cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of EMS Responses to Traffic Crashes in the United States for 2014

Background In 2014, there were 6.1 million crashes, resulting in 32,675 fatalities, 2.3 million injured persons, and comprehensive costs of an estimated 836 billion. Reductions in traffic crash fatalities and associated injuries require a comprehensive traffic safety approach that includes emergency medical services (EMS). This study aimed to characterize the EMS response to traffic crashes for the United States in 2014 and examine associations with geographic and socioeconomic factors. Methods Using the 2014 National EMS Database, this study analyzed data from 12 states that had 100% of EMS agencies reporting. Descriptive analyses characterized the EMS response to traffic crashes by time of day, day of week, patient demographics, and urbanicity. Traffic crash incident location zip code was used to link several zip code level socioeconomic variables from the 2010–2014 American Community Survey to each EMS record. Socioeconomic variables were categorized by a quintile distribution. A logistic model was used to determine likelihood estimates between patient demographics and zip-code level socioeconomic variables, with EMS system time, delays, and provider level of service. Results In total there were 288,202 9-1-1 EMS activations dispatched to a traffic crash identified in the 2014 National EMS Database. Activations were concentrated in urban areas (70%) and the majority occurred between the hours of noon and 6 pm (38%). Delays were associated with patient ethnicity and multiple zip code level socioeconomic measures. As the median household income of the zip code crash site decreased, the likelihood of having any EMS delay increased. As the percent of the uninsured population increased, the likelihood of having any EMS delay increased. Patients identified as Hispanic or Latino were two times more likely to have a response and transport delay. American Indians/Alaskan Natives had higher odds of experiencing response delays (OR=1.8), scene delays (OR=1.5), and transport delays (OR =1.9) than any other racial or ethnic group in comparison to Whites. Conclusions Income and racial disparities exist for EMS provider-reported response, scene, and transport delays for traffic crash patients. By identifying disparities, EMS systems should collaborate with public health and traffic safety professionals to develop strategies that decrease gaps in EMS response and service, thereby improving traffic crash mortality and morbidity.
A Control-Plane Perspective on Reducing Data Access Latency in LTE Networks

Control-plane operations are indispensable to providing data access to mobile devices in the 4G LTE networks. They provision necessary control states at the device and network nodes to enable data access. However, the current design may suffer from long data access latency even under good radio conditions. The fundamental problem is that, data-plane packet delivery cannot start or resume until all control-plane procedures are completed, and these control procedures run sequentially by design. We show both are more than necessary under popular use cases. We design DPCM, which reduces data access latency through parallel processing approaches and exploiting device-side state replica. We implement DPCM and validate its effectiveness with extensive evaluations.
Nonlinear least-square estimation (LSE)-based parameter identification of a synchronous generator

The objective of this paper is to identify a synchronous generator's internal voltage, d q -axis reactances using Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data obtained at the terminal bus of the generator. Our approach is to firstly classify the PMU data into inputs and outputs and then identify the relationship between the inputs and the outputs. With different classifications and different assumptions on salience, we obtain three different estimation models. With the relationship expressed by non-linear algebraic equations given, we then apply nonlinear least-square estimation (LSE) and regulated nonlinear LSE to conduct parameter estimation. Case studies are conducted to illustrate the estimation procedure.
Press Forging of Single Crystal Calcium Fluoride

Single crystals of high-purity calcium fluoride have been deformed uniaxially in an attempt to improve strength and resistance to cleavage, without impairing infrared transmission. Order of magnitude increases in strength, such as those found in forged KC1, have not been attained, but fine-grained polycrystalling material has been produced which is resistant to crystalline cleavage. Deformation rates of 10−2 min−1, reductions of 10 to 73% in height, and deformation temperatures of 550 to 1000°C have been used. Flexural strengths over 13,000 psi and grain sizes down to 5 µm have been obtained. Reduction of residual stress through heat treatment has been studied, and resultant techniques applied before, during, and after deformation. No increase in infrared absorption has been noted at the CO laser wavelength of 5.3 µm.
BUILD EXITO: a multi-level intervention to support diversity in health-focused research

