cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Construction Zone Generation Mechanisms and Applications

Construction zones are geometric units of work in the construction planning process. Using construction parameters and geometric properties, construction zone generation mechanisms change the level of detail of the 3D geometry and corresponding activities of the planned project. We have defined and implemented a set of mechanisms for construction zone generation. Decomposition provides various ways to generate detailed zones, while aggregation generates combined zones. To support these mechanisms, we have formalized a geometric representation based on triangular meshes that can represent the activity workflow, project spatial hierarchy, local variations in productivity, and activity state information on a component at any given time. This paper summarizes the mechanisms and describes various planning/scheduling applications of these mechanisms, such as rapid plan evaluation, resource and workflow balancing in 3D, and association of schedules at multiple levels of detail. Our contributions are the formalization of these zoning mechanisms, representation and algorithms to support these mechanisms, and planning/balancing methods utilizing the mechanisms.
Diffusion tensor imaging, structural connectivity, and schizophrenia.

A fundamental tenet of the “disconnectivity” theories of schizophrenia is that the disorder is ultimately caused by abnormal communication between spatially disparate brain structures. Given that the white matter fasciculi represent the primary infrastructure for long distance communication in the brain, abnormalities in these fiber bundles have been implicated in the etiology of schizophrenia. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that enables the visualization of white matter macrostructure in vivo, and which has provided unprecedented insight into the existence and nature of white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia. The paper begins with an overview of DTI and more commonly used diffusion metrics and moves on to a brief review of the schizophrenia literature. The functional implications of white matter abnormalities are considered, particularly with respect to myelin's role in modulating the transmission velocity of neural discharges. The paper concludes with a speculative hypothesis about the relationship between gray and white matter abnormalities associated with schizophrenia.
Dynamic overset CFD simulations of wind turbine aerodynamics

Simulations of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) phase VI wind turbine using dynamic oversetgridtechnologyarepresented.Thesimulationsareperformedinaninertialframeofreferencewith the rotor consisting of the blades and hub. The geometries of the tower and nacelle are approximate but includedinthecomputation.Computationsoftheeffectofwindspeed(5,10,15and25m/s)ata fixedblade pitch angle of 3 � with constant rotational speed using unsteady Reynolds-Averaged NaviereStokes (RANS) and Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) turbulence models, both showing little difference in the averaged forces and moments. However, significant improvements in the transient response are seen when using DES. The effect of angle of attack is evaluated by dynamically changing the pitch from � 15 � to 40� at
Patient education for phosphorus management in chronic kidney disease

Objectives: This review explores the challenges and solutions in educating patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to lower serum phosphorus while avoiding protein insufficiency and hypercalcemia. Methods: A literature search including terms “hyperphosphatemia,” “patient education,” “food fatigue,” “hypercalcemia,” and “phosphorus–protein ratio” was undertaken using PubMed. Results: Hyperphosphatemia is a strong predictor of mortality in advanced CKD and is remediated via diet, phosphorus binders, and dialysis. Dietary counseling should encourage the consumption of foods with the least amount of inorganic or absorbable phosphorus, low phosphorus-to-protein ratios, and adequate protein content, and discourage excessive calcium intake in high-risk patients. Emerging educational initiatives include food labeling using a “traffic light” scheme, motivational interviewing techniques, and the Phosphate Education Program – whereby patients no longer have to memorize the phosphorus content of each individual food component, but only a “phosphorus unit” value for a limited number of food groups. Phosphorus binders are associated with a clear survival advantage in CKD patients, overcome the limitations associated with dietary phosphorus restriction, and permit a more flexible approach to achieving normalization of phosphorus levels. Conclusion: Patient education on phosphorus and calcium management can improve concordance and adherence and empower patients to collaborate actively for optimal control of mineral metabolism.
A multiple-conclusion meta-logic

The theory of cut-free sequent proofs has been used to motivate and justify the design of a number of logic programming languages. Two such languages, /spl lambda/Prolog and its linear logic refinement, Lolli (J. Hodas and D. Miller, 1994), provide for various forms of abstraction (modules, abstract data types, higher-order programming) but lack primitives for concurrency. The logic programming language, LO (Linear Objects) (J. Andreoli and R. Pareschi, 1991) provides for concurrency but lacks abstraction mechanisms. We present Forum, a logic programming presentation of all of linear logic that modularly extends the languages /spl lambda/Prolog, Lolli, and LO. Forum, therefore, allows specifications to incorporate both abstractions and concurrency. As a meta-language, Forum greatly extends the expressiveness of these other logic programming languages. To illustrate its expressive strength, we specify in Forum a sequent calculus proof system and the operational semantics of a functional programming language that incorporates such nonfunctional features as counters and references. >
LRRK2 variation and Parkinson's disease in African Americans

