cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near-field reflectivity and antenna boresight gain corrections for millimeter-wave atmospheric radars

Abstract Millimeter-wavelength (MMW) cloud radars operating at Ka band (35 GHz) and W band (95 GHz) are popular atmospheric research tools because they are compact, have low prime power requirements, and are highly sensitive to small hydrometeors. In order to maximize sensitivity, ground-based systems use large diameter high-gain antennas. However, these antennas have substantial far-field distances as large as several kilometers. The far-field distance is defined as rf = 2D2/λ, where D is the antenna diameter and λ is the radar wavelength. In the Fresnel region, where 0.62D3/λ < r < rf, the antenna gain and pattern shape vary significantly with distance. Processing radar measurements obtained in the Fresnel region using the conventional radar equations gives erroneous results because these relationships assume far-field antenna characteristics. Correction factors are needed to account for the radar response to targets that lie in the near field. This paper provides correction factors for responses to tar...
Rounded boulders on Itokawa as clues to geological processes in the early solar system

Abstract Large rounded boulders on Itokawa are a surprising find and may be evidence of forceful inter-boulder collisions occurring over protracted periods of time. Surface textures of some boulders are reminiscent of those on terrestrial aeolian sand grains despite five orders of magnitude difference in scale. Using Hertzian analysis and fracture strength data, we calculate that the maximum collisional velocities involved in the comminution process are ~6–7 m/s. We hypothesise that boulder rounding could be a product of collisions in a gravitationally stable orbiting debris field in which boulders acquire collisional energy from YORP spin. Collisional paths may be instigated by Yarkovsky drift and gyroscopic effects of rotation. Collisional energy is dissipated by elastic damping, but rapidly renewed by YORP spinup that takes only hundreds to thousands of years to regenerate comminution-strength collisions. The rounded boulders on Itokawa are found amongst angular, unworn material which suggests a mixed origin for Itokawa׳s regolith.
Nondestructive Determination of the Age of 20th-Century Oil-Binder Ink Prints Using Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR): A Case Study with Postage Stamps from the Łódź Ghetto:

The ability to determine the production date for a painting or print would be of great benefit in the forensic detection of fakes and forgeries as well as in art history and conservation. Changes in the pigments used at different times have been invaluable in detecting incongruities that suggest fraud, but relatively little work has been published that uses the chemical changes in oil binders as they dry to determine when an ink print or an oil painting was made. Using attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy and samples with known dates, we calibrate the drying of oil binders in inks and paints and cross-validate the paints with pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). We apply the ink calibration to a case study involving the age determination of possible philatelic counterfeits from a World War II Jewish Ghetto in Occupied Poland, obtaining a date of 1946 ± 6 (1 s, n = 9) for the genuine stamps, and 1963 ± 16 (1 s, n = 19) for the various reproductions.
Micromachined Accelerometers for Inertial Navigation Applications

This paper presents research at The University of Michigan on micromachined accelerometers and their interface electronics to satisfy the requirements for inertial navigation applications. The accelerometer systems developed employ in-plane (lateral), out-of-plane (z-axis), and single-chip 3-axis sensors with the interface electronics. The interface electronics forms a second-order electromechanical sigma-delta modulator together with the sensor and the system can be operated in both open and closed-loop. These devices can achieve better than 2μg/√Hz resolution with a range of ±1.35g.
Abstract 1518: Gene expression profiling reveals acidosis/GPR4-induced inflammatory responses in vascular endothelial cells

Due to deficient blood perfusion, hypoxia, and glycolytic metabolism, acidic tissue microenvironments commonly exist in solid tumors, inflammation, and many other pathological conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cells respond to acidic microenvironments are not well understood. GPR4 has recently been identified as a novel proton-sensing receptor expressed in endothelial cells, cancer cells, and other cell types. GPR4 is activated by acidic extracellular pH but has lower activation at the physiological pH 7.4 and minimal activation at more alkaline pH. To delineate the function and signaling pathways of GPR4 in endothelial cells under acidic conditions, we performed gene expression microarray analyses. Primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) that express endogenous GPR4 were stably transduced with the MSCV-IRES-GFP control vector (designated as HUVEC/Vector cells) or the MSCV-GPR4-IRES-GFP construct (designated as HUVEC/GPR4 cells). HUVEC/Vector and HUVEC/GPR4 cells were treated with pH 6.4 (400 nM H+) for 5 hours to activate GPR4 or with pH 8.4 (4 nM H+) as a negative control. RNAs were isolated, labeled, and hybridized with the Agilent Whole Genome Microarray Chip to compare gene expression. The results demonstrated that the acidic pH treatment of HUVEC/Vector cells stimulated the expression of a number of inflammatory genes, which represent a predominant signature in the microarray dataset. The induction of most of the acid-responsive inflammatory genes were further enhanced by GPR4 overexpression in HUVEC/GPR4 cells at pH 6.4, suggesting these genes are responsive to varying levels of GPR4 signaling. The inflammatory genes with substantial up-regulation by acidosis/GPR4 include chemokines, cytokines, adhesion molecules, genes involved in the TNFα and NF-κB pathways, prostaglandin-endoperoxidase synthase, and EGR transcription factors. The up-regulation of the genes at pH 6.4, compared to pH 7.4 and pH 8.4, was further confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. Taken together, our results show that activation of GPR4 by acidosis stimulates the expression of a wide range of inflammatory genes in endothelial cells. Since the inflammatory response of endothelial cells is important for blood vessels to interact with immune cells and tumor cells in the microenvironment, the acidosis/GPR4 signaling may play a role in the processes such as tumor immunity and metastasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1518. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1518
Transition Flux Formula for the Electronic Coupling Matrix Element