As part of the NIH BUILD initiative to diversify the scientific workforce, the EXITO project is a large multi-institutional effort to provide comprehensive support and training for undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented student populations who aspire to health-related research careers. Portland State University, a major public urban university that prioritizes student access and opportunity, and Oregon Health & Science University, a research-intensive academic health center, lead the EXITO network comprised of eleven 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education spanning Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The EXITO project aims for impact in biomedical research by training diverse scholars from indigenous and underserved communities affected by adverse health disparities. Guided by socio-ecological theory, the EXITO project is a multi-level intervention offering a three-year research training pathway for scholars in the biomedical, behavioral, health, and social sciences. Fundamental components of the model include student outreach and engagement, integrated curricular enhancements, intensive research experiences, multi-faceted developmental mentoring, supportive community and services, and rigorous evaluation and quality improvement. EXITO also advances faculty and institutional development in these domains by holding curriculum development conferences, creating research learning communities, awarding pilot project research funding, providing mentor training and ongoing support, collaborating with other research equity programs, and developing campus infrastructure and services to support scholars with diverse backgrounds and needs. The large and geographically broad network of EXITO institutions engages a range of diverse students, including indigenous populations and students beginning post-secondary education at community colleges. The EXITO model specifically accommodates many students transferring from 2-year partner institutions and facilitates seamless transfer to the 4-year institution. EXITO features several approaches to research training, including supported summer entry into research placements, the incorporation of responsible conduct of research content into general education curriculum, and the intentional matching of scholars with three types of mentors (e.g., peer, career, research). EXITO provides an example of a comprehensive research training initiative for traditionally underrepresented students that can be implemented across a diverse range of 2-year and 4-year institutions.
Directed Improvisation in Administrative Financing

This essay examines one of the oldest and most basic problems of governance: how to pay the bureaucracy. Even as a relatively prosperous locale in China, Zouping County is not spared from budgetary pressures. Public organizations must “self-finance” — that is, generate a portion of their own incomes and staff benefits. How do they go about self-financing? Are they free to generate revenue in any manner? Or is their self-financing behavior regulated by certain rules, and if so, which rules? My investigation finds that strategies of administrative self-financing in local China are bound by rules, specifically rules made by an intersecting matrix of vertical and horizontal authorities within the state. More broadly, this account illustrates a key condition of adaptation — which I call “directed improvisation.” Rather than attribute China’s adaptive governance to fixed factors such as history or culture, I argue that the combination of top-down directions and bottom-up improvisation is essential for effective adaptation to occur within the bureaucracy.
Fuel consumption for various driving styles in conventional and hybrid electric vehicles: Integrating driving cycle predictions with fuel consumption optimization*

Improving fuel economy and lowering emissions are key societal goals. Standard driving cycles, pre-designed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have long been used to estimate vehicle ...
Quality of life in breast cancer.

Purpose Currently, 1,721,700 women are living with breast cancer in the United States. As the number of survivors of breast cancer continues to rise, so must our knowledge about unique quality-of-life concerns. This article reports the results of a study on quality of life in women with breast cancer and validates the model of quality of life in this population. Description of study To explore these concerns and to validate a breast cancer quality-of-life model, 21 survivors of breast cancer, across three age strata (younger than 40 years, 40 to 60 years, and older than 60 years), were interviewed and asked to complete quantitative surveys on pain and quality of life. Results Across all age groups, unique issues of survivorship include those related to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. In the domain of physical well-being, the areas of worst outcome were in menstrual changes and fertility, fatigue, and pain. In the domain of psychological well-being, predominant needs were in the areas of fear of the spread of cancer, distress from surgery, recurrence, fear of second cancer, impact on self-concept, and fear of future tests. The social well-being subscale identified the greatest disruption in the area of family distress. The spiritual well-being subscale showed greatest disruption in the area of uncertainty, although other aspects of this domain were usually rated in a positive direction (e.g., importance of religious activities). Clinical implications The data demonstrated the need for further research, assessment, and intervention across each of the quality-of-life domains. There is a significant need to address physical problems; however, the psychological domain demonstrated the greatest area of distress. The multidimensional needs of breast cancer survivors emphasize the need for multidisciplinary collaboration.
Dynamic Noise Immunity, and Skewing/Damping SSN Waveform

In high-speed, high-density CMOS VLSI chips, many output drivers may switch simultaneously. Due to package parasitics, when these outputs switch simultaneously, a significant amount of power/ground noise may be generated in the package V DD /V SS planes and also in the internal (on-chip) V DD /V SS busses. Note that simultaneous switching noise characteristics (i.e., amplitude, width and damping behavior) not only depend on the drive strength of these output drivers, but also depend on the package parasitics [6.1]. Unless these power/ground noise fluctuations are controlled, simultaneous switching noise can degrade or even limit the system performance.
Tariffs to Avoid Eco-dumping for Strategic Trade Policy Reasons