The global impact of LRRK2 mutations is yet to be realized with a lack of studies in specific ethnic groups, including those of Asian and African descent. Herein, we investigated the frequency of common LRRK2 variants by complete exon sequencing in a series of publicly available African American Parkinson's disease patients. Our study identified three novel synonymous exonic variants and 13 known coding variations; however, there did not appear to be any frequent (>5%) pathogenic mutations. Given the ethnic-specific LRRK2 variation previously identified in PD further studies in under-represented populations are warranted.
Synthesis of optical directional coupler modulators with linear response

The variable coupling directional coupler modulator is of interest for analog RF/microwave links because it can be synthesized to give linear electrical to optical conversion. The synthesis methods are still relatively undeveloped, however. This paper introduces an improvement to the preferred synthesis technique, the iterative Newton's method, which allows a closer match to the desired modulator response. A variable coupling directional coupler modulator synthesized with this improved method is then introduced, which has a response substantially more linear than previously reported.
Cell and user virtualization for ultra dense network

Ultra-dense network deployment is a clear trend considered for the next generation networks. To allow flexible deployment of small cells, self-backhauled small cell architecture is one of the important types of the future ultra-dense network architecture. In this paper, densification and virtualization are considered in both cell and user aspects. Virtualization of radio access network provides a key solution to mobility and interference issues. It enables user centric radio access. On the terminal side, more devices are expected to be connected in the network. Similarly, virtualization can be applied to the terminal side. This enables virtual resource allocation and coordination among terminals to boost up the user capability and overall network performance. This paper proposes a novel small cell architecture which considers multi-layer virtualization for dense heterogeneous network.
Long-term monitoring of habitats and reef fish found inside and outside the U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument: A comparative assessment

A BSTRACT. — The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR), a marine protected area in St John, US Virgin Islands. Surveys of habitat and fishes inside and outside of VICR were conducted in 2003-2008. Areas outside the VICR had significantly more scleractinian corals, greater habitat complexity, and greater species richness and density of reef fishes than areas inside., Areas inside and outside the VICR exhibited significant decreases in percent scleractinian coral coverage over the study period. A contrasting trend of increasing macroalgal cover was also observed. No clear effect of the severe 2005 coral bleaching event was observed suggesting other causal factors. No obvious trends in the fish community were observed across the study period. The significant decline in habitat condition, coupled with the initial incorporation of some of the more degraded reefs into the marine protected area may result in a longer time period necessary to detect positive changes in the St. John coral reef ecosystem and associated reef fish abundance and community structure.
Failure of the Quants

The Quants made several interrelated errors. They based the expected house price upon the current price and drift, and assumed that the distribution of capital gains is unchanging. The Quants ignored publicly available information in forming expectations. The ultimate determinant of the values of CDOs was the ability of the mortgagors to service their debts. It was public information that the mortgages were of most dubious value, no due diligence was performed in the ratings and the debt/income of the mortgagors was rising. Hence it was improbable that the distribution of house prices would remain constant. Systemic risk was ignored by the Quants who just focused upon current prices. Ratings of the tranches were not based upon the quality of the underlying mortgages. They were all in the same bundle. The rating depended upon who got paid first in the stack of loans. The key question was how to rate and price the tranches. The issue concerned the correlation of the tranches. If a pool of loans started experiencing difficulties, and a certain percent of them defaulted, what would be the impact upon each tranche? The “apples in the basket model” made one prediction. Another very different one is “the slice of bread in the loaf” model.
Literacy and Contract

Contract law imposes on consumers a "duty to read", shorthand for a set of related doctrines including the statute of frauds, the parol evidence rule, and the reasonable reliance element of fraud as a contractual excuse. Moreover, consumer protection statutes have placed heavy emphasis on information disclosure, usually provided on additional documents, as the preferred method to deter abuses in the marketplace. The duty to read and the myriad of disclosure laws rely on unfounded assumptions about the ability of ordinary consumers to read and use written documents. The National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) provides sobering data on the document literacy and quantitative skills of the American public. A surprisingly small percentage of the adult population has the ability to extract key information from lengthy and complex consumer contract documents and disclosure forms. Contracts and disclosures for mortgage loans, automobile leases, and other modern transactions are accessible to fewer than 10% of the consumers for whom they are intended. The present state of the law, regarding contract formation and enforceability, and the various disclosure statutes, take no account of the literacy problem. New approaches are needed to protect consumers and police the marketplace, using means other than the doctrines of fraud, unconscionability, and technical disclosure statutes, and based on the reality of the gap between adult literacy and the readability of contract forms.
The Economic Cost of Wasta in the Arab World: An Empirical Approach

