cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microstructural evolution of type 304 and 316 stainless steels under neutron irradiation at LWR relevant conditions

Life extension of light water reactors will expose austenitic internal core components to irradiation damage levels beyond 100 displacements per atom (dpa), leading to profound microstructural evolution and consequent degradation of macroscopic properties. Microstructural evolution, including Frank loops, cavities, precipitates, and segregation at boundaries and the resultant radiation hardening in type 304 and 316 stainless steel (SS) variants were studied in this work via experimental characterization and multiple simulation methods. Experimental data for up to 40 heats of type 304SS and 316SS variants irradiated in different reactors to 0.6–120 dpa at 275–375°C were generated from this work or collected from literature reports. These experimental data were then combined with models of Frank loop and cavity evolution, computational thermodynamics and precipitation, and ab initio and rate theory integrated radiation-induced segregation models to provide insights into microstructural evolution and degradation at higher doses.
Precision Ion Milling of Layered, Multi-Element TEM Specimens with High Specimen Preparation Spatial Resolution

It is now a requirement in the semiconductor industry to prepare TEM specimens of pre-specified regions with a specimen preparation resolution exceeding 100nm. In other words, given the coordinates x , y , z of the location desired for TEM analysis, the TEM specimen preparation procedure must yield a thin TEM specimen containing the point x , y , z plus or minus 100nm. Preparation of failure analysis specimens in other fields of endeavor, such as: metallurgical, ceramic, composite material laboratories etc., have specimen preparation spatial resolution requirements below one micron in some cases with the likelihood that greater precision will be required in the future.
An Alfalfa Weevil Larval Resistance Mechanism Detected in Medicago

Twenty-five entries representing 21 species of Medicago were evaluated for larval resistance of Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) by using M. sativa L. (Variety ‘Vernal’) as a control. Mortality rates for larval, prepupal, and pupal stages were determined as well as the rate of larval and prepupal-pupal development. Adult male and female weights also were determined. Larval mortality of 100% occurred on M. scutellata Mill. and M. disciformis DC. High larval mortality also occurred on M. marina L., M. laciniata Mill., and M. tornata Mill. Delayed larval development occurred on M. echinus DC., M. intertexta (L.), and M. minima (L.), while delayed prepupal-pupal development was observed on M. echinus . Male and female adult dry weights were low on M. praecox DC. and adult male weights were low on M. minima . The exudate from secretory trichomes on M. disciformis caused alfalfa weevil larval antibiosis. The larvae do not survive when placed on the plant, nor do they survive when the exudate is applied to 1st instars topically. At low concentrations of exudate, larvae showed a reduced rate of development and a reduced rate of feeding.
The clinical actions of veratrum

The object of this study was to ascertain more definitely the effects produced by veratrum in normal and diseased human individuals, with special reference to the circulatory system. Many of the studies reported in the literature lack definite objective data, and whatever data exist need the confirmation of the improved and more modern methods of observation. Pharmacologically, the effects of veratrum are well understood, and the drug is prompt and effective. On the other hand, the reported clinical results are contradictory, and the drug is variously reported as uncertain, ineffective or too “toxic.” However, there is reason to believe that the circulatory effects obtained in patients may resemble the pharmacological and that veratrum might be useful as a therapeutic measure for certain circulatory conditions.In all eight individuals were studied. Of these six were convalescent and their circulations were clinically judged to be about normal. Two were cases of hypertonus. The patients always rested in th...
Ice volume estimation inferred from ice thickness and surface measurements for Continental Glacier, Wind River Range, Wyoming, USA

The Wind River Range in Wyoming, USA, contains the largest concentration of glacial mass in the Rocky Mountains of the contiguous USA. Despite this distinction, only a few field or remotely sensed studies providing glacier volume changes have been published. The current study focuses on Continental Glacier located on the northern end of the range and uses two field datasets (high-accuracy GPS surface elevation points and ice-penetrating radar transects of the glacier bed) to create a three-dimensional model of glacier volume. Current surface elevations are compared with historical elevation data to calculate surface elevation change over time. An average thinning rate of 13.8 ± 7.8 m (0.30 ± 0.17 m a–1) between 1966 and 2012 was found. Surface elevation change rates varied across the glacier, ranging from +0.30 to –0.98 m a–1. Taking into account variable melt rates across the glacier, along with a glacial volume of 72.1 × 106 ± 10.8 × 106 m3, we estimate that Continental Glacier will be reduced in volume by 43% over the next 100 years and will disappear completely over the next 300–400 years, if current climatic conditions persist.
Cardiotoxic heart failure in breast cancer survivors: a concept analysis