Walz & Wellisch [1997] show in a partial equilibrium framework that the existence of oligopolistic export markets may induce governments to deviate from the optimal (Pigouvian) environmental policy. This results in eco-dumping for open economy reasons, i.e. to shift oligopoly rents1. Furthermore, Walz & Wellisch [1997] argue that environmental policies would not be used for strategic reasons if governments could use a trade instrument. In particular they show that a country or countries engaging in strategic environmental policy would chose an export subsidy on the export good whose PPM causes environmental pollution, while environmental regulation would be set at the Pigouvian level.2
Laminar Flow Control: Introduction and Overview

Research in the area of laminar flow control (LFC) dates back to the 1930’s when early applications of stability theory led to the observation that laminar boundary layers can be stabilized by either favorable pressure gradients or small amounts of wall suction. (An excellent summary of this work is presented in References 1 and 2.) Research was performed in many countries to explore approaches for achieving extensive laminar flow with these concepts. Stabilization of boundary-layer disturbances and instabilities by pressure gradient and shaping became known as natural laminar flow (NLF), and NACA research led to the development of the six-series NLF airfoil. International research on stabilization by suction, referred to as LFC with suction, was intensive at the same time and culminated in the United States in the 1960’s with flight tests of a relatively unswept suction glove on an F-94 aircraft (Reference 3) and X-21 flight tests (References 4–7) of a totally new swept LFC wing on a reconfigured WB-66 aircraft.
A Clinical Perspective on Organizational Development

There are almost as many definitions of organizational development as there are people writing about the field.1-4 In spite of that, there is considerable overlap among these definitions on the focus of organizational development. The definitions emphasize enhancing the adaptive capacity of organizations in the face of environmental changes, technological changes, and internal problems. The definitions bring out the paradox of organizational development: To create an organizational capacity to adapt requires creating the capacity to tear down (or at least challenge) basic assumptions about the organization and control of work and creating the ability to build more viable social forms.
Opening Up the New Frontier

Making the arts nationally available to men and women in every walk of life was becoming a primary emphasis of the Council and the Arts Endowment in the early seventies. Under Nancy Hanks’ deft guidance, the Council had articulated its threefold purpose as the achievement of availability of the arts, cultural resources development, and advancement of the cultural heritage. The three goals provided a strong structure for handling the increasing numbers of requests that were coming into the program offices for assistance to a sweeping selection of arts activities. Without the three broad goals it would have been almost impossible to categorize and process the ferment of creativity the daily mail brought to each program director’s desk.
"It's the magic circle"! using cogenerative dialogues to create a safe environment to address emotional conflicts in a project-based learning science internship

Research is urgently needed to learn how to improve the emotional climate of science learning by ameliorating excesses of negative emotions, which may lead to students dropping out of school, teachers burning out, and health problems for both groups. This is especially true when teachers and students are situated in highly challenging environments such as project-based learning (PBL) practice. PBL is regarded as an effective way to engage students meaningfully in science learning. However, emotional dissonance between teachers and students can arise because of many challenges in PBL (e.g., difficulty of assessing learning, uncertainty about teacher and student roles). In this study, we investigated how cogenerative dialogues (cogens) served as a pedagogical tool to address emotional issues in a PBL science internship. Data sources included 210 h of video-recorded internship and cogen sessions conducted with one laboratory team. Drawing on polyvagal theory and event-oriented inquiry, this case study shows how educators used cogens as a tool to transform the emotional climate in an internship through respectful communication emphasizing equality, thereby increasing reciprocity, equality, and synchronicity among teachers and students. The findings may help students and teachers regulate their expressions of emotion and enhance the quality of classroom interactions and learning environments.
The Pattern of Crime Occurrence in South Korea Using Watson Analytics

Crime has become a major concern in South Korea. OECD Better Life Index indicates that South Korea ranked 26th among 38 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. This paper explores crime patterns in South Korea by using IBM's Watson Analytics. Identifying patterns can contribute to provide more efficient solutions to reducing crimes. Moreover, this information can be provided to citizens to help them avoid dangerous situations. About 180,000 data points from 2004 to 2017 were collected by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea, Statistics Korea (KOSTAT), Korean Educational Statistic Service, and Korea Meteorological Administration. The paper focuses on the overall crime occurrences and felony crimes based on two major categories: situational information and offender's background information. Data were analysed using IBM's Watson Analytics, and several insights with criminal activity were found. The key findings are: 1) the higher the temperature, the higher number of sexual and violent crimes; 2) the percentage of male criminals has been consistently higher than the percentage of female criminal despite the proportions of male and female being roughly equal in South Korea; 3) crimes occurred more frequently in regions with higher population density; 4) the majority of criminals have no religion; 5) it is likely the offenders and victims do not know each other.
Influence of solidification structures on radiation-induced swelling in an additively-manufactured austenitic stainless steel