While wasta is a phenomenon that is often seen to be engrained in Arab culture, there is no universally accepted definition of wasta that would separate it from related concepts such as corruption, bribery, or nepotism. A working definition is therefore needed. We define wasta as the use of personal networks for the purpose of gaining access to scarce resources like, for example, jobs, building permits, university admissions, and doctor’s appointments. In other words, someone with wasta can access such resources with fewer obstacles than someone without wasta.
Mitigating active shooter impact: Analysis for policy options based on agent/computer-based modeling.

Active shooting violence at confined settings, such as educational institutions, poses serious security concerns to public safety. In studying the effects of active shooter scenarios, the common denominator associated with all events, regardless of reason/intent for shooter motives, or type of weapons used, was the location chosen and time expended between the beginning of the event and its culmination. This in turn directly correlates to number of casualties incurred in any given event. The longer the event protracts, the more casualties are incurred until law enforcement or another barrier can react and culminate the situation. OBJECTIVE: Using AnyLogic technology, devise modeling scenarios to test multiple hypotheses against free-agent modeling simulation to determine the best method to reduce casualties associated with active shooter scenarios. DESIGN, SETTING, SUBJECTS: Test four possible scenarios of responding to active shooter in a public school setting using agent-based computer modeling techniques-scenario 1: basic scenario where no access control or any type of security is used within the school; scenario 2, scenario assumes that concealed carry individual(s) (5-10 percent of the work force) are present in the school; scenario 3, scenario assumes that the school has assigned resource officer; scenario 4, scenario assumes that the school has assigned resource officer and concealed carry individual(s) (5-10 percent) present in the school. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURED: Statistical data from modeling scenarios indicating which tested hypothesis resulted in fewer casualties and quicker culmination of event. RESULTS: The use of AnyLogic proved the initial hypothesis that a decrease on response time to an active shooter scenario directly reduced victim casualties. CONCLUSIONS: Modeling tests show statistically significant fewer casualties in scenarios where on scene armed responders such as resource officers and concealed carry personnel were present. Language: en
Sensitive DNA detection and SNP discrimination using ultrabright SERS nanorattles and magnetic beads for malaria diagnostics

One of the major obstacles to implement nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostics at the point-of-care (POC) and in resource-limited settings is the lack of sensitive and practical DNA detection methods that can be seamlessly integrated into portable platforms. Herein we present a sensitive yet simple DNA detection method using a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoplatform: the ultrabright SERS nanorattle. The method, referred to as the nanorattle-based method, involves sandwich hybridization of magnetic beads that are loaded with capture probes, target sequences, and ultrabright SERS nanorattles that are loaded with reporter probes. Upon hybridization, a magnet was applied to concentrate the hybridization sandwiches at a detection spot for SERS measurements. The ultrabright SERS nanorattles, composed of a core and a shell with resonance Raman reporters loaded in the gap space between the core and the shell, serve as SERS tags for signal detection. Using this method, a specific DNA sequence of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum could be detected with a detection limit of approximately 100 attomoles. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discrimination of wild type malaria DNA and mutant malaria DNA, which confers resistance to artemisinin drugs, was also demonstrated. These test models demonstrate the molecular diagnostic potential of the nanorattle-based method to both detect and genotype infectious pathogens. Furthermore, the method's simplicity makes it a suitable candidate for integration into portable platforms for POC and in resource-limited settings applications.
Active Oxygen and Toxicity

Active forms of oxygen are becoming increasingly implicated in the etiology of numerous disease states and the toxicities of various drugs and chemicals. Among the former are the initiation and promotion of tumors (Petkau, 1980) and rheumatoid arthritis (Rowley et al., 1984), while the latter includes toxicities such as that associated with anthracycline antibiotics (Goodman and Hochstein, 1977), and paraquat (Bus et al., 1974). The generation of active oxygen species during normal cellular metabolism such as prostaglandin and leukotriene biosynthesis (Kalyanaraman and Sivarajah, 1984) or by stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes or macrophages (Babior and Peters, 1981) is now widely recognized.
Impact of patient photos on visual search during radiograph interpretation

