls, perfusion was constant during the monitoring period (ie, flow rate remained low and resistance stayed high). In contrast, the addition of ENO produced significant and sustained reductions in resistance and increases in flow rate. ENO-treated kidneys had higher levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, potentially explaining the perfusion benefits, and increased levels of interleukin-10, suggestive of an anti-inflammatory effect. Conclusions S-Nitrosylation therapy restored the microcirculation and thus improved overall organ perfusion. Inclusion of ENO in the renal preservation solution holds promise to increase the number and quality of kidneys available for transplant.
Implementation Tools of IoT Systems

Cloud-based IoT platforms are gaining momentum in recent years with notable advances made by large corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Cloud-based IoT platforms are attractive to industries with IoT needs due to the scalability and resiliency of cloud-based systems. However, IoT applications are complex software systems, and software developers need to have thorough understanding of the capabilities, limitations, architecture, and design patterns of the cloud platforms and cloud-based IoT tools to build an efficient, maintainable, and customizable IoT application. This chapter will review the cloud-based IoT tools of Microsoft Azure platform.
Reaching the first 90 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a programme to optimise HIV case finding through intensified index testing

Abstract Background To meet the first aim of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, to help end the global HIV epidemic, 90% of people living with HIV should know their status by 2020. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), however, UNAIDS estimates that less than 60% of people living with HIV know their status. To improve targeted HIV testing in Kinshasa and Haut-Katanga provinces of DRC, ICAP at Columbia University, New York, USA, launched an intensive index-testing programme in October, 2017. Here, we describe the programme and report testing yields before and after the intervention. Methods Our programme increased efforts to elicit information on sexual partners from people who newly test HIV positive or who were receiving antiretroviral therapy (index clients). All index clients were counselled on options for partner notification and tracing, including using peer counsellors who can anonymously notify and test past sexual partners in the community or provide referral to health facilities. We recorded the number of people referred by index clients and describe HIV testing yield (the proportion of people referred by index clients who tested HIV positive) for both male and female clients older than 15 years. We used χ2 tests to compare the testing yield at the start of the intervention to that 10 months after the start of programme implementation. Findings Between Oct 1, 2017, and Sept 30, 2018, 2167 male index clients referred 2624 adult female partners (1·2 contacts per index client) of whom 770 (29·3%) tested HIV-positive; 5135 adult female index clients referred 2593 male partners (0·5 contacts per client) of whom 866 (33·4%) were HIV positive. HIV testing yield increased over the course of implementation. At the start of implementation (Oct 1 to Nov 30, 2017, a total of 60 days), 507 adult female partners of index clients were tested for HIV with a testing yield of 12% and 386 adult male partners were tested with a yield of 15%. Between August 1 and Sept 30, 2018 (a total of 60 days), 396 adult female partners were tested with a yield of 38·4% (pre vs post, p Interpretation These results show the importance of index testing and partner notification in finding people who are living with HIV but unaware of their status. Identification of a client's sexual partners in the HIV testing service and conducting tracking and community-based HIV testing can improve HIV testing yield. Funding CDC and PEPFAR
Helping Teens Overcome Anxiety Episodes in Project Work: The Power of Reframing:

Overwhelming challenges in youth program projects (e.g., arts, leadership, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM]) can create intense anxiety for adolescents that disrupts engagem...
Short-term nicotine deprivation alters dorsal anterior cingulate glutamate concentration and concomitant cingulate-cortical functional connectivity

Most cigarette smokers who wish to quit too often relapse within the first few days of abstinence, primarily due to the aversive aspects of the nicotine withdrawal syndrome (NWS), which remains poorly understood. Considerable research has suggested that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) plays a key role in nicotine dependence, with its functional connections between other brain regions altered as a function of trait addiction and state withdrawal. The flow of information between dACC and fronto-striatal regions is secured through different pathways, the vast majority of which are glutamatergic. As such, we investigated dACC activity using resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and glutamate (Glu) concentration with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We also investigated the changes in adenosine levels in plasma during withdrawal as a surrogate for brain adenosine, which plays a role in fine-tuning synaptic glutamate transmission. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover design, nontreatment seeking smoking participants (N = 30) completed two imaging sessions, one while nicotine sated and another after 36 h nicotine abstinence. We observed reduced dACC Glu (P = 0.029) along with a significant reduction in plasma adenosine (P = 0.03) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP; P < 0.0001) concentrations during nicotine withdrawal in comparison with nicotine sated state. This withdrawal state manipulation also led to an increase in rsFC strength (P < 0.05) between dACC and several frontal cortical regions, including left superior frontal gyrus (LSFG), and right middle frontal gyrus (RMFG). Moreover, the state-trait changes in dACC Glu and rsFC strength between the dACC and both SFG and MFG were positively correlated (P = 0.012, and P = 0.007, respectively). Finally, the change in circuit strength between dACC and LSFG was negatively correlated with the change in withdrawal symptom manifestations as measured by the Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (P = 0.04) and Tobacco Craving Questionnaire (P = 0.014). These multimodal imaging-behavioral findings reveal the complex cascade of changes induced by acute nicotine deprivation and call for further investigation into the potential utility of adenosine- and glutamate-signaling as novel therapeutic targets to treat the NWS.
LixSiON (x = 2, 4, 6): a novel solid electrolyte system derived from agricultural waste