Abstract Metal additive manufacturing offers potential advantages for producing structural materials, such as austenitic stainless steels, in nuclear power systems. However, the microstructure developed during metal additive processing is notably different from the one developed in conventional processing, and the influence of the microstructural differences on performance in radiation environments has not been fully quantified. Using heavy ion irradiation and transmission electron microscopy, the radiation-induced swelling response of a laser powder-bed fusion-manufactured austenitic stainless steel was investigated at high doses. The influence of solidification-induced dislocation and precipitate structures was studied by comparing the radiation-induced swelling response of a 316 L stainless steel in three microstructural states: as-fabricated, solution annealed, and fully recrystallized. Void swelling was approximately twice as pronounced in the as-fabricated state compared to post-processed states. In the framework of the rate theory for radiation effects, the higher swelling in the as-fabricated state can be explained by the strong sink bias for interstitial point defects exerted by the intermediate density of pre-existing dislocations. Void swelling was inhibited in the vicinity of pre-existing precipitates, but the density of precipitates in the as-fabricated material was not enough to compensate for the increase in swelling caused by dislocations.
Compensation of Fourth-Order Dispersion Induced Distortion in Comb-Based Microwave Photonic Filters

We demonstrate fourth order dispersion compensation of fiber using a pulse shaper to synthesize a sub-800 MHz flat-top microwave photonic filter based on a wideband optical parametric comb.
A Painting, a Crime, a Controversy

The exhibition by the Whitney Museum of American Art of a painting of the lynched Emmett Till by a white woman artist in its Biennial survey exhibition in 2017 caused a controversy that went to the heart of the contemporary art world in the United States. There was a demand made by a group, writing on behalf of artists of color that the painting be removed and destroyed. That demand gave birth to an intensive and very public conversation among important critics, members of academia, and artists. What is the role of identity (and its politics) in art creation and exhibition? Implicitly, what is the role of gatekeepers who can influence the direction of the art market through promoting the work of some artists and not others? What are the obligations of major institutions in shaping public opinion? I seek to test the public responses to the painting and its challengers against what can be seen with sustained observation in the painting itself. Do the issues inhere in the painting or was the painting captured for an external conversation? I hope that this is an example of what evidence that kind of observation can provide—a matter of interest not just in the discourses of art but also of evidence in the context of the law.
Effects of transit-oriented development (TOD) on housing prices: A case study in Wuhan, China

Abstract Rail transit is becoming significant to urban growth and sustainability in China since China is investing more than 2 trillion yuan in urban rail transit during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016–2020). Transit-oriented development (TOD) emphasizes using built-environment factors such as mixed-use, density, and walkability, to maximize the benefits of improving transit accessibility. Although studies illustrate how transit-oriented built-environments amplify the rail transit impact on housing prices within the American context, little attention has been paid to Chinese cities. Using a case study of Wuhan City in China, this study shows that a higher transit proximity premium of housing prices is more likely to occur in the place with more mixed land uses. Policy implications on TOD planning and land value capture near transit station areas are derived.
Reliable molecular dynamics simulations for intrusive uncertainty quantification using generalized interval analysis

Abstract The major source of uncertainty in molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is the interatomic potential function. The interatomic potentials are derived experimentally or from first-principles calculations, and they inherit the measurement error or model-form error in quantum calculation. Nonintrusive uncertainty quantification (UQ) approaches have been applied to estimate the prediction errors of MD simulation. In these approaches, the MD simulation is treated as a black box, thus high computational cost is involved in sampling. In this work, a reliable molecular dynamics (R-MD) mechanism is developed to extend the predictive capability of MD given the input uncertainty. In R-MD, the interatomic potentials are represented as interval-valued functions in order to capture the input uncertainty and imprecision. The advantage of the intrusive UQ approach is the significant reduction of computational cost from traditional sensitivity analysis when assessing the effects of input uncertainty. The interval versions of Lennard-Jones and embedded atomic method (EAM) potentials are developed. Error generating functions associated with EAM potentials are devised to capture the bounds of input variations. Four different computational schemes for uncertainty propagation in R-MD are proposed. An example of uniaxial tensile loading of single-crystal aluminum is used to demonstrate the R-MD framework.
Definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis: Timelines for fabrication and follow‐up