The transition flux formula for the coupling matrix element of long-distance electron transfer reactions is discussed. Here we present a new derivation which is based on the Golden Rule approach. The electronic Franck-Condon factor that appears in the multielectronic formulation of the coupling element is discussed using the concept of tunneling time. An application of the tunneling flux theory to electron transfer reactions in a model system based on the low-potential heme and high-potential heme (heme bL)/(heme bH) redox pair of ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase complex is described; the results are compared to those obtained by measuring energy splitting of the donor/acceptor multielectronic states and the direct calculation method.
Offering mifepristone as an abortion option

While family planning clinics are hailing the FDA's recent approval of mifepristone (RU-486) as a noninvasive way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, ob/gyns who decide to administer the drug need to familiarize themselves with the research on its advantages and disadvantages.
TCT-127 Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery and Hemodynamically Supported High Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Observations from The PROTECT II Randomized Trial and The cVAD Registry

Patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery represent a high risk cohort given associated medical conditions and worse outcome of saphenous vein graft (SVG) compared to native vessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The use of hemodynamic support in patients with prior
Right-Hemisphere Pragmatic Disorders

Pragmatic deficits are a key component of the communication disorders related to right hemisphere brain damage. The deficits are heterogeneous and include expression and comprehension of prosody, emotion, humor and non-literal language, as well as discourse production and theory of mind. These pragmatic processes are complex and are subserved by extensive neural networks which often include both right and left hemisphere regions. As a result, it is rare to find clear connections between lesion localization and behavior, simple dichotomies of strengths and weaknesses, or consistent patterns of deficits across clients. More research is needed to explore the functional consequences of these deficits and how they can best be treated to improve quality of life for our clients with right hemisphere damage.
The rise and fall of basal bodies in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

The free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, is a widely used genetic model organism for investigations into centriole and cilia biology. Only sensory neurons are ciliated in C. elegans; morphologically diverse cilia in these neurons are nucleated by basal bodies located at the dendritic endings. C. elegans centrioles comprise a central tube with a symmetric array of nine singlet microtubules. These singlet microtubules remodel in a subset of sensory neurons to form the doublet microtubules of the basal bodies. Following initiation of ciliogenesis, the central tube, but not the outer centriole wall, of the basal body degenerates. Recent ultrastructural characterization of basal body architecture and remodeling have laid the foundation for future studies into mechanisms underlying different aspects of basal body genesis, remodeling, and intracellular positioning.
Neutron stars at the dark matter direct detection frontier

Author(s): Raj, Nirmal; Tanedo, Philip; Yu, Hai-Bo | Abstract: Neutron stars capture dark matter efficiently. The kinetic energy transferred during capture heats old neutron stars in the local galactic halo to temperatures detectable by upcoming infrared telescopes. We derive the sensitivity of this probe in the framework of effective operators. For dark matter heavier than a GeV, we find that neutron star heating can set limits on the effective operator cutoff that are orders of magnitude stronger than possible from terrestrial direct detection experiments in the case of spin-dependent and velocity-suppressed scattering.
Taphonomical and Zooarchaeological Analysis of Bordes’ Excavated Material from Levels I2 and Y-Z

This chapter explores the taphonomy and zooarchaeology of two archaeological levels from Pech IV (Levels I2 and Y-Z, corresponding to Layers 4B–4C and Layer 8, respectively, in the current excavations) that were excavated by Bordes from 1970 to 1977. The analyses described here were specifically geared toward (1) documenting the extent of post-depositional destruction that occurred in each level analyzed and; (2) determining the relative contribution by Neanderthals and carnivores to the accumulation and nutrient extraction of faunal remains found in Levels I2 and Y-Z
Hydrogen incorporation by plasma treatment gives mesoporous black TiO2 thin films with visible photoelectrochemical water oxidation activity

