cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A high-quality factor piezoelectric-on-substrate phononic crystal micromechanical resonator

In this paper phononic crystal (PnC) micromechanical structures with phononic band gaps (PnBGs) are used to effectively confine acoustic modes in a resonator. Two different types of resonant modes are obtained at ∼130 MHz with measured quality factors (Qs) of ∼3,600 and ∼10,000 in air. The PnC resonator is fabricated on a silicon on isolator (SOI) substrate with silicon (Si) layer thickness of 15 µm. The modes in the resonator are excited by a thin piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) layer sputtered and patterned on the Si slab. The ZnO layer is sandwiched between two metallic electrodes. The shape of the top electrode and the design of the resonator result in the excitation of an anti-symmetric and a symmetric resonant mode. The mode shapes and resonance frequencies of these two modes are obtained using finite element method and the results are in a very good agreement with the experimental data. The electrical characteristics of the resonant modes are extracted by fitting a Buttherworth-Van-Dyke model. The measured results verify the effectiveness of these PnC structures in confining different types of modes in a resonant region and show their potential in realizing resonators with better performance over their conventional counterparts.
Convergence Results for an Analytical Trial Free-Boundary Method

Etude d'un probleme a frontiere libre a deux dimensions. Approximation par des iterations de la solution. Etablissement de la convergence avec estimation d'erreur
Improving secondary students' perception of the “dreaded mathematics word problem assignment” by giving them more word problems

The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend research on academic assignment preference by presenting high school students with control assignments containing eight 2-digit × 2-digit + 2-digit × 2-digit mathematics reading problems, experimental assignments that contained eight equivalent 2-digit × 2-digit + 2-digit × 2-digit problems, and three additional interspersed 4-digit + 4-digit mathematics reading problems. After spending 10 minutes and 40 seconds working on each assignment, significantly more high school students ranked the experimental assignments as being less difficult. When given a choice between the two assignments for homework, significantly more students chose a new experimental assignment. No differences were found on accuracy levels across assignments. Although the experimental assignments contained more problems, the students preferred the experimental over the control assignments. Discussion focuses on future research designed to investigate the applied implications of the interspersal technique within educational settings. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Drug-Resistant Pneumococcus: Clinical Relevance, Therapy, and Prevention

Streptococcus pneumoniae has been known for > 100 years as the most important bacterial pathogen of the respiratory tract in adults and children. In recent years, the pneumococcus has begun to exhibit increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. Because of the huge number of infections caused by this organism, the development of resistance has changed the approach to many infectious disease problems, particularly with regard to empiric antibiotic therapy and prophylaxis. In our review of the antibiotic-resistant pneumococcus, we review the microbiologic basis for resistance, risk factors for and clinical relevance of infection by a resistant organism, and infection control measures.
Entrepreneurial Versus Conservative Firms: A Comparison of Strategies and Performance

This article describes a study of the business strategies and performance levels of firms with entrepreneurial and conservative strategic postures. Data were collected from the senior executives of 111 small manufacturing firms. Results indicate that entrepreneurial firms differ from conservative firms in terms of their growth rates as well as several financial, operating, and marketing-related variables. the data suggest that the patterns of strategic behaviour associated with high performance are different for entrepreneurial and conservative firms.
Draft Genome Sequences of Five Pseudomonas fluorescens Subclade I and II Strains, Isolated from Human Respiratory Samples

We report the draft genomes of five Pseudomonas fluorescens strains, isolated from clinical samples. Phylogenetic analysis places three in subclade I and two in subclade II of the P. fluorescens species complex. The average G+C content and genomic size are 63% and 7.1 Mbp (subclade I) and 59.6% and 6.14 Mbp (subclade II), respectively.
Predictive Validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale-Observer Form on Statewide Testing Scores: An Initial Investigation.

The present study examined the validity of a teacher observation measure, the Classroom Strategies Scale--Observer Form (CSS), as a predictor of student performance on statewide tests of mathematics and English language arts. The CSS is a teacher practice observational measure that assesses evidence-based instructional and behavioral management practices in elementary school. A series of two-level hierarchical generalized linear models were fitted to data of a sample of 662 third- through fifth-grade students to assess whether CSS Part 2 Instructional Strategy and Behavioral Management Strategy scale discrepancy scores (i.e., ∑ |recommended frequency--frequency ratings|) predicted statewide mathematics and English language arts proficiency scores when percentage of minority students in schools was controlled. Results indicated that the Instructional Strategy scale discrepancy scores significantly predicted mathematics and English language arts proficiency scores: Relatively larger discrepancies on observer ratings of what teachers did versus what should have been done were associated with lower proficiency scores. Results offer initial evidence of the predictive validity of the CSS Part 2 Instructional Strategy discrepancy scores on student academic outcomes.
The Nature and Structure of Time

The Transactional Interpretation describes quantum wave functions traveling in both time directions in an even-handed and symmetric way. From this one is led to ask about the origins of the macroscopic “arrow of time” that is evident in the everyday world. This question is complicated by the presence of at least five seemingly independent “arrows of time” that can be identified in the physical world. Let me briefly review them.
Mathematical analysis of a phenytoin--disulfiram interaction