Introduction A definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis can be used to rehabilitate a maxillary defect with the aim of improving speech, deglutition, and elimination of oronasal regurgitation. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the time required to fabricate a definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis and (2) to compare the fabrication and follow-up times between a patient's first and second definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis. Materials and methods A retrospective review was completed of patients that had maxillary definitive obturators fabricated following head and neck surgery from 2002 to 2018 (n = 173). Demographics, clinical data, date of surgery, start date of fabrication, follow-up dates, and prosthesis follow-up data were collected. Results The median time to delivery of the patient's first definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis from the date of surgery was 7.7 months for nonradiated patients and 9.6 months for radiated patients (P ≤ .05). Additionally, there was a significant difference in the median number of appointments to fabricate the 1st definitive maxillary obturator prosthesis as compared to the 2nd prosthesis (6 vs 5; P ≤ .05). Conclusion Fabrication timelines differed based on history of radiotherapy and patient experience. This data is helpful to set expectations for patients and practitioners regarding the process for prosthesis fabrication and follow-up.
Unequal Voting Power

The Code of Good Practice states that “seats (in the national parliament) must be evenly distributed between constituencies.” This principle, sometimes popularized as “one person, one vote” is perhaps the most widely acknowledged principle throughout representative democratic societies—i.e. that each person or voter should have an equal opportunity through his or her representative to determine national policy. This equality is measured by the relative number of persons or voters per representative.
Three-Dimensional Photoengraving of Monolithic, Multifaceted Metasurfaces.

Metasurfaces present a potent platform to manipulate light by the spatial arrangement of sub-wavelength patterns with well-defined sizes and geometries, in thin films. Metasurfaces by definition are planar. However, it would be highly desirable to integrate metasurfaces with diverse, spatially programmed sub-wavelength features into a 3D monolith, to manipulate light within a compact 3D space. Here, a 3D photoengraving strategy is presented; that is, generation of such composite metasurfaces from a single microstructure via the irradiation of multiple interference laser beams onto different facets of the parent azopolymeric microstructure. Through "photofluidization," this technique enables independent inscription and erasing of metasurfaces onto and from individual facets of 3D monoliths with arbitrary shapes and dimensions, in a high-throughput fashion (over approximately a few cm2 at a time). By engraving discrete sub-wavelength 1D surface relief gratings of different pitches on different facets of an inverse pyramidal array, a multiplexing structure-color filter is demonstrated.
Educação Superior: o que motiva a escolha pelos cursos de Engenharia?

The theme of this article is related to the choice of the engineering profession. In recent years, the demand for this graduation course has decreased and the number of graduates has been decreasing, which points to a possible breakdown in engineering courses. The objective of this article is to identify the aspects related to one’s choice of academic program regarding incoming Higher Education students. The central question posed to the students is: Why did you choose to enter in this program? We used a qualitative methodology. The participating subjects were students in Engineering programs who were taking Graphic Expression classes. We obtained that two categories distinguished their choices. The first category was associated with the affinity with the course and is related to the peculiar characteristics of each course and of the students themselves. The second points to the professional perspective involving aspects such as status of the profession, social recognition, remuneration and connection with the job market. We conclude that there is a correlation between the students’ identification with the course and their motivation that relates to individual characteristics, so the satisfaction with the course and the possibility of professional growth make the student look for the conclusion of the graduation.
Statistical Inference on the Hilbert Sphere with Application to Random Densities

The infinite-dimensional Hilbert sphere $S^\infty$ has been widely employed to model density functions and shapes, extending the finite-dimensional counterpart. We consider the Frechet mean as an intrinsic summary of the central tendency of data lying on $S^\infty$. To break a path for sound statistical inference, we derive properties of the Frechet mean on $S^\infty$ by establishing its existence and uniqueness as well as a root-$n$ central limit theorem (CLT) for the sample version, overcoming obstructions from infinite-dimensionality and lack of compactness on $S^\infty$. Intrinsic CLTs for the estimated tangent vectors and covariance operator are also obtained. Asymptotic and bootstrap hypothesis tests for the Frechet mean based on projection and norm are then proposed and are shown to be consistent. The proposed two-sample tests are applied to make inference for daily taxi demand patterns over Manhattan modeled as densities, of which the square roots are analyzed on the Hilbert sphere. Numerical properties of the proposed hypothesis tests which utilize the spherical geometry are studied in the real data application and simulations, where we demonstrate that the tests based on the intrinsic geometry compare favorably to those based on an extrinsic or flat geometry.
Carotid stiffness, intima-media thickness and aortic augmentation index among adults with SARS-CoV-2.

NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? We sought to investigate whether carotid stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness and the aortic augmentation index are altered in young adults 3-4 weeks after contraction of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) compared with young healthy adults. What is the main finding and its importance? We found that carotid stiffness, Young's modulus and the aortic augmentation index were greater in young adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 compared with healthy young adults. These findings provide additional evidence for detrimental effects of SARS-CoV-2 on young adult vasculature, which might have implications for cardiovascular health. ABSTRACT: Contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been observed to cause decrements in vascular function of young adults. However, less is known about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on arterial stiffness and structure, which might have additional implications for cardiovascular health. The purpose of this study was to assess the carotid artery stiffness and structure using ultrasound and the aortic augmentation index (AIx) using applanation tonometry in young adults after they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesized that carotid artery stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and aortic AIx would be elevated in young adults with SARS-CoV-2 compared with healthy young adults. We evaluated 15 young adults (six male and nine female; 20 ± 1 years of age; body mass index, 24 ± 3 kg m-2 ) 3-4 weeks after a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result compared with young healthy adults (five male and 10 female; 23 ± 1 years of age; body mass index, 22 ± 2 kg m-2 ) who were evaluated before the coronavirus 2019 pandemic. Carotid stiffness, Young's modulus and cIMT were assessed using ultrasound, whereas aortic AIx and aortic AIx standardized to 75 beats min-1 (AIx@HR75) were assessed from carotid pulse wave analysis using SphygmoCor. Group differences were observed for carotid stiffness (control, 5 ± 1 m s-1 ; SARS-CoV-2, 6 ± 1 m s-1 ), Young's modulus (control, 396 ± 120 kPa; SARS-CoV-2, 576 ± 224 kPa), aortic AIx (control, 3 ± 13%; SARS-CoV-2, 13 ± 9%) and aortic AIx@HR75 (control, -3 ± 16%; SARS-CoV-2, 10 ± 7%; P 0.05). This cross-sectional analysis revealed higher carotid artery stiffness and aortic stiffness among young adults with SARS-CoV-2. These results provide further evidence of cardiovascular impairments among young adults recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection, which should be considered for cardiovascular complications associated with SARS-CoV-2.
Communicating with farmers about conservation practices: Lessons learned from a systematic review of survey studies

To identify gaps in research related to communicating with farmers about conservation, we conducted a systematic review of 49 articles based in the United States about conservation that included a survey of farmers and featured information or communication items in the survey. We found that studies most often included active information seeking survey items, and next most commonly included items about information sharing and barriers. As phrasing of communication and information survey items varied widely, we offer recommendations to clarify wording and reduce respondent burden. We also identified themes, including that farmers tend to seek or receive information about conservation from multiple sources and that they show preferences for specific information channels and sources. Media may play an important role, but few studies examined media usage.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation in older adults with sensory loss

Purpose : Past studies have shown that social isolation and loneliness are risk factors for increasing mortality among older adults. Adults with vision loss and hearing loss are likely to experience greater social isolation and loneliness compared to healthy controls. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person interactions were discouraged due to the risk of infection, public-health messaging and governmental stay-at-home orders. This study was designed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the social interactions and emotional wellbeing in adults with sensory loss. Methods : Three groups of older adults - vision loss (N = 13, legally blind), hearing loss (N = 24, hearing-aid or cochlear-implant users), and controls (N = 18) - were recruited from the Twin Cities Minnesota community (mean age = 68.18, range = 57 to 80). Participants were interviewed every 4 to 6 weeks from the end of April to the end of October using the same set of questions. The initial interview at the end of April included retrospective responses to the questions regarding participants' status at the beginning of March, prior to pandemic restrictions, and the beginning of April, after the onset of pandemic restrictions. The survey questions addressed (1) demographic and health information, (2) average number of in-person and electronic social interactions per week, (3) sense of loneliness, (4) accessibility of daily services such as grocery shopping, (5) mental health, (6) worry levels about COVID infection, and (7) impact on daily activities. Results : There was a significant decline of in-person social interactions in all three groups after the pandemic started, accompanied by a significant increase of electronic social interaction. From late April to October, the number of in-person interactions increased in the control and hearing-loss groups but remained depressed in the vision-loss group. The number of electronic social interactions did not change significantly during this time period. All three groups had worse scores on the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) after the start of the pandemic. Participants with vision loss demonstrated higher worry levels about touching things. Participants with hearing loss worried more about understanding speech from people wearing masks. Conclusions : Our results have shown the widespread impact of the pandemic on social interactions and emotional wellbeing of older adults with sensory loss.
Multi-cumulant control for zero-sum differential games : Performance-measure statistics and state-feedback paradigm