A set of LixSiON (x = 2, 4, 6) polymer precursors to a novel solid-state electrolyte system were synthesized starting from rice hull ash (RHA), an agricultural waste, providing a green route towards the assembly of all solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Silica, ∼90 wt% in RHA, can be catalytically (alkali base) dissolved (20–40 wt%) in hexylene glycol (HG) and distilled directly from the reaction mixture as the spirosiloxane [(C6H14O2)2Si, SP] at 200 °C. SP can be lithiated using controlled amounts of LiNH2 to produce LixSiON oligomers/polymers with MWs up to ∼1.5 kDa as characterized by FTIR, MALDI-ToF, multinuclear NMR, TGA-DTA, XRD, XPS, SEM and EDX. XPS analyses show that Li contents depend solely on added LiNH2 but found N contents are only ≤1 at%. NH2 likely is removed as NH3 during sample preparation (vacuum/overnight). In contrast, MALDI indicates N contents of ∼5–30 at% N with shorter drying times (vacuum/minutes). 7Li NMR positive chemical shifts suggest that precursor bound Li+ ions dissociate easily, beneficial for electrochemical applications. The 7Li shifts correlate to Li contents as well as Li+ conductivities. 1H, 13C and 29Si NMRs of the Li6SiON precursor show fluxional behavior implying high Li+ mobility. Dense microstructures are observed for Li4SiON and Li6SiON pellets heated to 200 °C/2 h/N2. Impedance studies suggest that ionic conductivities increase with Li content; the Li6SiON precursor offers the highest ambient conductivity of 8.5 × 10−6 S cm−1 after heating to 200 °C/2 h/N2.
Determinants of Tubastraea coccinea invasion and likelihood of further expansion in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Invasive species have large economic and ecological impacts and are the leading driver of extinction for both plants and animals worldwide. In the USA, coral reefs, which provide $3.4 billion per year in ecosystem services, are impacted by invasive marine species. One such species is Tubastraea coccinea, which was the first scleractinia to invade the western Atlantic and recently has spread to natural reefs within the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We document this recent invasion by compiling occurrence records, develop a species distribution model identifying important determinants of invasion, and project potential range expansion. Our results indicate T. coccinea currently is distributed along the GoM coast from the Florida Keys to southern Texas, with documented localities clustered ≈ 100 km off the Louisiana coast and ≈ 200 km off the Texas coast, and sparsely distributed elsewhere. Our species distribution model identified five environmental factors that together contribute > 99% to the overall model. These factors include two surface variables (mean pH and mean calcite, contributing ≈ 40%) and three benthic variables (maximum current velocity, minimum iron, and minimum dissolved oxygen, contributing ≈ 60%). Our model suggests potential habitat for range expansion is distributed mainly within the western portion of the northern GoM, with the highest probabilities of occurrence (0.8 < P < 1.0) clustered along the Texas and Louisiana coasts between 88 and 97° W (near the border between states).
Can the Absence of Hypertension Refine the Risk Assessment of Older Adults for Future Cardiovascular Events

We sought to determine if the absence of hypertension in older adults can be used to identify those at lower risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We identified participants ≥75 years old free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the National Institutes of Health Pooled Cohorts with and without hypertension. We assessed the association between systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, and cardiovascular events using multivariable modeling. The association between predicted ASCVD risk and observed events was compared. Of 2,667 adults aged ≥75 years, 67.9% had hypertension. Lower systolic BP correlated with lower CVD event rates. ASCVD predicted risk score and systolic BP were both independently associated with ASCVD event rates. Among adults with similar ASCVD predicted risk estimates, those without (vs with) hypertension had lower observed event rates across the predicted risk spectrum. The absence of hypertension may help refine the risk stratification of older adults, particularly those with intermediate predicted risk.
Trends in Inhaler Prescriptions and Associated Cost in the United States From 2014 to 2018: An Analysis From the Medicare Part D Database.