Aim To report an analysis of the concept of cardiotoxic heart failure in breast cancer survivors. Background Despite numerous studies describing cardiotoxic effects of breast cancer therapies, the literature lacks consistent terminology to describe cancer treatment-induced heart failure, defined by the authors as ‘cardiotoxic heart failure’. Breast cancer survivors who develop heart failure may not fit existing conceptual models. A concept analysis of cardiotoxic heart failure in breast cancer survivors is needed to integrate previous research findings and establish the scientific foundation for future intervention research. Design Concept analysis. Data sources An integrative review (1999–2014) was conducted to examine aetiologies and risk factors for heart failure in female breast cancer survivors. Databases searched were CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EmBase, Medline and Scopus. Methods Walker and Avant's method for concept analysis includes: select concept; determine purpose; identify uses; define attributes; identify model case; describe borderline, related and contrary cases; identify antecedents/consequences; define empirical referents. Results In the literature, substantial variation was noted in terminology for breast cancer treatment-induced cardiotoxicity. The authors define cardiotoxic heart failure in breast cancer survivors as chronic heart failure resulting from breast cancer treatment-induced cardiotoxicity among women without pre-existing heart failure diagnosis. No studies were found that described quality of life or tested interventions to preserve quality of life for this population. Conclusion Prospective studies are needed to develop interventions for symptom management to improve quality of life in breast cancer survivors with heart failure. New conceptual paradigms may be needed to improve outcomes for this vulnerable population.
Teaching cultural aspects of trauma practice in a study abroad immersion course: Challenges and strategies:

Advantages, phases, challenges, and strategies related to the process and procedures involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating study abroad programs, and addressing emergencies have been d...
The Study on Document Layout and Open Access Tactics of Mathematics Academic Information

The type and layout of mathematics academic information are investigated. The method and approach of the open access of mathematics information are put forward and the some suggestions of applied countermeasures for open mathematics information on Internet are raised in the paper on the basis of Internet.The purpose is to push forward the general use and effective spread of open access n of mathematics information in the field of mathematics study.
Area 18 cell responses in cat during reversible inactivation of area 17

1. A region of area 17 in the cat was temporarily inactivated by cooling, and cells in a topographically corresponding part of area 18 were studied during the blockage of area 17 input. 2. The responses of most area 18 cells were markedly reduced by cooling area 17 and recovered on rewarming primary visual cortex. 3. The selectivity of area 18 cells for oriented stimuli was not affected by inactivating area 17. These cells also, in general, retained their selectivities for the direction of stimulus movement and for the sign of contrast (light or dark) of a moving edge in the absence of input from area 17. 4. There was a greater decrease, on the average, of area 18 cell responses to slowly moving stimuli than to rapidly moving stimuli when area 17 was cooled; however, the exact pattern of change varied considerably from cell to cell. 5. These results suggest that cells in area 18 are to some degree dependent on input from area 17 for their responses, but to a large extent are independent in their selectivity for those stimulus parameters (orientation, direction of movement, sign of contrast) studied.
Hot and Noisy Religion

Overloaded cultural space that weathers any push toward total control inevitably seems less important than a conflagration like the Taiping rebellion. Yet the lack of official decrees and bloodied spears should not disguise the importance of mundane life. The religious developments I will be discussing from Taiwan have issued no grand pronouncements, raised no political hopes, and forged no cannons. Resisting nothing, however, need not imply accepting everything. The early Taiping, after all, also resisted nothing. These chapters will concentrate on some apparently minor corners of Taiwanese culture, which nevertheless have much broader implications for resistance, acquiescence, and the nature of indeterminate meaning.
Ultrasound acoustic energy for microbubble manipulation

Many bio-medical applications entail the problems of spatially manipulating of bubbles by means of acoustic radiation. The examples are ultrasonic noninvasive-targeted drug delivery and therapeutic applications. This paper investigates the nonlinear coupling between radial pulsations, axisymmetric modes of shape oscillations and translational motion of a single spherical gas bubble in a host liquid, when it is subjected to an acoustic pressure wave field. A mathematical model is developed to account for both small and large amplitudes of bubble oscillations. The coupled system dynamics under various conditions is studied. Specifically, oscillating behaviors of a bubble (e.g. the amplitudes and instability of oscillations) undergoing resonance and off-resonance excitation in low- and high- intensity acoustic fields are studied. Instability of the shape modes of a bubble, which is contributing to form the translational instability, known as dancing motion, is analyzed. Dynamic responses of the bubble exposed to low- and high-intensity acoustic excitation are compared in terms of translational motion and surface shape of the bubble. Acoustic streaming effects caused by radial pulsations of the bubble in the surrounding liquid domain are also reported.
Estimating the Economic Value of Energy Improvements in U.S. Residential Housing