To increase detection of mislabeled medical imaging studies evidence shows it may be useful to include patient photographs during interpretation. This study examined how inclusion of photos impacts visual search. Ten radiologists viewed 21 chest radiographs with and without a photo of the patient while search was recorded. Their task was to note tube/line placement. Eye-tracking data revealed that presence of the photo reduced the number of fixations and total dwell on the chest image as a result of periodically looking at the photo. Average preference for having photos was 6.10 on 0-10 scale and neck and chest were preferred areas.
Spin and isospin effects in π- 4 He scattering

We derive the amplitude for $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ elastic collisions, including all multiple scattering, spin-flip, and charge-exchange effects, in the Glauber approximation. A totally antisymmetric $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ ground-state wave function, and $\ensuremath{\pi}N$ elastic scattering amplitudes obtained from phase-shift analyses (through $G$ waves when necessary) are used as input. The results are applied to $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ total cross sections below 1.2 GeV and compared with measurements. The real part of the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ forward elastic scattering amplitude is calculated and compared with dispersion-relation results. The differential cross section for $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ elastic scattering is calculated for pion energies between 50 and 1120 MeV and compared with data.
Ta and Nb Reinforced MoSi2

MoSi2 matrix composites have been recognized lately as potential materials for structural applications at elevated temperatures. Specifically, MoSi2 composites may exhibit useful properties at temperatures to 1400°C. Previous work improved the yield strength of MoSi2 at 1400°C by a factor of five through SiC whisker reinforcement. Current research is directed towards increasing the fracture toughness of MoSi2 through the addition of ductile phase reinforcements such as niobium and tantalum. The reaction between Nb and MoSi2 to form (Mo,Nb)5 Si3 proceeds with faster kinetics at hot isostatic press temperatures as low as 1100°C when compared to the reaction between Ta and MoSi2 to form (Mo,Ta)5Si3. This reaction product exhibits very poor properties, as evidenced by crack propagation through this layer during fracture. The feasibility of hot working these composites to produce tailored microstructures is examined.
Real-Time Simulation of Dynamic Performance of Multi-Infeed UHVDC Transmission System to be Connected to North China Power Grid Before 2015

According to the planning of ultra high voltage power grid,four high voltage DC transmission lines should be connected to North China power grid before 2015,so at the appointed time the interaction between AC and HVDC systems will be more complicated.Due to the fact that the commutation failure of HVDC transmission system is the most common failure of them,based on the analysis on factors affecting commutation failure of HVDC transmission system a method to judge whether commutation failure occurs or not by analyzing valve side current of converter transformer in inverter station is proposed and its effectiveness is validated in actual project.Utilizing real-time simulation software Hypersim an equivalent power gird model for interconnected North China-Central China-East China power grid in 2015 is built,and in allusion to the condition that at the appointed time four HVDC transmission lines will be connected to North China power grid the dynamic performances of multi-infeed HVDC transmission system under the fault occurred in receiving end of UHVAC system is emphatically researched and research results are given.
Private and Social Returns to Higher Education

In this chapter, we focus on the different ways in which economists measure the financial return on postsecondary education. We begin by providing some background on the work by economists on this topic, where studies of the return to postsecondary education grew out of the more general economic approach of cost-benefit analysis. We then explain how economists use aggregate-level data to measure the average return to postsecondary education, and demonstrate how the methods can be applied to different degree levels. Using data from 2011, we provide updated estimates of the return to earning an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree, as well as the average returns for all students who attend college as opposed to only graduates. In the Extension section of the chapter we discuss how economists use individual-level data to measure the financial benefits from college after controlling for observable student characteristics that may also affect earnings, and the emerging work on how to adjust these estimates for unobservable factors that can affect postsecondary decisions and earnings in labor markets. Finally, in the Policy Focus section we discuss policies relating to the use of return-on-education statistics to entice more students to go to college, and the extent to which students rely on loans to help finance their college education.
Outdated Language: Use of “Mental Retardation” in Medicaid HCBS Waivers Post-Rosa's Law

Abstract Rosa's Law, which changed references of “mental retardation” to “intellectual disability” within federal legislation, marked recognition by the federal government that the term “mental ret...
Mutilation and metaphor: managing the Monongah dead*

ABSTRACTThis article documents the use of metaphor in coordinating ‘backstage’ responses to the greatest mine disaster in US history, which left hundreds dead, and many were mutilated beyond recognition. The use of metaphor is illustrated in the handling of the dead, from the point of discovery of carnage in the mines through to burial, including ‘identification’ of unrecognizable bodies and body parts – a system of actions that remained unintelligible for over a century. This research illustrates the importance of emergent, unprescribed, furtive, and coordinated actions in responding to an unexpected and catastrophic incident. Discussion suggests the general import of emergent order for systems of domination in history, command economies, and rational-legal administrations, including organized responses to mass death.
Hispanic College Men's Perceptions of Appropriate Strategies for Initiating Sexual Intercourse with Women