INTRODUCTION Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma constitute the majority of the pulmonary disease burden in the United States. Various kinds of inhalers are used for treating both these conditions, and Medicare is the biggest payer for them. We analyze the trend in prescriptions and associated expenses of various inhaler prescriptions from 2014 to 2018 using the Medicare part D database. METHODS Medicare part D data is analyzed for the years 2014-2018. Inhalers are grouped based on their drug class. The number of beneficiaries and the associated expenses for each inhaler and the groups were calculated separately and analyzed using statistical software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Some 85 million beneficiaries received inhalers through Medicare part D over the four years. Medicare spent 50.5 billion US dollars on these prescriptions, which showed an increase of 130% users and 128% expenditure over the four years. Medicare's expense for inhaler prescriptions is growing and is expected to increase even more in the near future.
A large unruptured ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy carries a significant mortality risk in the first trimester given the increased likelihood of rupture of large embryos. In this report, an otherwise asymptomatic woman presented with amenorrhea and a positive urine pregnancy test. Results included an elevated beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (B-hCG) of 39,947 IU/L and Transvaginal ultrasound suggestive of a 3.9 cm unruptured fallopian tube ectopic pregnancy. She underwent emergent salpingectomy without complications, confirming a 10 week, 6 days gestational age pregnancy. This exceptional case of an unruptured ectopic with crown rump length (CRL) above 2 cm illustrates the importance of early diagnosis due to the often unremarkable presentation.
Imaging for Staging of Pediatric Abdominal Tumors: An Update, From the AJR Special Series on Cancer Staging.

The three most common pediatric solid tumors of the abdomen are neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, and hepatoblastoma. These embryonal tumors most commonly present in the first decade of life. Each tumor ...
Evidence Matters: Summer/Fall 2018

Fifty-seven percent of working-age, nondisabled recipients of housing assistance have earned income over the past year, and most people experiencing homelessness are working or wish to do so. Yet, because of insufficient wages, job churn, dependent care obligations, and other factors, many still are unable to afford housing without assistance. Federal, state, and local efforts to promote self-sufficiency among HUD-assisted households and individuals experiencing homelessness have shown mixed results in earnings and employment outcomes for participants. This issue of Evidence Matters focuses on these efforts and related research that offer insight into promising practices and lessons for improving programs and supports aimed at fostering economic independence among HUD-assisted households.
Physiological changes in advanced hybrid chestnuts do not alter blight resistance under co-occurring drought

Chestnut breeding programs have been using a backcross breeding technique to produce trees with a predominantly American chestnut (Castanea dentata) genome and chestnut blight disease resist...
Comparison of surgical invasiveness and morbidity of adult spinal deformity surgery to other major operations

ABSTRACT Background Context Adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgeries are complex, involving long operative times and surgical morbidity. It is currently unclear how the invasiveness of ASD surgery compares to other major operations. Purpose To: (1) develop a quantitative score of surgical morbidity and invasiveness, and (2) compare this score between ASD surgery and other major operations. Study Design Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. Patient Sample A prospective surgical registry was used to identify all patients undergoing ASD surgery involving ≥ 7 segments. Seventeen additional procedures were included: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), pancreatectomy, and esophagectomy, among others. Outcome Measures Perioperative factors (operative time, transfusions, ventilation) and complications were collected and combined with a previously validated Postoperative Morbidity Survey to create a Surgical Invasiveness and Morbidity Score (SIMS). Methods Computed scores were compared across surgeries using Welch's t-test. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to compare the SIMS of major surgeries relative to ASD while controlling for patient demographics and comorbidities. Results A total of 1,245,282 surgical patients were included, 4,656 of which underwent ASD surgery. After multiple regression modeling controlling for patient demographics and comorbidities, ASD surgery ranked fourth in SIMS. ASD surgery had a significantly greater SIMS than 13 other major procedures including 6th esophagectomy (adjusted mean difference=-0.05, 95%CI -0.01-0.09, p Conclusions ASD surgery was associated with significantly greater SIMS than many other major operations, even when controlling for important perioperative factors. These data have implications for patient counseling, resource allocation, and informed consent.
The Impact of the use of C-Arm Cone-Beam CT during Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the consequences of using C-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) on super-selective catheterization of hepatic artery (HA) branches during chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS Two groups of patients were created according to the dates of their treatment sessions. Group A and Group B included patients who had their treatment sessions in 2004 - 2005 and 2008 - 2010, respectively. The sessions performed in 2006 and 2007 were excluded to allow for the adoption and incorporation of CBCT imaging into clinical practice. All chemoembolized HA branches were categorized according to selection order (0-1, 2, or ≥3). Other procedure variables were documented. RESULTS A total of 58 and 183 sessions were included in Groups A and B, respectively, for 144 patients. C-arm CBCT was used in 2 (3%) sessions and 142 (78%) sessions in groups A and B, respectively. The average number of vessels treated was significantly higher in group B (1.8) compared to group A (1.3) (P < .0001). A shift to an increased selection order in group B (0-1, 44 [24%]; 2, 85 [46%]; ≥3, 54 [30%]) was more significant (P = .0004) than that in group A (0-1, 32 [55%]; 2, 18 [31%]; ≥3, 8 [14%]). The average duration of the procedure was significantly longer in group B (P = .0002). CONCLUSIONS Using C-arm CBCT during chemoembolization has a positive impact on increasing the number and order of HA selected and chemoembolized. This comes at the expense of an increase in the duration of the procedure.
A global invader’s niche dynamics with intercontinental introduction, novel habitats, and climate change