AbstractResidential buildings are one of the major consumers of energy in the United States. The existing housing stock can be targeted for energy-efficient interventions through energy retrofits. ...
Abstract 190: Protein Phosphatase 2Ce Is a Novel Phospholamban Phosphatase that Exacerbates Cell Death and Suppresses Cardiac Contractility

Regulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium-ATPase (SERCA) activity is critical for calcium homeostasis in cardiomyocytes, and has a major impact on contractility and cellular viability of cardiomyocytes. The key regulators for SERCA activity include protein kinases, cAMP dependent protein kinase A and calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II, and protein phosphatase 1. In this report, we have discovered that protein phosphatase 2Ce (PP2Ce) is a novel serine/threonine protein phosphatase specifically targeted to SR membrane in cardiomyocytes. PP2Ce was detected to interact with phosphlamban in heart. Recombinant PP2Ce protein showed a potent and specific activity towards the calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II dependent phospholamban phosphorylation at threonin 17 site with no significant activity to cAMP dependent protein kinase A dependent phospholamban phosphorylation at serine 16 site. Expression of PP2Ce blunted β-adrenergic stimulated increase of phospholamban phosphorylation without affecting phosphorylation of ryanodine recepter or troponin I. PP2Ce expression reduced β-adrenergic stimulated intracellular calcium transient in isolated adult rabbit ventricular myocytes, and promoted hydrogen peroxide induced cell death in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Transgenic mice with cardiac specific expression of PP2Ce showed no significant basal phenotype. However, in isolated perfusion heart preparation, β-adrenergic stimulated contractility was significant reduced in PP2Ce transgenic hearts comparing to wild type controls. Furthermore, we observed significantly larger infarct sizes and more impaired functional recovery following global ischemia/reperfusion injury in the transgenic hearts comparing to wild type controls. Therefore, PP2Ce is a novel component of SR calcium regulatory network that has a potentially important role in cell death regulation and cardiac contractility.
Novel aspects of stocked juvenile steelhead emigration patterns as revealed using dual-frequency identification sonar

Abstract We used a Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) near the mouth of a small Lake Erie tributary to monitor juvenile steelhead emigration. Data were recorded continuously over two stocking seasons (April–May 2014; April–June 2015) and total emigration counts were determined every hour. Fish lengths at time of emigration were estimated using the DIDSON fish measuring tool and quantified through time. Percent survival to emigration was high with > 71% of individuals reaching the river mouth in both years. Photoperiod was the best predictor of peak emigration timing, and steelhead were most likely to emigrate at night. Larger individuals were more likely to emigrate shortly after stocking; however, the size range of fish that emigrated throughout the study period was wide. Residual population estimates performed after the DIDSON sampling period revealed that in both years 2 months after stocking. Most of these fish (63%) were
Chapter 11 - Computational Study of the Reaction of n-Bromopropane with OH Radicals and Cl Atoms

Abstract Ab initio molecular orbital theory is utilized to study the hydrogen abstraction reaction of n -bromopropane with hydroxyl radical and chlorine atom. The stability of the trans and gauche isomers of n -bromopropane is explored. The potential energy surface of both reactions is characterized by pre- and post-reactive complexes, as well as transition state structures in both trans and gauche isomeric forms. The importance of these two reactions relies on the ultimate product distribution from both reactions. Differences in the reactivity of 1-bromopropane toward OH and Cl are observed. The reaction of n -bromopropane with OH radical favors the abstraction of β hydrogen atoms while the reaction with Cl atoms favors the abstraction of hydrogen atoms at the α and β carbon sites.
Association of methylation of genes in the taurine/hypotaurine pathway with worse prognosis in renal cell carcinoma.

e15562 Background: Epigenetic silencing of genes associated with the taurine/hypotaurine pathway has been associated with worse outcome in several tumors such as CDO1 in breast cancer, and GAD1 in prostate cancer. Our objective was to assess the prognostic value of methylation status of genes in the taurine/hypotaurine pathway in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods: We performed an analysis of 283 RCC samples using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Ten genes belonging to the taurine/hypotaurine metabolic were analyzed using principal component analysis to determine a composite methylation profile of the pathway. A Cox proportional-hazards regression model was then used to determine the association of the composite methylation profile with patient survival. Results: CDO1, GAD2, and GAD1 influenced the outcome of the composite gene the most. Increasing degree of methylation correlated with more advanced tumor stage, and was an independent predictor of overall patient survival. Among pa...
AI education: deep neural network learning resources

In this column, we focus on resources for learning and teaching deep neural network learning. Many exciting advances have been made in this area of late, and so many resources have become available online that the flood of relevant concepts and techniques can be overwhelming. Here, we hope to provide a sampling of high-quality resources to guide the newcomer into this booming field.
Play Interventions Involving Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Peers: a Review of Research Quality