Abstract Neutron reflectometry (NR) is used to investigate the role of hydrogen in the visible light absorption and enhanced photoactivity for water oxidation of mesoporous black titania thin films. The cubic mesoporous frameworks of TiO2 thin films are prepared by a surfactant-templated sol-gel method and subsequently treated with hydrogen plasma, an approach hypothesized to capitalize on the high degree of disorder in the material and the high energy of the plasma species to achieve efficient hydrogen doping. UV-vis absorbance spectra indicate broad-spectrum visible light absorption in H2 plasma-treated black TiO2 films, and XPS indicates the generation of reduced Ti3+ in the treated films. The presence of hydrogen in black mesoporous titania (H-TiO2) films is confirmed by the scattering length density (SLD) profiles obtained from neutron reflectometry measurements. The H-TiO2 shows ca. 28 times and 8 times higher photocurrent for photoelectrochemical water oxidation compared to undoped TiO2 films under UV (365 nm) and blue (455 nm) LED irradiation, respectively. These findings provide direct evidence that the dramatic change in visible light absorbance of H-treated black TiO2 is accompanied by significant hydrogen uptake and not just Ti3+ generation or surface disordering.
Determining reliable change on the modified fatigue impact scale (5-item version).

Abstract Background Fatigue is prevalent in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but little research indicates how to best quantify changes in fatigue over time. Objective Evaluate reliable change on the abbreviated Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS-5) in MS patients. Methods One-hundred sixty eight MS patients completed the MFIS-5 at baseline and follow-up as part of two larger studies. Test-retest reliability scores and reliable change indices were calculated. Results Differences of 4, 5, 6, and 7 points on the MFIS-5 represent statistically meaningful change at the .70, .80, .90, and .95 confidence intervals, respectively. Conclusions The MFIS-5 can be used to quickly and reliably assess statistically meaningful changes in fatigue among MS patients.
Lived Experience of Academic Librarians of Color

Lived experience encompasses the perceptions, feelings, and context of an individual’s human experience. Researching lived experience can be a way of understanding identity, emotions, perceptions, and contexts to develop a more thoughtful understanding of human experience. This research explores the following questions: what are the lived experiences of people of color who work as academic librarians in the profession; what are the contexts of their experiences; and how do these librarians see themselves? Through qualitative research using a phenomenological approach, this research reveals the complex, nuanced, and varied lived experiences of academic librarians of color navigating a predominantly white profession.
Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope operating in the terahertz regime

We demonstrate a home-built terahertz (THz) scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) system and systematically study the THz response of various common lab materials with ∼50 nm spatial resolution. The modeling of the THz near-field response will be discussed.
Diabetes management before, during, and after bariatric and metabolic surgery

Metabolic surgery is unrivaled by other therapeutic modalities due to its ability to foster diabetes remission. Metabolic surgery is an integral therapeutic modality in obese and morbidly obese populations because pharmacological and behavioral therapy often fail to effectively manage type II diabetes. However, given the invasiveness of the metabolic surgery relative to behavioral therapy and the need to conform to preparatory and discharge guidelines, patients must adhere to strict nutritional and diabetes management protocols. Also, the pharmacological regimen that is instituted upon discharge is distinct from the preoperative regimen. Oftentimes, the dose for insulin and oral medications are significantly decreased or withdrawn. As time elapses and depending on several factors (e.g., exercise adherence), diabetes control becomes tenuous in a small portion of the patients because there is weight regain and on-going beta cell failure. At this time interval, intensification of diabetes therapy becomes prudent. Indeed, pharmacotherapy from the preoperative to the postoperative phase is labile and may be complex. Therefore, by discussing pharmacology options during the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative period, the goal is to guide clinician-driven care.
The c-Myc quadruplex-forming sequence inhibits c-Myc expression and leukemic cell proliferation