This chapter presents an extension of cost-cumulant control theory over a finite horizon for a class of stochastic zero-sum differential games wherein the evolution of the states of the game in response to decision strategies selected by two players from sets of admissible controls is described by a stochastic linear differential equation and a standard integral-quadratic cost. A direct dynamic programming approach for the Mayer optimization problem is used to solve for a multi-cumulant based solution when both players measure the states and minimize the first finite number of cumulants of the standard integral-quadratic cost associated with this special class of differential games. This innovative decision-making paradigm is proposed herein to provide not only a mechanism in which the conflicting interests of noncooperative players can be optimized, but also an analytical tool which is used to provide a complete statistical description of the global performance of the stochastic differential game.
Column Response to Horizontal-Vertical Earthquakes

Using a simple structural model which consists of a massless column supporting a concentrated mass at the top, it is shown that the vertical ground motion in an earthquake can amplify the power of the horizontal ground motion, and cause greater horizontal structural displacement response. Furthermore, this amplification effect is greater for greater initial response; i.e., the response initally computed without taking the vertical excitation into consideration. Although the present analysis is based on a linear structural model, numerical computations have included large deflections so that the general trend can become more visible, and the results so obtained can provide useful guides for future investigation into the nonlinear inelastic regimes.
Ratio Analysis and Equity Valuation: From Research to Practice

Financial statement analysis has traditionally been seen as part of thefundamental analysis required for equity valuation. But the analysis has typicallybeen ad hoc. Drawing on recent research on accounting-based valuation, this paperoutlines a financial statement analysis for use in equity valuation. Standardprofitability analysis is incorporated, and extended, and is complemented with ananalysis of growth. An analysis of operating activities is distinguished from theanalysis of financing activities. The perspective is one of forecasting payoffs to equities. So financial statement analysis is presented as a matter of pro formaanalysis of the future, with forecasted ratios viewed as building blocks offorecasts of payoffs. The analysis of current financial statements is then seen asa matter of identifying current ratios as predictors of the future ratios thatdetermine equity payoffs. The financial statement analysis is hierarchical, withratios lower in the ordering identified as finer information about those higher up.To provide historical benchmarks for forecasting, typical values for ratios aredocumented for the period 1963–1999, along with their cross-sectionalvariation and correlation. And, again with a view to forecasting, the time seriesbehavior of many of the ratios is also described and their typical “long-run,steady-state” levels are documented.
A continuous record of intereruption velocity change at Mount St. Helens from coda wave interferometry

In September 2004, Mount St. Helens volcano erupted after nearly 18 years of quiescence. However, it is unclear from the limited geophysical observations when or if the magma chamber replenished following the 1980–1986 eruptions in the years before the 2004–2008 extrusive eruption. We use coda wave interferometry with repeating earthquakes to measure small changes in the velocity structure of Mount St. Helens volcano that might indicate magmatic intrusion. By combining observations of relative velocity changes from many closely located earthquake sources, we solve for a continuous function of velocity changes with time. We find that seasonal effects dominate the relative velocity changes. Seismicity rates and repeating earthquake occurrence also vary seasonally; therefore, velocity changes and seismicity are likely modulated by snow loading, fluid saturation, and/or changes in groundwater level. We estimate hydrologic effects impart stress changes on the order of tens of kilopascals within the upper 4 km, resulting in annual velocity variations of 0.5 to 1%. The largest nonseasonal change is a decrease in velocity at the time of the deep Mw = 6.8 Nisqually earthquake. We find no systematic velocity changes during the most likely times of intrusions, consistent with a lack of observable surface deformation. We conclude that if replenishing intrusions occurred, they did not alter seismic velocities where this technique is sensitive due to either their small size or the finite compressibility of the magma chamber. We interpret the observed velocity changes and shallow seasonal seismicity as a response to small stress changes in a shallow, pressurized system.
An FPGA design to achieve fast and accurate results for molecular dynamics simulations

A Molecular Dynamics (MD) system is defined by the position and momentum of particles and their interactions. The dynamics of a system can be evaluated by an N-body problem and the simulation is continued until the energy reaches equilibrium. Thus, solving the dynamics numerically and evaluating the interaction is computationally expensive even for a small number of particles in the system. We are focusing on long-ranged interactions, since the calculation time is O(N2) for an N particle system. There are many existing algorithms aimed at reducing the calculation time of MD simulations. Multigrid (MG) method [1] reduces O(N2) calculation time to O(N) time while still achieving reasonable accuracy. Another movement to achieve much faster calculation time is running MD simulation on special purpose processors and customized hardware with ASICs or FPGAs. In this paper, we design and implement an FPGA-based MD simulator with an efficient MG method.
Genetics and the law: a scientist's view.