Research on heterosexual college students’ sexual activity finds that men are typically the initiators of sexual intercourse. However, few studies examining college students’ sexual experiences have focused on racial/ethnic minority populations. The present study uses sexual scripting frameworks and qualitative methods to provide an in-depth examination of the sexual initiation perceptions of 45 Hispanic college men who have sex with women. Two broad themes were uncovered: (a) men’s perceptions about when sexual intercourse should first be initiated and (b) the kinds of behaviors men saw as appropriate for initiating sexual intimacy. Hispanic college men reported that the status of the relationship and partners’ mutual desire most strongly influenced their decisions about when to initiate sex. Few men ascribed to a normative time frame for initiating sexual intercourse. The most commonly reported approach used to initiate sex was non-verbal communication, followed by indirect verbal communication, direct verbal communication, and waiting for the woman to initiate. Although machismo beliefs were acknowledged as part of men’s cultural reference for masculinity, they felt they were not central to their own sexual initiation experiences or beliefs. Our findings advance our knowledge of the processes contributing to college men’s personal desires and beliefs about engaging in sexual activity, which has important implications for developing effective campus-based efforts addressing the communication of sexual consent.
Capsule Endoscopy for Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

The advent of capsule endoscopy has revolutionized our ability to evaluate the small bowel. A multitude of small bowel pathologies located between the ligament of Treitz and ileocecal valve including malignancy, benign mass lesions, inflammatory bowel disease, and angioectasias are now able to be directly visualized and confirmed leading to proper diagnosis and management. In the case of small bowel bleeding or hemorrhage, video capsule endoscopy has served a significant role in the work-up and subsequent management decision-making for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, where a source has not been identified with traditional upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. This chapter will discuss the utility of capsule endoscopy in the diagnostic algorithm of small bowel bleeding as well as discuss the differential diagnosis of possible pathologies that could be encountered.
The motion and magnetic structure of the plasma sheet near 30RE

Abstract Data taken by the NASA-GSFC magentometer aboard the Explorer 34 satellite are analysed in an effort ascertain the average motion and magnetic field structure of the plasma sheet near 30 R E . We find that the flapping motion of the plasma sheet in the solar ecliptic Z -coordinate is characterized by a typical speed of 90 km/sec and an amplitude of ±2 R E . Results suggest that there exists a layer of nearly uniform cross-tail current density in the central region of the plasma sheet approx 2· 3-2· 6 R E thick within which the solar-magnetospheric X -component of the magnetic field changes from 10γ to − 10γ. Near the centre of the plasma sheet, the average value of the Z -component of the field is 2γ. The analysis does not suggest a strong dependence of the magnetic-field configuration on K p .
Noise Correlation Effect on Detection: Signals in Equicorrelated or Autoregressive(1) Gaussian

In this letter, we consider the effect of noise correlation on the error performance of binary hypothesis signal detection, when one of two deterministic signals is received in correlated Gaussian noise. For the likelihood ratio detection scheme, analytical performance results are derived for equicorrelated and autoregressive order one models. Although it is known previously that the best signal lies in the direction of eigenvector corresponding to the minimum eigenvalue of the noise covariance matrix, our investigation of the variation of mean signal-to-noise power ratio as a function of correlation parameter (i) shows how correlation leads to increased probability of error up to a point, beyond which monotonic decrease in error probability with increasing correlation is possible and (ii) provides a max–min signal design solution for the unknown correlation parameter case. Numerical results are also included for some specific signals.
Time to glucose peak during an oral glucose tolerance test identifies prediabetes risk.

SummaryContext Morphological characteristics of the glucose curve during an OGTT (time to peak and shape) may reflect different phenotypes of insulin secretion and action, but their ability to predict diabetes risk is uncertain. Objective To compare the ability of time to glucose peak and curve shape to detect prediabetes and β-cell function. Design and participants In a cross-sectional evaluation using an OGTT, 145 adults without diabetes (age 42±9y (mean±SD), range 24-62y, BMI 29.2±5.3 kg/m2, range 19.9-45.2 kg/m2) were characterized by peak (30mins vs. >30mins) and shape (biphasic vs. monophasic). Main Outcome Measures Prediabetes and disposition index (DI) – a marker of β-cell function. Results Prediabetes was diagnosed in 36% (52/145) of participants. Peak>30mins, not monophasic curve, was associated with increased odds of prediabetes (OR: 4.0 vs. 1.1; P 30 mins were associated with lower DI (P≤0.01). Time to glucose peak and glucose AUC were independent predictors of DI (adjR2=0.45, P<0.001). Conclusion Glucose peak >30mins was a stronger independent indicator of prediabetes and β-cell function than the monophasic curve. Time to glucose peak may be an important tool that could enhance prediabetes risk stratification. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Utilization of Ethanol Locks in Pediatric Patients With Intestinal Failure.