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle to acquire appropriate play behaviors, which may hinder their integration within natural settings. Individuals with ASD require more systematic instruction and supports to learn to play with their peers. Among interventions that teach play skills to children with ASD, some have involved typically developing peers as interventionists or play partners, which promotes the generalization of play behaviors in natural environments. The purpose of this review was to systematically review and summarize the quality of play intervention studies that involved both children with ASD and their typically developing peers. Sixteen studies were included and evaluated based on quality indicators recommended by the Council for Exceptional Children. Implications for future research were discussed.
Cost Cumulant Control: State-Feedback, Finite-Horizon Paradigm with Application to Seismic Protection

The paper is concerned with the study of the optimal control which minimizes a finite linear combination of the first k cost cumulants of a finite-horizon integral quadratic form associated with a linear stochastic system, when the controller measures the states. The solution is investigated by adapting dynamic programming techniques to the nontraditional forms evidenced by cumulant representations. The performance of this k-cost cumulant (kCC) controller is compared to that of the best control paradigms published for the American Society of Civil Engineers first-generation structure benchmark for seismically excited buildings; the simulation results indicate that the newly developed control paradigm makes better use of the available control limits and achieves uniform improvement in the officially defined performance statistics for floor vibrations and accelerations.
Managed care and the public health challenge of TB

Managed care is fast becoming the dominant form of medical care delivery and financing in the United States, yet its effects on public health practice remain largely unknown. Tuberculosis (TB) is a classic example of a disease with both public health and medical care implications, and as such it provides an opportunity for examining the impact on public health of the shift towards managed care in the medical marketplace. The authors approach the role of managed care in TB control by first considering the need for interorganizational coordination at the community level. The authors identify four basic models of how managed care organizations may fit into TB control efforts in local communities, using observations from 12 local public health jurisdictions to illustrate these models. These TB control models provide insight into the general mechanisms through which managed care organizations may affect other areas of public health practice.
SPECIAL POINTS ABOUT CLASSIFICATION OF ARBOVIRUSES

This chapter analyzes classification of arboviruses. Definition of the arbovirus is based on ecological considerations involving not only the virus but a host and a vector as well. They are viruses that are biologically transmitted between susceptible vertebrate hosts by hematophagous arthropods; they produce viremia in the vertebrates; they multiply in the tissues of arthropods that feed on blood, causing no recognizable lesion or ill effect in them and are passed on to new vertebrates by the arthropod's bite after a period of time, the extrinsic incubation. There are about 200 agents that are considered to be arboviruses, of which approximately 150 have been placed in some 21 or 22 antigenic groups, based on the existence of immunological cross-reactions indicating, shared antigens; the rest of these agents are ungrouped. The criteria that is used for considering a virus as an arbovirus even though a natural transmission cycle involving arthropods has not been established. The evidence for acceptance of an agent as arbovirus would be the reproduction and observation of the natural transmission cycle under controlled conditions.
Adiabatic CMOS: Limits of Reversible Energy Recovery and First Steps for Design Automation

Standard CMOS technology discards all signal energy during every switching cycle, leading to heat generation that limits the operating speed and the achievable computing performance. Energy-recovery schemes avoid the heat generation, but are often burdened with the cost of significant increase in system complexity and the lack of automated design tools. In this paper, we propose to implement adiabatic CMOS circuits utilizing split-level rails and Bennett clocking, which enable energy-recovery in standard CMOS logic gates with only minor modifications. Using a pessimistic 32 nm bulk MOSFET technology model, a switching energy improvement factor of approximately 10X can be reached over standard CMOS, while we predict that emerging low-leakage transistor technologies potentially enable adiabatic energy improvements up to four orders-of–magnitude over the standard approach. The significant end-result of our method is that we can leverage the huge number of existing standard gate libraries and logic designs for energy-recovery circuits. We outline an approach to integrate the automatic generation of the adiabatic circuits into the standard circuit design flow, including standard gate logic synthesis and place-and-route.
Creating an Influencer-Relationship Model to Locate Actors in Environmental Communications

This chapter describes a method for creating an influencer-relationship model from newspaper articles and illustrates each step required to develop the model. These steps include collecting articles from disparate sources, locating relevant actors in the articles, compiling and querying a MySQL database, and creating visualizations to assist with analysis. Once assembled, the article archive can be searched and modeled to find relationships between people who influence the production of public environmental knowledge. My area of focus is environmental communications regarding groundwater debates in Texas. The chapter focuses on public communications about groundwater during drought years in Texas (2010–2014) as a case study. It concludes with a few thoughts on how to improve the method.
1108. Diagnostic Yield of the BioFire FilmArray Gastrointestinal Panel in Hospitalized Children at an Academic Children’s Center