92 The promoters of several cancer related genes, including the c-myc oncogene, contain sequences capable of forming quadruplex (four- stranded) DNA. The c-myc quadruplex-forming sequence is located upstream of the P1 and P2 promoters of c-myc, which are responsible for up to 95% of total c-myc transcription. This sequence is a 27 bp guanine rich strand (Pu27) forming four loop isomers and appears to play an important role in regulating c-myc expression, although the exact mechanism is unknown. Formation of a quadruplex structure by this sequence appears to negatively regulate c-myc transcription. In order to determine the biological role of Pu27 on cellular proliferation and c-myc expression, U937 leukemia cells were treated with 10 uM of Pu27 or the 27 bp mutant sequence (MutPu27), which lacks strings of two or more guanines. Changes in cell proliferation were measured and compared to c-myc mRNA. Quadruplex formation was confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Pu27 formed a stable parallel quadruplex structure while the MutPu27 did not form a quadruplex. After 72 h of exposure to Pu27, U937 proliferation was inhibited by more than 90% compared to untreated U937 cells, while MutPu27 treatment had only a minimal effect. Decreased proliferation with Pu27 corresponded with a 90% decrease in c-myc mRNA. In parallel experiments, we tested the effect of Pu27 on cells which had been stably transfected with a vector in which luciferase gene expression was regulated by the c-myc promoter. The luciferase activity in these cells showed marked attenuation in cells treated with Pu27, but not MutPu27. The intracellular stability of Pu27 was determined using fluorescein-labeled Pu27. These studies demonstrated remarkable intracellular stability of Pu27, with a half life of greater than nine days. To characterize the mechanism of action of Pu27, we performed electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) with an extract from U937 cells. These results demonstrated specific protein binding to the quadruplex sequence. Our results demonstrate striking growth inhibition by the wild type c-myc promoter quadruplex forming sequence, but not by the mutated sequence. They suggest that physiologic G-quadruplex formation in the c-myc promoter region modulates cell proliferation through inhibition of c-myc mRNA. Further, these results suggest that protein binding to Pu27 may play a role in regulating Pu27-mediated inhibition of c-myc mRNA.
Hormonal mechanisms and the optimal use of luteinizing hormone tests in human menstrual cycle research

Tests of whether women's psychology or behavior shifts during the fertile window vs. other cycle phase regions often employ a design in which fertile window test sessions are scheduled after a positive urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) test result. Lobmaier and Bachofner (2018) point out that this design will schedule high fecundity test sessions at the very end of the fertile window, if not later, when fecundity is not at its highest. I agree with their arguments, and here argue that the problems with this scheduling technique appear even more severe if one considers the hormonal mechanisms that are the likely regulators of cycle phase shifts. Test sessions scheduled after positive LH tests will occur at a time of rapid transitions in hormone production and will often systematically exclude periovulatory days with the highest concentrations of important hormones, such as estradiol. In doing so, this method may often fail to detect cycle phase shifts that are regulated by changes in these hormones. Hypothesis testing in cycle phase research can be improved via a transition from thinking of "fertility" as a discrete and monolithic variable, to instead thinking about the predicted effects of more continuous hormonal signals. I conclude with some general thoughts about how LH tests may be used more productively in studies of cycle phase shifts in psychology and behavior.
Evolving R Coronae Borealis stars with mesa

The R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars are rare hydrogen--deficient, carbon--rich supergiants. They undergo extreme, irregular declines in brightness of many magnitudes due to the formation of thick clouds of carbon dust. It is thought that RCB stars result from the mergers of CO/He white dwarf (WD) binaries. We constructed post--merger spherically asymmetric models computed with the MESA code, and then followed the evolution into the region of the HR diagram where the RCB stars are located. We also investigated nucleosynthesis in the dynamically accreting material of CO/He WD mergers which may provide a suitable environment for significant production of 18O and the very low 16O/18O values observed. We have also discovered that the N abundance depends sensitively on the peak temperature in the He--burning shell. Our MESA modeling consists of engineering the star by adding He--WD material to an initial CO--WD model, and then following the post--merger evolution using a nuclear--reaction network to match the observed RCB abundances as it expands and cools to become an RCB star. These new models are more physical because they include rotation, mixing, mass-loss, and nucleosynthesis within MESA. We follow the later evolution beyond the RCB phase to determine the stars' likely lifetimes. The relative numbers of known RCB and Extreme Helium (EHe) stars correspond well to the lifetimes predicted from the MESA models. In addition, most of computed abundances agree very well with the observed range of abundances for the RCB class.
Impact of Scalding Duration and Scalding Water Temperature on Broiler Processing Wastewater Loadings

SUMMARY Three experiments were performed to evaluate scalding tank poultry processing wastewater (PPW) loading following the slaughter and scalding of commercially raised broilers: hard vs. soft scalding protocols (experiment 1), scalding immersion time and temperature individually (experiment 2), and the presence of residual blood (experiment 3). One-liter water samples were taken from each scald tank and analyzed for chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS), and total suspended solid (TSS) concentrations, which were then used to calculate PPW loading (g/kg broiler live weight). For experiment 1, there was significantly higher PPW loading for soft scald/tank 1 (1.834 g/kglwt) than hard scald/tank 1 (1.510 g/kglwt) protocol for COD. There were no other significant differences between scalding protocols for experiments 1 and 2, but there was a trend that the longer immersion time protocols resulted in PPW higher loading for all 3 analytics. For all 3 experiments, the use of sequential scalder tanks significantly reduced PPW loading for both organic and solid materials (COD, TS, and TSS) with tank 1 being significantly higher (50 to 89%) than tanks 2 and 3. Residual blood following a 120 s bleed time did not impact PPW loading compared to non-bled carcasses. These results indicate that scalder immersion time appears to be major indicator for predicting PPW loading in scalders and shows decreases with each sequential scald tank.
The Economics of Changing Family Structures: The Public Interest in Marriage and Family Formation