Abstract Species niches have been defined in different ways, variably encompassing abiotic and biotic parameters limiting an organism’s spatial distribution. Climate is often the primary component of the abiotic (fundamental) niche, especially among terrestrial plants. In invasion biology, there is an ongoing debate on the prevalence of niche shifts, which may be linked to divergent traits in a species’ native and invaded ranges, as well as dispersal limitations and invasion lag phases. Using a global dataset, we tested whether shifts occurred in the invader Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), which has undergone intercontinental spread as well as habitat-switching within its invaded range in North America. Climate space ordination showed that North America is, on average, colder than Afro-Eurasia, and North American Johnsongrass occupies wetter environments than in its native range. Within North America, both agricultural and non-agricultural ecotypes shifted slightly toward colder climates. Notably, while non-agricultural populations far outnumber agricultural ones, the former occupy a narrower niche (DM = 42.7 ± 0.8) than the latter (DM = 59.3 ± 1.1), implying agriculture’s role in providing suitable environments in otherwise suboptimal climates. Maximum entropy models of agricultural and non-agricultural North American populations showed limited ecotypic differences in current suitability and range expansion under climate change through the rest of this century. We also predicted climatic suitability for Johnsongrass to increase most in the Upper Midwest and Great Plains by 2100. Our results help contextualize the empirical evidence for ecotypic differentiation in Johnsongrass, as well predict future range expansion and damage niches.
Toward System Theoretical Foundations for Human–Autonomy Teams

Both human–autonomy teaming, specifically, and intelligent autonomous systems, more generally, raise new challenges in considering how best to specify, model, design, and verify correctness at a system level. Also important are extending this to monitoring and repairing systems in real time and over lifetimes to detect problems and restore desired properties when they are lost. Systems engineering methods that address these issues are typically based around a level of modeling that involves a broader focus on the life cycle of the system and much higher levels of abstraction and decomposition than some common ones used in disciplines concerned with the design and development of individual elements of intelligent autonomous systems. Nonetheless, many of the disciplines associated with autonomy do have reasons for exploring higher level abstractions, models, and ways of decomposing problems. Some of these may match well or be useful inspirations for systems engineering and related problems like system safety and human system integration. This chapter will provide a sampling of perspectives across scientific fields such as biology, neuroscience, economics/game theory, and psychology, methods for developing and accessing complex socio-technical systems from human factors and organizational psychology, and methods for engineering teams from computer science, robotics, and engineering. Areas of coverage will include considerations of team organizational structure, allocation of roles, functions, and responsibilities, theories for how teammates can work together on tasks, teaming over longer time durations, and formally modeling and composing complex human–machine systems.
Secure Business Intelligence

Enterprise organizations have relied on correct data in business intelligence visualization and analytics for years. Before the adoption of the cloud, most data visualizations were executed and displayed inside enterprise applications. As application architectures have moved to the cloud, many cloud services now provide business intelligence functionality. The services are delivered in a way that is more accessible for end users using web browsers, mobile devices, data feeds, and email attachments. Unfortunately, along with all the benefits of the cloud business intelligence services comes complexity. The complexity can lead to slow response times, errors, data leakage, and integrity issues. An information technology department or service provider must get ahead of the problems by automating the execution of reports to know when availability or integrity issues exist and dealing with those issues before they turn into end-user trouble tickets. The development of the business intelligence code must also include tools to express the privacy requirements of the data exposed in the report or document. In this paper, we present two tools we developed to help guarantee the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of business intelligence. The first tool is our client-side correctness programming language that allows execution against many cloud documents and business intelligence services. The secBIML language enables issues to be proactively discovered before the end-users experience the problems. The other tool in our work is a server-side programming language that allows the creation of reports and business documents. The secBIrpts language enables an organization to express their privacy requirements utilizing a hierarchical security model.
Theory and Simulations of Solar System Plasmas