Background The BioFire FilmArray Gastrointestinal Panel (BioFire Diagnostics) (GIP) is a multiplex stool PCR test that detects 22 organisms. Studies in adults suggest that the diagnostic yield of the GIP in hospitalized patients is low. The utility of the GIP among hospitalized pediatric patients and indications for diagnostic stewardship of this test are not well described.
How Frustrations About Oversight Can Lead to Inefficiencies in Contractor Work

Government oversight is an important part of any complex system acquisitions because it enables the government evaluate its stakeholders’ performance. Oversight, however, can add additional costs to a program. In order to determine the extent of the burden of these activities, scholars need to understand how oversight impacts the work that contractor engineers perform. Oversight can have both objective, measurable impacts, and it can have subjective impacts on the contractor’s feelings about what they have to do. While studies have been conducted to objectively study oversight’s burden, there has not been work to investigate how frustrations about oversight impact how contractors do their work. To that end, we conducted an in-depth, qualitative study of a major US aerospace contractor to understand how frustrations about oversight can lead to contractors spending additional time on their work. We identify the mechanisms through which this added time can occur and discuss implications for these findings. Since inducing frustration on the workforce can lead to objective inefficiencies in work processes, it is important for systems engineering researches to consider these issues when making process improvements.
Organisational context of hospitals that participated in a multi-site mentored medication reconciliation quality improvement project (MARQUIS2): a cross-sectional observational study.

Objectives Medication reconciliation (MedRec) is an important patient safety strategy and is widespread in US hospitals and globally. Nevertheless, high quality MedRec has been difficult to implement. As part of a larger study investigating MedRec interventions, we evaluated and compared organisational contextual factors and team cohesion by hospital characteristics and implementation team members’ profession to better understand the environmental context and its correlates during a multi-site quality improvement (QI) initiative. Design We conducted a cross-sectional observational study using a web survey (contextual factors) and a national hospital database (hospital characteristics). Setting Hospitals participating in the second Multi-Centre Medication Reconciliation Quality Improvement Study (MARQUIS2). Participants Implementation team members of 18 participating MARQUIS2 hospitals. Outcomes Primary outcome: contextual factor ratings (ie, organisational capacity, leadership support, goal alignment, staff involvement, patient safety climate and team cohesion). Secondary outcome: differences in contextual factors by hospital characteristics. Results Fifty-five team members from the 18 participating hospitals completed the survey. Ratings of contextual factors differed significantly by domain (p 0.05). Respondents in the pharmacy profession gave lower ratings of leadership support than did those in the nursing or other professions group (p=0.01). Conclusions Hospital size, type and location did not drive differences in contextual factors, suggesting that tailoring MedRec QI implementation to hospital characteristics may not be necessary. Strong team cohesion suggests the use of interdisciplinary teams does not detract from cohesion when conducting mentored QI projects. Organisational leaders should particularly focus on supporting pharmacy services and addressing their concerns during MedRec QI initiatives. Future research should correlate contextual factors with implementation success to inform how best to prepare sites to implement complex QI interventions such as MedRec.
Hydrolyzed Ce(IV) salts limit sucrose-dependent biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans.

Abstract Several studies have focused on the antimicrobial effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NP) but few have focused on their effects on bacteria under initial biofilm formation conditions. Streptococcus mutans is a prolific biofilm former contributing to dental caries in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates and is a recognized target for therapeutic intervention. CeO2-NP derived solely from Ce(IV) salt hydrolysis were found to reduce adherent bacteria by approximately 40% while commercial dispersions of “bare” CeO2-NP (e.g., 3 nm, 10–20 nm, 30 nm diameter) and Ce(NO3)3·6H2O were either inactive or observed to slightly increase biofilm formation under similar in vitro conditions. Planktonic growth and dispersal assays support a non-bactericidal mode of biofilm inhibition active in the initial phases of S. mutans biofilm production. Human cell proliferation assays suggest only minor effects of hydrolyzed Ce(IV) salts on cellular metabolism at concentrations up to 1 mM Ce, with less observed toxicity compared to equimolar concentrations of AgNO3. The results presented herein have implications in clinical dentistry.
Design and validation of a closed-loop, motor-activated auricular vagus nerve stimulation (MAAVNS) system for neurorehabilitation.