This chapter looks at the interests of the government in marriage, the economic factors that determine the value of marriage, and the economic reasons behind and results of the decline in marriage, increase in divorce, and increase in non-marital childbearing in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Marital and family formation trends since the 1860s are described, along with the impact of unilateral divorce, no-fault divorce, and child support laws on bargaining within marriage and on the economic value of marriage. The chapter details the correlation between single parenthood and child poverty, and explores potential policies that could result in more stable low-income families, such as programs to prevent teen pregnancy, criminal justice reform, and a universal basic income (UBI).
Diagnostic Approach: Differential Diagnosis, Physical Exam, Lab Tests, Imaging, and Novel Biomarkers

Traditionally, acute kidney injury (AKI) has been classified into prerenal, intrinsic renal/intrarenal, and post-renal categories. If diagnosed early, pre- and post-renal AKI may be readily reversible, and thus earlier diagnosis may not only mitigate the severity of the AKI but potentially the morbidity and mortality that are associated with it. A revamped classification has been proposed by some authors based upon the presence or absence of changes in functional and structural/injury biomarkers. Patients without a change in either biomarker would be classified as having no AKI, while those who have changes in both are thought to have severe intrinsic AKI (e.g., ATN). A change in functional biomarkers without change in injury biomarkers would be classified as prerenal AKI, while changes in their injury biomarkers without a concomitant change in functional biomarkers may be viewed as being “subclinical AKI.”
Ischemic Preconditioning and Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Novel Mechanism & Model for Pulseless Electrical Activity

Background Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is a very common rhythm in cardiac arrest and survival is {approx} 5%. Population data suggest coronary ischemia significantly contributes to PEA, but the mechanism is unknown. Objectives We hypothesize ischemic preconditioning (IPC) in the setting of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction can convert ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) into ischemia-induced PEA. Methods Using percutaneous coronary interventions in anesthetized swine, we studied the effect of IPC prior to ischemia on arrhythmic burden in normal animals and in animals with LV dysfunction. IPC protocol: four cycles of three minutes of coronary occlusion followed by seven minutes of reperfusion. Chronic LV dysfunction protocol: two serial infarcts in two coronary territories, separated by one week of recovery. Results In normal animals, IPC prior to ischemia significantly reduced VF incidence (2/8 IPC vs. 7/8 control). In IPC animals with VF, the time to VF was significantly delayed (37.2 {+/-} 7.3 min vs. 20.7 {+/-} 4.9 min, p<0.005). In chronic LV dysfunction animals (EF 15% {+/-} 5%), ischemia caused PEA in all animals (18/18). In non-preconditioned animals, VF followed PEA in all cases (12/12). In preconditioned animals, PEA sustained without VF in 2/6 animals. In 4/6 animals, PEA was prolonged and time to VF was significantly delayed compared to non-preconditioned animals (33.7 {+/-} 7.8 min vs. 12.2 {+/-} 5.0 min, p<0.0001). Conclusion IPC delays/prevents VF. IPC with LV dysfunction prior to ischemia produces prolonged PEA. IPC with LV dysfunction prior to ischemia is likely an important mechanism for human PEA arrest. This is the first animal model of ischemic pulseless electrical activity.
Design of High Gain Low Cost Beam-Steering Reflectarray Antenna

Design of a low cost and high gain reflectarray antenna is presented in this paper. A 28 × 28 element reflectarray surface has been designed for beam steering between −40° and +40° from the broadside. Unit cell of the reflectarray surface consists of a circular ring and a double square. The characteristics of the reflecting elements are selected such that a progressive phase shift is achieved. Beam steering can be achieved by switching between multiple feed antennas. Antenna shows a peak gain of 29.77 dBi at 18 GHz. In Comparison to the conventional beam steering antennas, the proposed antenna has higher gain and the design is cost effective to implement.
Managing Quality in the Hospitality Industry