Background Intestinal failure is a chronic condition related to loss of bowel length and/or function, resulting in dependence on central venous catheters for fluids and nutrition. Catheter use can be associated with significant complications, including catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs), which can lead to loss of vascular access, advancing intestinal failure associated-liver disease and death. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ethanol locks as compared with standard heparin locks in pediatric intestinal failure. Methods Databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, were searched until March 2017. Titles and abstracts were reviewed independently and relevant articles reassessed by full-text review. The main outcome was the rate of CRBSIs, while secondary outcomes were catheter replacement and repair. Results Nine observational studies were included. The mean difference in rate of CRBSIs was 6.27 per 1000 catheter days (95% CI, 4.89-7.66) favoring ethanol locks, with a 63% overall reduction in infection rate. The mean difference in catheter replacement rate (per 1000 catheter days) was 4.56 (95% Cl, 2.68-6.43) favoring ethanol locks. The overall effect on catheter repair rate (per 1000 catheter days) was -1.67 (95% CI, -2.30 to -1.05), indicating lower repair rate with heparin locks. Conclusion Sufficient evidence was noted showing that ethanol locks reduced CRBSIs and catheter replacements. Our findings raise questions about the effect of the ethanol lock on catheter integrity based on the noted increase in repair rate. This requires further prospective evaluation and may support selective application of ethanol locks to patients with documented CRBSIs.
Development of a solar powered hydrogen fueling station in smart cities applications

Abstract This paper reports main criteria for design, realization and validation of a solar-powered hydrogen fueling station in a smart city application relevant to an on-site hydrogen production plant. The program has been developed by CNR-ITAE together with other industrial partners in the framework of the Italian research project called i-NEXT (innovation for greeN Energy and eXchange in Transportation). The i-NEXT hydrogen production plant is located in the Municipality of Capo d’Orlando, Sicily, it is fed by a microgrid able to receive energy from solar radiation by a 100 kW rooftop photovoltaic plant and connected with a battery energy storage of 300 kWh (composed by 16 sodium nickel chloride high temperature batteries). The plant is able to deliver hydrogen and electricity for an electric and hydrogen vehicles fleet. The hydrogen fueling station includes four subsystems: a hydrogen production system by electrolysis, a compression system, a high-pressure storage system and a hydrogen dispenser for automotive applications. It is able to generate in the hydrogen production subsystem through an alkaline electrolyzer of 30 kWh: 6.64 Nm3/h of H2 with a gas purity of 99.995% (O2
Ensuring the Strong Exception Safety

Algorithms for the transaction rollback belong to the fundamentals of database theory and practice. Much less attention has been paid to the method rollback in the realm of object-oriented systems. This issue was studied in the context of exception handling. In a previous paper, a new algorithm for computing old attribute values has been proposed. In this paper that algorithm is used to implement a procedure for method rollback. It is shown that this procedure ensures the so called strong exception safety.
Automatically Exploring Tradeoffs Between Software Output Fidelity and Energy Costs

Data centers account for a significant fraction of global energy consumption and represent a growing business cost. Most current approaches to reducing energy use in data centers treat it as a hardware, compiler, or scheduling problem. This article focuses instead on the software level, showing how to reduce the energy used by programs when they execute. By combining insights from search-based software engineering, mutational robustness, profile-guided optimization, and approximate computing, the Producing Green Applications Using Genetic Exploration ( PowerGAUGE ) algorithm finds variants of individual programs that use less energy than the original. We apply hardware, software, and statistical techniques to manage the complexity of accurately assigning physical energy measurements to particular processes. In addition, our approach allows, but does not require, relaxing output quality requirements to achieve greater non-functional improvements. PowerGAUGE optimizations are validated using physical performance measurements. Experimental results on PARSEC benchmarks and two larger programs show average energy reductions of 14% when requiring the preservation of original output quality and 41% when allowing for human-acceptable levels of error.
Transitioning From High School to College

More and more students with diagnosed learning disabilities opt to attend post-secondary educational opportunities after completing high school. The attrition rate, though, for students with learning disabilities at the post-secondary level remains high (Bonanni, 2015). In public schools, there is a portion of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) devoted to transition planning.
Neighborhood stress and autonomic nervous system activity during sleep.