Abstract Background Studies have found that pairing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with motor activity accelerates cortical reorganization. This synchronous pairing may enhance motor recovery. Objective To develop and validate a motor-activated auricular vagus nerve stimulation (MAAVNS) system as a potential neurorehabilitation tool. Methods We created MAAVNS and validated its function as part of an ongoing clinical trial investigating whether taVNS-paired rehabilitation enhances oromotor learning. We compared 3 different MAAVNS EMG electrode configurations in 3 neonates. The active lead was placed over the buccinator muscle. Reference lead placements were orbital, temporal or frontal. Results The frontal reference lead produced the highest sensitivity (0.87 ± 0.07 (n = 8)) and specificity (0.64 ± 0.13 (n = 8)). Oral sucking reliably triggers MAAVNS stimulation with high confidence. Conclusion EMG electrodes placed on target orofacial muscles can effectively trigger taVNS stimuli in infants in a closed loop fashion.
Inverse dynamics analysis of youth pitching arm kinetics using body composition imaging.

This study’s objectives were to: (1) assess whether dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-mass inverse dynamics (ID) alters predictions of youth pitching arm kinetics and (2) investigate correlati...
Angstrom-Scale Ruler Using Single Molecule Conductance Signatures

Experimental techniques that determine atomic arrangements in single metal–molecule–metal junctions will enable a mechanistic understanding and control of electronic properties on the nanoscale. He...
Different Faces of Obesity in Cardiovascular Diseases: Culprit or Protector

The incidence of obesity has tripled since 1975, and now it has become a world-wide problem. Initially, obesity was observed only in developed countries, but now it is often seen in less-developed and under-developed countries. Obesity is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. These risk factors lead through complex pathways lead to evolution and progression of atherosclerosis with subsequent expression of clinical events such CVD. Obesity is also associated with the development of heart failure. Obesity is associated with depression and physical inactivity, both of which lead to worsening of CVD. Fortunately, loss of body weight result in reduction on vascular disease (VD) risk factors. Here we review in detail the metabolic and cellular abnormalities in obesity and CVD.
Improving Reading Speed for Dyslexic Readers

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that results in difficulties for students throughout their study and work. Low literacy, which is termed “developmental dyslexia,” manifests in significant reading difficulty among some dyslexic patients. Reading requires the acquisition of good orthographic skills for recognizing the visual form of words, which allows one to access their meaning directly (Stein, Dyslexia 7:12–36, 2001). Most reading problems have a fundamental sensorimotor cause, such as an impaired development of the visual magnocellular system. This research study hypothesizes that changing font styles and increasing spacing between letters and lines can help dyslexic readers improve their reading speed. This pilot study with new experimental designs targeting dyslexic reading indicates a correlation between the reading speed and the cluttering of font styles, font size, and line spacing.
Impact of Transplanting Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive (NAT+) Donors to Hepatitis C Virus NAT- Cardiothoracic Recipients

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical impact of utilizing HCV NAT+ donors in aviremic heart (HT) and lung (LT) transplant recipients. Methods A single-center, retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who received a HT or LT between 4/1/19-5/27/20. HCV antibody - and NAT- recipients of a HCV NAT+ graft were included in the analysis. Results Nineteen HCV NAT- patients underwent cardiothoracic transplantation (CT) with a HCV NAT+ organ (10 HT and 9 LT) and were included for evaluation; 47.4% male, average age 58 ± 7.9 years, 73.7% white. HCV transmission occurred in 100% of recipients. Average time to direct acting antiviral (DAA) initiation was 46 ± 20.7 days after transplant. SVR12 was achieved in 93.3% (14/15; 4 patients have not completed 12-week follow up post DAA completion). Treatment failure occurred in 1 LT patient with P32del mutation on glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, requiring alternative therapy (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir and ribavirin). 84.2% of patients developed post-transplant liver dysfunction. No patients developed fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis. Two patients died, 1 due to anastomotic complication (LT) and 1 due to pulmonary embolism (HT). De novo donor specific antibodies were present in 1 HT and 2 LT recipients, developing 4 days and a median of 137.5 (56-219) days post-transplant, respectively. Clinically significant rejection was identified and treated in 1 HT patient (ACR2). No episodes of rejection were identified in LT recipients. Five patients (26.3%) had documented DAA related adverse effects, including gastrointestinal, fatigue, orthostatic hypotension, and nail discoloration. Conclusion A high SVR12 rate was achieved in HCV NAT donor +/recipient - CT, who were initiated on DAA therapy after insurance approval. These results are reflective of real-word experience for patients not included in clinical trials. Few reported clinically significant episodes of rejection or DAA adverse effects occurred.
Influence of psychosocial and sociodemographic factors in the surgical management of traumatic cervicothoracic spinal cord injury at level I and II trauma centers in the United States.