In Managing Quality In the Hospitality Industry – an observation by W. Gerald Glover, Associate Professor, Hospitality Management Program, Appalachian State University, initially Glover establishes: “Quality is a primary concern in the hospitality industry. The author sees problems in the nature of the way businesses are managed and discusses approaches to ensuring quality in corporate cultures.” As the title suggests, the author wants to point out certain discrepancies in hospitality quality control, as well as enlighten you as to how to address some of these concerns. “A discussion of quality presents some interesting dilemmas. Quality is something that almost everyone wants,” Assistant Professor Glover notes. “Service businesses will never admit that they don't provide it to their customers, and few people actually understand what it takes to make it happen,” he further maintains. Glover wants you to know that in a dynamic industry such as hospitality, quality is the common denominator. Whether it be hotel, restaurant, airline, et al., quality is the raison d’etre of the industry. “Quality involves the consistent delivery of a product or service according to the expected standards,” Glover provides. Many, if not all quality deficiencies can be traced back to management, Glover declares. He bullet points some of the operational and guest service problems managers’ face on a daily basis. One important point of note is the measuring and managing of quality. “Standards management is another critical area in people and product management that is seldom effective in corporations,” says Glover. “Typically, this area involves performance documentation, performance evaluation and appraisal, coaching, discipline, and team-building.” “To be effective at managing standards, an organization must establish communication in realms where it is currently non-existent or ineffective,” Glover goes on to say. “Coaching, training, and performance appraisal are methods to manage individuals who are expected to do what's expected.” He alludes to the benefit quality circles supply as well. In addressing American organizational behavior, Glover postures, “...a realization must develop that people and product management are the primary influences on generating revenues and eventually influencing the bottom line in all American organizations.” Glover introduces the concept of pro-activity. “Most recently, quality assurance and quality management have become the means used to develop and maintain proactive corporate cultures. When prevention is the focus, quality is most consistent and expectations are usually met,” he offers. Much of the article is dedicated to, “Appendix A-Table 1-Characteristics of Corporate Cultures (Reactive and Proactive. In it, Glover measures the impact of proactive management as opposed to the reactive management intrinsic to many elements of corporate culture mentality.
Host exposure history modulates the within-host advantage of virulence in a songbird-bacterium system.

The host immune response can exert strong selective pressure on pathogen virulence, particularly when host protection against reinfection is incomplete. Since emerging in house finch populations, the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) has been increasing in virulence. Repeated exposure to low-doses of MG, a proxy for what birds likely experience while foraging, provides significant but incomplete protection against reinfection. Here we sought to determine if the within-host, pathogen load advantage of high virulence is mediated by the degree of prior pathogen exposure, and thus the extent of immune memory. We created variation in host immunity by experimentally inoculating wild-caught, MG-naive house finches with varying doses and number of exposures of a single pathogen strain of intermediate virulence. Following recovery from priming exposures, individuals were challenged with one of three MG strains of distinct virulence. We found that the quantitative pathogen load advantage of high virulence was strongly mediated by the degree of prior exposure. The greatest within-host load advantage of virulence was seen in hosts given low-dose priming exposures, akin to what many house finches likely experience while foraging. Our results show that incomplete host immunity produced by low-level prior exposure can create a within-host environment that favors more virulent pathogens.
Cover Crop and Fertility Effects on Escherichia coli Abundance in a Composted Poultry Litter-Amended Silt Loam Soil

Soil conservation practices such as cover crops can improve crop production, soil quality, and water quality. Cover crops can also influence soil microbial growth and activity. Cover cropped and manured soils can potentially store and transmit fecal bacteria (e.g., E. coli) to surface water if runoff and subsurface seepage occur. While many studies have shown the soil health benefits of cover crops, fewer studies have evaluated the extent to which cover crops influence the abundance of potential waste-borne pathogens. A two-year study (2015–2017) was conducted on a limited-resource farm in Logan County, Kentucky, USA, to quantify the abundance of the fecal indicator Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria (as a proxy for fecal coliforms) in treatments with and without cover crops or composted poultry litter. The cover crop consisted of a cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L.), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) mix. Summer crops consisted of a no-till maize (Zea mays L.)—soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation. Soil samples were taken before and after each summer crop season and assessed to detect and enumerate E. coli. At the end of the study period, no significant treatment differences in the E. coli abundance in soil were detected (ca. 104 CFU·g−1) ( ). However, season/time was a significant factor ( ). We conclude that the background E. coli already present in soil was sufficiently high, inhibiting the detection of the influence of added composted litter. These indigenous E. coli were unaffected by cover crop and nutrient management but did fluctuate on a seasonal basis.
An Appraisal of Partial Vision: Its Dual Nature and Problems:

It should be borne in mind that visual efficiency cannot be measured or compared in terms of percentages or fractions. It must be measured by actual performance of tasks which are educationally, vo...
Surgeon Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair in Female Patients of Childbearing Age.