Study objectives Stressful neighborhood environments are known to adversely affect health and contribute to health disparities but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Healthy sleep can provide a respite from sustained sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. Our objective was to evaluate relationships between neighborhood stress and nocturnal and daytime SNS and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity. Methods Eighty-five urban-residing African Americans (56.5% female; mean age of 23.0) participated. Evaluation included surveys of neighborhood stress and sleep-related vigilance, and continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) and actigraphic recording in participants' homes from which heart rate variability (HRV) analysis for low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio and normalized high frequency (nHF), as indicators of SNS and PNS activity, respectively, and total sleep time (TST), and wake after sleep onset were derived. Results All significant relationships with HRV measures were from the sleep period. Neighborhood disorder correlated negatively with nHF (r = -.24, p = .035). There were also significant correlations of HRV indices with sleep duration and sleep fears. Among females, LF/HF correlated with exposure to violence, r = .39, p = .008, and nHF with census tract rates for violent crime (r = -.35, p = .035). In a stepwise regression, TST accounted for the variance contributed by violent crime to nHF in the female participants. Conclusions Further investigation of relationships between neighborhood environments and SNS/PNS balance during sleep and their consequences, and strategies for mitigating such effects would have implications for health disparities.
2,6-Di­bromo-4-chloro­phenyl isocyanide

Mol­ecules of the title compound, C7H2Br2ClN (RNC), are bis­ected by a mirror plane that passes through the chloro and iso­cyano groups. The iso­cyano C atom is bis­ected by two NC⋯Br contacts, one per Br atom. The resulting centric R22(10) rings form ribbons along [010], which align to form a nearly planar sheet structure that is very similar to the sheets observed in several related 2,6-di­bromo­phenyl cyanides and isocyanides. The crystal of RNC is isomorphous with the corresponding cyanide, with solely translational stacking between sheets. This is in contrast to the 2,4,6-tri­bromo­phenyl cyanide and isocyanide, which occur as different polytypes.
Preoperative Doxycycline Does Not Reduce Propionibacterium acnes in Shoulder Arthroplasty

Background:Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is the most common bacteria associated with infection after shoulder arthroplasty. These bacteria can be grown on culture of skin after standard preoperative skin preparation and antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adding preo
THREE-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSES OF PLATE IMPACT EXPERIMENTS WITH CIRCULAR AND STAR GEOMETRIES

Flier impact experiments are used in the study of dynamic material response and failure. In general, experiments study the material response to the shock processes within the one-dimensional response region of the target before lateral waves from the plate edges arrive. Prior work has indicated that star-shaped flier and target plates reduce the magnitude of the edge effects or extend the one-dimensional response time within the central region of the target plate. To further quantify this effect, we performed three-dimensional finite element simulations of plate impact experiments with circular and two different star geometries for the flier and target plates. Calculations showed that star-shaped plates indeed reduce the magnitude of the edge effects compared to circular plates. However, the star geometries can reduce the one-dimensional response time at the center of the target plate and are more difficult to fabricate than circular geometries.
Fracture Mechanisms in Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics

Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) ceramics can be formed over a wide range of PbTiO3/PbZrO3 ratios and exist in a number of crystal structures. This study involved the use of various fracture mechanics techniques to determine critical fracture toughness, KIC, as a function of composition, microstructure, temperature, and electrical and thermal history. The results of these experiments indicate that variations in KIC are related to phase transformations in the material as well as to other toughening mechanisms such as twinning and microcracking.
Altered formation of the iron oxide nanoparticle-biocorona due to individual variability and exercise.

Abstract Nanoparticles (NPs), introduced into a biological environment, accumulate a coating of biomolecules or biocorona (BC). Although the BC has toxicological and pharmacological consequences, the effects of inter-individual variability and exercise on NP-BC formation are unknown. We hypothesized that NPs incubated in plasma form distinct BCs between individuals, and exercise causes additional intra-individual alterations. 20 nm iron oxide (Fe3O4) NPs were incubated in pre- or post-exercise plasma ex vivo, and proteomics was utilized to evaluate BC components. Analysis demonstrated distinct BC formation between individuals, while exercise was found to enhance NP-BC complexity. Abundance differences of NP-BC proteins were determined between individuals and resulting from exercise. Differential human macrophage response was identified due to NP-BC variability. These findings demonstrate that individuals form unique BCs and that exercise influences NP-biomolecule interactions. An understanding of NP-biomolecule interactions is necessary for elucidation of mechanisms responsible for variations in human responses to NP exposures and/or nano-based therapies.
Utilization of the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme and its association with patient perceptions on healthcare quality.