ideas. Chief among these was a belief that the genetics accepted all over the rest of the world was formalistic, bourgeois and metaphysical. 1 3 Later, toward the end of his reign as dictator of Soviet biology, Lysenko proposed fundamental changes in the theory of evolution. He claimed that competition does not occur between individuals of a single species in a confined environment and thus plays no role in evolution. He argued that the natural thinning out of crowded saplings in a clump occurs because some of them "sacrifice themselves for the good of the species,"' 4 not because some young trees are more efficient than others in competing for a limited supply of nutrients or water. He expressed this concept not merely as a theory, but as a natural law: The Law of the Existence of a Species. He said that the law manifests itself in a species doing all it can to'flourish. Again no experimental evidence was forthcoming. Lysenko found the Darwinian idea of competition within a species unacceptable not because he had facts to the contrary, but because it had roots in the reactionary writings of Malthus.15 Lysenko legitimated his natural law by tying it to ideology. During the same period, rigorous experiments outside the Soviet Union were consistently confirming and extending the hypotheses of classical genetics. Genes and mutations provided an explanation for the variation within species that is fundamental to Darwinian ideas. In the early 1940's, scientists discovered that each gene actually specifies one protein. In the mid 1940's, genes were identified with DNA which was already known to be a major component of chromosomes. In the 1940's and early 1950's, it was shown that DNA molecules alone carry genetic information. In 1953, Watson and Crick built a model for the structure of DNA that was consistent with the chemistry known at the time. The model inherently demonstrated how DNA can make a precise copy of itself thereby 12. Id. at 25. 13. For a general discussion of the ties between genetic theory and values, see, Graham, Political Idealogy and Genetic Theory: Russia and Germany in the 1920"s, HASTINGS CENTER REP., October 1977, at 30. 14. MEDVEDEV, supra note 11, at 168. 15. Id. at 167.
Background Social Structures and Disability Discrimination in the United States and Canada

Several social structures deeply affect the equality of people with disabilities, but are not ordinarily considered when addressing attitudinal and environmental barriers that disadvantage disabled people. These structures, which relate to employment and the law that regulates it, are: (1) the legal doctrine of employment at will as opposed to notice or severance payment in lieu of notice; (2) unionization or its absence; and (3) government-sponsored social insurance programs. These structures differ from country to country, even between nations with a similar legal heritage. Drawing comparisons between Canada and the United States with regard to each social structure, this paper describes these arrangements and their impact, then discusses how their reform could enhance equality for people with disabilities.
SMEs and Export Involvement:: Market Responsiveness, Technology and Alliances

In a global economic environment, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face increased competition from world-scale manufacturers at home and abroad. The continued existence of SMEs may sometimes seem at risk. This study investigates SMEs in peripheral Jutland, a rural region of Denmark, where SMEs dominate manufacturing employment and take an active role in exporting. The study particularly examines the importance of (1) market responsiveness, (2) investments in information and technology, and (3) export cooperation among SMEs.
High-Pressure Effects

Experiments under hydrostatic and uniaxial pressure serve not only as a guide in the synthesis of materials with superior superconducting properties but also allow a quantitative test of theoretical models. In this chapter the pressure dependence of the superconducting properties of elemental, binary, and multi-atom superconductors are explored, with an emphasis on those exhibiting relatively high values of the transition temperature Tc. In contrast to the vast majority of superconductors, where Tc decreases under pressure, in the cuprate oxides Tc normally increases. Uniaxial pressure studies give evidence that this increase arises mainly from the reduction in the area of the CuO2 planes (Tc approximately proportional to inverse square area), rather than in the separation between the planes, thus supporting theoretical models which attribute the superconductivity primarily to intraplanar pairing interactions. More detailed information would be provided by future experiments in which the hydrostatic and uniaxial pressure dependences of several basic parameters, such as Tc, the superconducting gap, the pseudo-gap, the carrier concentration, and the exchange interaction are determined for a given material over the full range of doping.
Journaling of journal is (almost) free

Lightweight databases and key-value stores manage the consistency and reliability of their own data, often through rollback-recovery journaling or write-ahead logging. They further rely on file system journaling to protect the file system structure and metadata. Such journaling of journal appears to violate the classic end-to-end argument for optimal database design. In practice, we observe a significant cost (up to 73% slowdown) by adding the Ext4 file system journaling to the SQLite database on a Google Nexus 7 tablet running a Ubuntu Linux installation. The cost of file system journaling is up to 58% on a conventional machine with an Intel 311 SSD.In this paper, we argue that such cost is largely due to implementation limitations of the existing system. We apply two simple techniques--ensuring a single I/O operation on the synchronous commit path, and adaptively allowing each file to have a custom journaling mode (in particular, whether to journal the file data in addition to the metadata). Compared to SQLite without file system journaling, our enhanced journaling improves the performance or incurs minor (