This qualitative study examines surgeon’s thoughts on decision-making in repairing an abdominal wall hernia in a woman or girl of childbearing age.
Trends in palliative care interventions among patients with advanced bladder, prostate, or kidney cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Background Palliative care has an established role in improving the quality of life in patients with advanced cancer, but little is known regarding its delivery among patients with urologic malignancies. Objective To determine trends in the utilization of palliative interventions among patients with advanced bladder, prostate, and kidney cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients from years 2004 to 2013 in the National Cancer Database diagnosed with stage IV bladder (n = 17,997), prostate (n = 23,322), and kidney (n = 34,697) cancer, after excluding those with missing disease stage, treatment, and outcomes data. Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were performed to evaluate utilization of palliative care intervention. Utilization was analyzed by cancer type and by overall survival strata ( 24 months). Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models analyzed overall survival. Results and Limitations Palliative interventions were utilized in 12.5% (2,257/17,997), 14.7% (3,442/23,322), and 19.9% (6,935/34,697) of advanced bladder, prostate, and kidney cancer patients, respectively. Older age and longer survival were associated with lower odds of palliative intervention utilization in each malignancy, as was minority race in kidney and bladder cancer patients. Palliative radiation was used most commonly, and utilization of any palliative intervention was associated with poorer overall survival. Limitations largely stem from imperfect data abstraction, and the analysis of interventions’ incomplete reflection of palliative care. Conclusions Palliative interventions were seldom used among patients with advanced urologic malignancies. Palliative interventions were less frequently used in older patients and minority races. Further study is warranted to define the role of palliative interventions in advanced urologic malignancies and guide their utilization.
ECG-Based Authentication Using Timing-Aware Domain-Specific Architecture

Electrocardiogram (ECG) biometric authentication (EBA) is a promising approach for human identification, particularly in consumer devices, due to the individualized, ubiquitous, and easily identifiable nature of ECG signals. Thus, computing architectures for EBA must be accurate, fast, energy efficient, and secure. In this article, first, we implement an EBA algorithm to achieve 100% accuracy in user authentication. Thereafter, we extensively analyze the algorithm to show the distinct variance in execution requirements and reveal the latency bottleneck across the algorithm’s different steps. Based on our analysis, we propose a domain-specific architecture (DSA) to satisfy the execution requirements of the algorithm’s different steps and minimize the latency bottleneck. We explore different variations of the DSA, including one that features the added benefit of ensuring constant timing across the different EBA steps, in order to mitigate the vulnerability to timing-based side-channel attacks. Our DSA improves the latency compared to a base ARM-based processor by up to $4.24\times $ , while the constant timing DSA improves the latency by up to 19%. Also, our DSA improves the energy by up to $5.59\times $ , as compared to the base processor.
A topological wave transistor protected by the Euler characteristic

Although topological materials have recently seen tremendous development, their applications have remained elusive. Simultaneously, there exists considerable interest in pushing the limits of topological materials, including the exploration of new forms of topological protection and the establishment of topologically protected order in non-electronic systems. Here, we develop some novel forms of topological order (i.e., topological charges), primarily the Euler characteristic as well as manifold class. We further demonstrate that these topological orders can protect bulk current transmission, even when the topologically trivial phase possesses an arbitrarily large band gap. Such a transition between topologically trivial, periodic dispersion and topologically non-trivial, aperiodic dispersion can be obtained by spatio-temporal modulation, such as the anomalous Doppler shift of waves in a gapped periodic medium. Since a wave's momentum can induce an anomalous Doppler shift, we thus establish that such a transition can be used to construct a truly rigorous transistor (i.e., with switching and gain) for bosonic waves (light, sound, etc.) and that such a transistor should be experimentally realizable. Our work suggests that additional topological charges may become relevant in moving beyond topological electronics.
A swiss cheese theorem for linear operators with two invariant subspaces

) of indecomposable systems in S(n) forn ≤ 4. It turns out that in the case where n = 4 there are inﬁnitely manysuch triples (x,y,z), they all lie in the cylinder given by |x− y|,|y− z|,|z−x| ≤ 4. But not each dimension type in the cylinder can be realized by anindecomposable system. In particular, there are holes in the cylinder. Namely,no triple in (x,y,z) ∈ (3,1,3)+N(2,2,2) can be realized, while each neighbor(x±1,y,z),(x,y±1,z),(x,y,z±1) can. Compare this with Bongartz’ No-GapTheorem, which states that for an associative algebra Aover an algebraicallyclosed ﬁeld, there is no gap in the lengths of the indecomposable A-modulesof ﬁnite dimension.
Factors Associated with School Attendance Plans and Support for COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Measures Among Parents and Guardians.