Background Socioeconomic factors can bias clinician decision-making in many areas of medicine. Psychosocial characteristics such as diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, and major psychiatric disorder are emerging as potential sources of conscious and unconscious bias. We hypothesized that these psychosocial factors, in addition to socioeconomic factors, may impact the decision to operate on patients with a traumatic cervicothoracic fracture and associated spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods We performed a cohort analysis using clinical data from 2012-2016 in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Trauma Data Bank at academic level I and II trauma centers. Patients were eligible if they had a diagnosis of cervicothoracic fracture with SCI. Using ICD codes, we evaluated baseline characteristics including race; insurance status; diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, or major psychiatric disorder; admission drug screen and blood alcohol level; injury characteristics and severity; and hospital characteristics including geographic region, non-profit status, university affiliation, and trauma level. Factors significantly associated with surgical intervention in univariate analysis were eligible for inclusion in multivariate logistic regression. Results We identified 6,655 eligible patients, of whom 62% underwent surgical treatment (n=4,137). Patients treated non-operatively were more likely to be older; be female; be Black or Hispanic; have Medicare, Medicaid, or no insurance; have been assaulted; have been injured by a firearm; have thoracic fracture; have less severe injuries; have severe TBI; be treated at non-profit hospitals; and be in the Northeast or Western U.S. (all P<0.01). After adjusting for confounders in multivariate analysis, only insurance status remained associated with operative treatment. Medicaid patients (OR=0.81; P=0.021) and uninsured patients (OR=0.63; P<0.001) had lower odds of surgery relative to patients with private insurance. Injury severity and facility characteristics also remained significantly associated with surgical management following multivariate regression. Conclusions Psychosocial characteristics such as diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, or psychiatric illness do not appear to bias the decision to operate after traumatic cervicothoracic fracture with SCI. Baseline sociodemographic imbalances were explained largely by insurance status, injury, and facility characteristics in multivariate analysis.
Effectiveness of quality physical education in improving students' manipulative skill competency

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to examine the extent to which the quality physical education teaching (QPET) practices contributed to improving 4th- and 5th-grade students' manipulative skill competency. Methods Participants were 9 elementary physical education (PE) teachers and their 4th- and 5th-grade students (n = 2709–3420). The students' skill competency was assessed with 3 manipulative skills using PE metrics assessment rubrics. The PE teachers' levels of QPET were assessed by coding 63 videotaped lessons using the assessing quality teaching rubrics (AQTR), which consisted of 4 essential dimensions including task design, task presentation, class management, and instructional guidance. Codes were confirmed through inter-rater reliability (82.4%, 84.5%, and 94%). Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, multiple R2 regression models, and independent sample t tests. Results This study indicated that the 4 essential dimensions of QPET were all significant contributors to students' manipulative skill competency. These predictors were significantly higher for boys than for girls in soccer and striking skills, while they were significantly higher for girls than for boys in throwing skill competency. Of the 4 essential dimensions of QPET, task presentation played the most significant role in contributing to all 3 skill competencies for both boys and girls. Further, students who experienced high QPET were significantly more skillfully competent than those students who did not have this experience. Conclusion It was concluded that the QPET practices played a significantly critical role in contributing to students' manipulative skill competency.
A 1.57 W/mm GaAs-based MISFET for high-power and microwave-switching applications

Reports the power and switching performance of a GaAs metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFET) made using low-temperature (LT) GaAs as the buffer layer and the gate insulator. An LT GaAs MISFET with a gate length L/sub g/ of 1.5 mu m delivered an output power density P/sub d/ of 1.57 W/mm with 4.4 dB gain and a power-added efficiency eta /sub PA/ of 27.3% at 1.1 GHz. This is the highest power density from a GaAs-based FET ever reported. The P/sub d/ and eta /sub PA/ of this device at 1.1 GHz are shown as a function of input power. More recently, the LT GaAs MISFET has also demonstrated switch performance at 1.3 GHz that is comparable to that of the best commercially available FET switches that the authors have tested. >
Multimedia Learning: A Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

Multimedia messages that are designed in light of how the human mind works are more likely to lead to meaningful learning than those that are not. A cognitive theory of multimedia learning assumes that the human information processing system includes dual channels for visual/pictorial and auditory/verbal processing, that each channel has limited capacity for processing, and that active learning entails carrying out a coordinated set of cognitive processes during learning. The five steps in multimedia learning are selecting relevant words from the presented text or narration, selecting relevant images from the presented illustrations, organizing the selected words into a coherent verbal representation, organizing selected images into a coherent visual representation, and integrating the visual and verbal representations and prior knowledge. Processing of pictures occurs mainly in the visual/pictorial channel and processing of spoken words occurs mainly in the auditory/verbal channel, but processing of printed words takes place initially in the visual/pictorial channel and then moves to the auditory/verbal channel . The goal of this book is to examine principles for the learner-centered design of multimedia learning environments that meet three criteria: (1) intelligibility – the principles are derived from a cognitive theory of multimedia learning; (2) plausibility – the principles are consistent with empirical research on multimedia learning; (3) applicability – the principles can be applied to new multimedia learning situations. The second criterion, plausibility, is covered in chapters 4 through 10, which summarize an empirical research base for multimedia design principles.
A Microbiologic Method for Detecting Folic Acid Deficiency in Man