OBJECTIVE To determine the association between the utilization of the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and patient perceptions of quality of care. METHODS Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) 2014 had 19 questions on perceptions of quality of care received during the last reported health visit (n = 4332). These questions were summarized into an overall 100-point perception score using item response theory (IRT). Patients were divided into three utilization categories: those paying with their NHIS card fully, those paying with their card and out-of-pocket (OOP), and those paying fully OOP. A multiple linear regression model was used to measure the association between NHIS utilization and overall perception. RESULTS In general, NHIS utilization was negatively associated with overall perception, and the difference across utilization categories was higher among private facility users than public facility users. Among private facilities, those who paid fully with NHIS reported five points lower than those who paid fully OOP (P = 0.005). Among public facilities, the difference is only 1.7 (P = 0.4342). CONCLUSION NHIS utilization was a negative predictor for patient perceptions, but the differences are more nuanced according to type of facility. Future GDHS rounds should continue measuring perceptions in aid of policy to improve service delivery under the NHIS.
Crisis support-seeking behavior and temperature in the United States: Is there an association in young adults and adolescents?

Abstract Background Mounting evidence demonstrates the relationship between high temperatures and adverse mental health outcomes. Yet, no study has examined the influence of temperature on crisis support-seeking behavior among youth in large urban areas. Methods Crisis Text Line (CTL) is a text messaging service that provides crisis interventions for support-seeking individuals for a range of mental-health outcomes in the United States. We applied a distributed lag non-linear modeling technique to assess the short-term impacts of daily maximum and minimum temperature on crisis-related events in four metropolitan locations in the USA. Results There were multiple positive associations in three of the four study locations that demonstrate crisis help-seeking behavior increased during anomalously warm conditions. Conclusions This study suggests that there is a significant association between high minimum or maximum temperatures and crisis help-seeking behaviors in young adults and adolescents in urban areas in the United States.
A Low Stakes Introduction to Computer Programming

This Innovative Practice Category Work in Progress paper introduces a one-unit “absolute beginner” computer programming course. The goals of increasing retention and mitigating disparity in experience levels for majors in Computer Science, and increasing the interest of and accessibility for non-majors in computing were similar to those of other redesigns of introductory computing courses. The big difference was the low-stakes format. The course was designed for potential CS majors with no experience, K-12 Education majors, and other majors who want to see what computer programming is and how it might fit into their future. As a one-unit course offered during the school year, many students can take it at no additional cost, and without much risk of it adversely affecting their GPA or other courses. As a class that is not a prerequisite for any other, the class can be taught with wide interdisciplinary focus and limited technical language.
Gaṇeśa Caturthī and the Making of the Aspirational Middle Classes in Rajasthan

This article examines the ways in which religious practices play a critical role in formulating middle-class identities among upwardly mobile Hindu women—members of what I call the “aspirational middle classes”—in Pulan, an urban neighborhood of Udaipur, Rajasthan. It focuses on ritual practices surrounding the Gaṇeśa Caturthī festival, a ten-day festival honoring the elephant-headed god Gaṇeśa, which has become increasingly popular in Udaipur in recent years. The article shows how taking up these new practices enables women to form and perform new middle-class identities within the neighborhood. Yet, as the concluding practices of Gaṇeśa Caturthī require the ritual community to leave the neighborhood for visarjan (ritual immersion of the festival image), outsiders can evaluate their performance of middle-class status and may perceive it as a display of lower-class status. In tracing the shifting meanings of festival practices, both within and beyond Pulan, the article shows how the urban neighborhood emerges as a localized religious space within which nuanced definitions of middle-class identity are constructed and made meaningful.
Nature of symmetry breaking in the superconducting ground state

The order parameters which are thought to detect U(1) gauge symmetry breaking in a superconductor are both nonlocal and gauge dependent. For that reason, they are also ambiguous as a guide to phase structure. We point out that a global subgroup of the local U(1) gauge symmetry may be regarded, in analogy to non-Abelian theories, as a ``custodial'' symmetry affecting the matter field alone, and construct, along the lines of our previous work, a gauge-invariant criterion for breaking symmetries of this kind. It is shown that spontaneous breaking of custodial symmetry is a necessary condition for the existence of spontaneous symmetry breaking of a global subgroup of the (Abelian or non-Abelian) gauge group in any given gauge, and a sufficient condition for the existence of spontaneous breaking of a global subgroup of the gauge group in some gauge. As an illustration, we compute numerically, in a lattice version of the Ginzburg-Landau model, the phase boundaries of the theory and the order parameters associated with various symmetries in each phase.