Abstract Objective To determine which factors are associated with plans for in-person school attendance during the 2020–2021 school year and with support for 15 school-based COVID-19 risk mitigation measures among parents and guardians. Methods In June 2020, we conducted an online survey of parents and guardians of public school children in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. In a child-level analysis, we used linear regression to assess which demographic factors, health-related concerns, and parent/guardian views were associated with plans for in-person school attendance. In a respondent-level analysis, we used linear regression to assess factors associated with the number of risk mitigation measures supported. Results Among 2202 children in the child-level analysis, in-person school attendance was planned for 71.0%. Such plans were less likely among children of Black respondents (−14.1 percentage points, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −25.7, −2.6) and Asian respondents (−16.8, 95% CI: −31.3, −2.2), and among children with perceived high-risk health conditions (−9.7, 95% CI: −15.8, −3.6). Among 1,126 respondents in the respondent-level analysis, the mean number of measures supported was 8.0 (SD 4.4). Several factors were associated with support, but the magnitude of associations was generally modest. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, families of children with health conditions or who are of Black or Asian race/ethnicity may be less likely to opt for in-person learning. For these families, addressing barriers to remote education is critical. As schools plan for the 2020–2021 school year and beyond, they should respond to the desire among parents and guardians to implement substantial numbers of risk mitigation measures.
mHealth for research: participatory research applications to gain disease insights

Abstract There have been several research- and commercial-based mHealth solutions for individuals to monitor and manage their chronic conditions. As such, engagement strategies have been primarily investigated and proposed in the context of promoting behavior change. However, there is little research on the use of self-tracking applications for observational, biomedical research where an individual self-tracks not for their own care but rather to contribute their experience of disease. This chapter aims to provide the reader with recommendations and best practices for designing user-relevant mHealth applications to promote engagement and retention, which subsequently allows for generation of meaningful insights about the disease population of interest. We focus on endometriosis as a case study, an understudied and poorly understood women’s health condition with chronic, fluctuating symptoms that result in heterogeneity in experiences of patients. As such, it presents as an example where direct patient input with regard to disease symptoms and progression over time can contribute to a better biopsychosocial understanding of the disease.
Unbundling Banking, Money, and Payments

For centuries, our systems of banking, money, and payments have been legally and institutionally intertwined. The fact that these three—theoretically distinct—systems have been bundled together so tightly and for so long reflects a combination of historical accident, powerful economic and political forces, path dependence, and technological capacity. Importantly, it also reflects the unique and often under-appreciated privileges and protections that the law bestows on conventional deposit-taking banks. These privileges and protections have entrenched banks as the dominant suppliers of both money and payments: erecting significant barriers to entry, undermining financial innovation and inclusion, spurring destabilizing regulatory arbitrage, and exacerbating the “too-big-to-fail” problem. Against this backdrop, the recent emergence of a variety of new financial technologies, platforms, and policy tools hold out the tantalizing prospect of breaking this centuries-old stranglehold over our basic financial infrastructure. The essential policy problem, at least as conventionally understood, is that creating a level legal playing field would pose a serious threat to both monetary and financial stability. This Article demonstrates that this need not be the case and advances a blueprint for how we can safely unbundle banking, money, and payments, thereby enhancing competition, promoting greater financial innovation and inclusion, and ameliorating the too-big-to-fail problem.
Characterizing the function of domain linkers in regulating the dynamics of multi‐domain fusion proteins by microsecond molecular dynamics simulations and artificial intelligence

Multi-domain proteins are not only formed through natural evolution but can also be generated by recombinant DNA technology. Because many fusion proteins can enhance the selectivity of cell targeting, these artificially produced molecules, called multi-specific biologics, are promising drug candidates, especially for immunotherapy. Moreover, the rational design of domain linkers in fusion proteins is becoming an essential step toward a quantitative understanding of the dynamics in these biopharmaceutics. We developed a computational framework to characterize the impacts of peptide linkers on the dynamics of multi-specific biologics. Specifically, we first constructed a benchmark containing six types of linkers that represent various lengths and degrees of flexibility and used them to connect two natural proteins as a test system. We then projected the microsecond dynamics of these proteins generated from Anton onto a coarse-grained conformational space. We further analyzed the similarity of dynamics among different proteins in this low-dimensional space by a neural-network-based classification model. Finally, we applied hierarchical clustering to place linkers into different subgroups based on the classification results. The clustering results suggest that the length of linkers, which is used to spatially separate different functional modules, plays the most important role in regulating the dynamics of this fusion protein. Given the same number of amino acids, linker flexibility functions as a regulator of protein dynamics. In summary, we illustrated that a new computational strategy can be used to study the dynamics of multi-domain fusion proteins by a combination of long timescale molecular dynamics simulation, coarse-grained feature extraction, and artificial intelligence.