A microbiologic method based on Lactobacillus casei for assaying folic acid activity in serum is presented. The assay correlates directly with the clinical diagnosis. Comparison with formimino-L-glutamic acid determinations and other microbiologic assay methods shows the assay here described to yield a more dependable estimate of the folic acid status in humans.
Epidemiology of Critical Illness

Knowledge of the incidence, prevalence, and natural history of disease informs the development of treatments to improve outcomes, the care delivered at the bedside, and the health policy that influences the systems of medical care for critically ill children. In this chapter, we discuss several issues related to clinical epidemiology in critical care and summarize some of the large-scale work that has been done examining the epidemiology of quintessential critical illnesses in children. There are a number of challenges in performing epidemiologic research in critical care, not the least of which is related to a core principle of epidemiology, which is the need to be able to reliably and validly identify diseases or conditions of interest In critical care, definitions of the syndromes that most consider quintessential critical care “diseases” lack gold standard tests by which to validate them. Despite these challenges, researchers have found mortality for many conditions is improving, and the use of ICU services is increasing. Critical care is provided to hundreds of thousands of children in the US annually, and the number and volume of pediatric ICUs has been increasing over the past two decades, to a greater extent than both the US pediatric population and hospital beds for children. Over 7,000 US children are treated for acute lung injury each year, and more than 100,000 infants and older children are mechanically ventilated. Severe sepsis occurs in over 42,000 US children annually, and is a leading cause of death. Rates of ICU care for asthma, the most common chronic disease in childhood, are increasing at the same time that hospitalization rates are decreasing. The thoughtful use of the tools of clinical epidemiology can facilitate advances in pediatric critical care, help us refine their application, and let us understand their ramifications.
Surgical Management of a Locally Advanced Symptomatic Recurrence of Penile Sarcoma Secondary to Prostate Brachytherapy

Background The surgical management of patients with symptomatic metastatic or locally advanced recurrences involving the penis remains poorly characterized. The aim of the present abstract and video is to detail our experience in the surgical management of a specific patient with a locally advanced symptomatic recurrence of penile sarcoma secondary to prostate cancer treated with primary brachytherapy. Materials and Methods A 70 year old male patient initially treated for localized prostate cancer with interstitial brachytherapy at an outside facility developed an unfortunate secondary malignancy consisting of a locally advanced penile sarcoma involving as well the prostate and base of the bladder. Despite our best efforts to control his pain, he developed a very symptomatic local recurrence with a secondary penile abscess and purulent periurethral drainage. At this time, it was felt a surgical resection consisting of a total penectomy, urethrectomy, cystoprostatectomy, and ileal conduit urinary diversion would be the best option for local cancer control in this particular patient. Results The patient underwent the surgical resection without any complications as illustrated in this surgical video, with a jejunal intestinal mass identified at the time of surgery which was resected with a primary bowel anastomosis performed. The patient was discharged from hospital uneventfully with his symptomatic local recurrence being successfully managed and the patient no longer requiring oral narcotics for pain control. The pathological report confirmed a locally advanced sarcoma involving the penile, prostate, and bladder which was resected with negative surgical margins and the jejunal mass was confirmed to represent a small bowel sarcoma metastatic site. Conclusion As highlighted in the present video, the treatment of a symptomatic sarcoma local recurrence contiguously involving the penis can be successfully managed provided the patient is informed of the potential morbidity and psychosocial implications imparted by performing a total penectomy and adjacent organ resection.
Metaphors Reveal Preservice Elementary Teachers' Views of Mathematics and Science Teaching

Typically, experiences shape one's attitudes toward the “thing” that is being experienced, whether it is a person, pet, movie, etc. Classroom experiences also shape one's attitudes toward a subject, teacher, learning, and so forth. Studies have shown that attitudes become more negative as students move from elementary to secondary schools. Elementary preservice teachers have had many classroom experiences by the time they reach their methods courses. These varied experiences have shaped their attitudes about the learning and teaching of mathematics and science.
193-nm negative resist based on acid-catalyzed elimination of polar molecules

Development of 193-nm negative resists that meet the stringent performance requirements of sub-100 nm resolution with conventional 0.26 N TMAH developer has proven to be a significant challenge. Most of the systems that are currently under development are based on cross-linking mechanisms. They commonly suffer from image distortion caused by micro-bridging. An alternative approach is to look at polarity switch mechanisms. We have investigated the acid-catalyzed elimination of polar molecules as one such mechanism which may provide a pathway to develop negative resists that do not suffer from micro-bridging.