"Theory and simulations of solar system plasmas" aims to highlight results from microscopic to global scales, achieved by theoretical investigations and numerical simulations of the plasma dynamics in the solar system. The theoretical approach must allow evidencing the universality of the phenomena being considered, whatever the region is where their role is studied; at the Sun, in the solar corona, in the interplanetary space or in planetary magnetospheres. All possible theoretical issues concerning plasma dynamics are welcome, especially those using numerical models and simulations, since these tools are mandatory whenever analytical treatments fail, in particular when complex nonlinear phenomena are at work. Comparative studies for ongoing missions like Cassini, Cluster, Demeter, Stereo, Wind, SDO, Hinode, as well as those preparing future missions and proposals, like, e.g., MMS and Solar Orbiter, are especially encouraged.
Caregiver acceptability and preferences for preventive dental treatments for young African-American children.

Our prior research focused on parental treatment acceptability (TA) and treatment preferences (TPs) for preventive dental treatments for young Hispanic children. We adapted the interview for administration to parents of young African-American children. Objective: In a sample of African-American parents, determine parental TA and TP for five dental treatments to prevent early childhood caries. Methods: Interviewed 48 parents/caregivers of African-American children attending Head Start, assessing TA and TP for three treatments for children: toothbrushing (TB) with fluoride toothpaste, fluoride varnish (FV), and xylitol in food (XF); and two treatments for mothers: xylitol gum (XG) and chlorhexidine (CHX) rinse. The interview included verbal information, illustrated treatment cards, photos/video clips, and samples. Parents provided TA of each treatment (one to five scale), TP between each of 10 pairs of the five treatments, and open-ended reasons for their preferences. TPs were summed (zero to four) to create overall preference. Results: All treatments were acceptable (means 4.4-4.9). TB was more acceptable than FV and XF (P < 0.05). Summed TP revealed a strong preference for TB (mean 3.1) above other treatments (all P < 0.01). Primary reasons for preferring TB were the following: promotes healthy habits; child focused; and effectiveness. Conclusions: All treatments were acceptable, however, parents/guardians strongly preferred TB. Parents' emphasis on healthy habits and child-focused treatment supports efforts for oral health education programs in early childhood settings. Some parents expressed concerns about FV, XF, and CHX. Results may be useful in planning prevention programs for young children in African-American communities.
Comparison of the mechanical behaviors of locked and nonlocked plate/screw fixation applied to experimentally induced rotational osteotomies in canine ilia.

Objective To compare the mechanical behaviors of 2 locked (parallel and diverging screws) and 1 nonlocked (NL) version of triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) plate/screw fixation. Study Design In vitro biomechanical evaluation. Animals Cadaveric canine hemipelves. Methods Comparison 1—NL screws 20° TPO (NL-20) construct versus locked parallel (LP) screws 20° TPO (LP-20) construct (n = 7). Comparison 2—LP-20 construct versus locked diverging (LD) screws 20° TPO (LD-20) construct (n = 6). Condition 1—Nondestructive loading to determine stiffness. Condition 2—Cyclic loading to determine stiffness, screw loosening, and osteotomy gap displacement. Condition 3—Load to failure (yield load, yield displacement, maximum load, load to failure, failure mode). Results Stiffness was not significantly different for NL-20 versus LP-20 constructs (P = .48) or for LP-20 versus LD-20 constructs (P = .83). Screw loosening was significantly more frequent for NL-20 versus LP-20 (P = .01) and for LD-20 versus LP-20 constructs (P = .02). The relative risk for screw loosening with NL-20 constructs versus LP-20 constructs was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1–1.8). The relative risk for screw loosening with LD-20 versus LP-20 was 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1—2.2). Yield load was significantly greater for LP-20 versus NL-20 and LD-20 constructs (P = .04, P = .03), respectively. Conclusions No TPO constructs tested maintained complete integrity after cyclic loading; however, screw loosening was significantly reduced and yield loads were significantly larger for LP-20 plate/screw constructs.