A case of phenytoin-disulfiram drug interaction is analyzed with a mathematical technique used in enzyme kinetics. Serum anticonvulsant levels, obtained before, during, and after disulfiram administration, were collected from hospital records retrospectively. Phenytoin kinetic constants--maximal velocity of metabolism (Vmax) and Michaelis-Menten constant (km)--before, during, and after disulfiram administration, were compared. The slopes (km) of the regression lines analyzed by a small sample t test for parallelism were not significantly different (p greater than 0.05). Y-intercept (Vmax) values obtained before (433 mg/day) and after (463 mg/day) disulfiram are both significantly different when compared with the y-intercept during (264 mg/day) disulfiram administration, by a small-sample t test for common intercept (p less than 0.05). Changes in the elimination rate of phenytoin or changes in y-intercept result from noncompetitive drug effects. It is concluded that disulfiram affects phenytoin's elimination rate by noncompetitive mechanisms.
Probing 3D Collective Cancer Invasion Using Double-Stranded Locked Nucleic Acid Biosensors

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and metastases are responsible for over 90% of human cancer deaths. There is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutics for suppressing cancer invasion, the initial step of metastasis. Nevertheless, the regulation of cancer invasion is poorly understood due to a paucity of tools for monitoring the invasion process in 3D microenvironments. Here, we report a double-stranded locked nucleic acid (dsLNA) biosensor for investigating 3D collective cancer invasion. By incorporating multiphoton microscopy and the dsLNA biosensor, we perform dynamic single cell gene expression analysis while simultaneously characterizing the biomechanical interaction between the invading sprouts and the extracellular matrix. Gene profiling of invasive leader cells and detached cells suggest distinctive signaling mechanisms involved in collective and individual invasion in the 3D microenvironment. Our results underscore the involvement of Notch signaling in 3D collective cancer invasion...
THE DYNAMICS OF THE CENTER OF MASS IN THE ANALYSIS OF NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL GAIT

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the dynamics of the center of mass in the analysis of normal and pathological gait. It presents a study that was conducted to develop a system for monitoring the dynamic center of mass and to examine its usefulness in the evaluation of pathological gait. It was desired that such a system would calculate the acceleration, velocity, displacement, energy, and work of the center of mass. The problem in obtaining the desired information is that the dynamic center of mass cannot be directly measured. Earlier investigators approximated center of mass motion with the motion of the trunk and pelvis as measured by film techniques or accelerometers. Cavagna showed that the motion of the center of mass in normal subjects can be measured most accurately with a force plate. Cavagna also pointed out that the variations in potential energy and kinetic energy are approximately 180 out of phase in the normal subject, tending to minimize total energy variation and therefore minimize the work of walking. The degree of correlation of these energy changes has not been quantified in any useful manner. The study showed that the data for the normal subjects shows high reproducibility from subject to subject and agreed very favorably with previously published data.
Improving nursing students’ assessment of fall risk in community-dwelling older adults

Nationally, approximately one third of older adults fall each year. Falls and resulting injury result in decreased mobility, functional impairment, loss of independence, and increased mortality. Utilization of evidence-based protocols by health care providers to identify older adults at risk of falling is limited, and rates of participation by older adults in prevention activities is low. Because of nursing's increasing role in caring for older adults, development of fall prevention education for nursing students would result in increased awareness of the need for fall prevention in community-dwelling older adults and increased access of older adults to falls risk assessment. There is a need to extend research to inform teaching and learning strategies for fall prevention. After pretesting, a convenience sample of 52 undergraduate nursing students and 22 graduate nursing students completed an online education program and performed a falls risk assessment on an older adult. After completing the clinical assignment, students completed a posttest and self-efficacy survey. Data were analyzed using multivariate statistical tests. Results revealed an increase in knowledge and student self-reporting of efficacy of fall risk assessment skills for the older adult population. This study suggests that nursing students acquired the necessary knowledge and self-efficacy for assessing fall risk of older adults through the combination of an online learning module and participating in actual fall risk assessment of an older adult.
U.S. responses to the Tiananmen and Kwangju incidents: American relations with China and Korea

This article focuses upon American relations with China and Korea through a comparative exploration of U.S. responses to the 1989 Tiananmen and 1980 Kwangju incidents. The thesis contends that U.S. policy towards both countries was founded primarily upon security and economic interests and was often obscured by a lack of understanding of these nations’ internal affairs, history, and culture. Although these factors exist in U.S. relations with the two countries, the United States places greater importance upon China than Korea, a situation that does not necessarily benefit Americans.
Nursing home staff perspectives on adoption of an innovation in goals of care communication.

Nursing homes (NH) are important settings for end-of-life care, but limited implementation may impede goals of care discussions. The purpose of this study was to understand NH staff perceptions of adoption and sustainability of the Goals of Care video decision aid for families of residents with advanced dementia. Study design was a cross-sectional survey of staff at 11 NHs in North Carolina who participated in the Goals of Care (GOC) cluster randomized clinical trial. Staff perceived the GOC decision aid intervention as a positive innovation; it was perceived as more compatible with current practices by male staff, nurses, and more experienced NH staff. Perceptions were correlated with experience, implying that experience with an innovative approach may help to promote improved GOC communication in nursing homes. Nurses and social work staff could be effective champions for implementing a communication technique, like the GOC intervention.
The Who of Environmental Ethics: Phenomenology and the Moral Self

This chapter offers a defense of those forms of environmental ethics and ecopsychology that appeal to direct first-person emotive experiences of the natural world. Inspired by the work of Aldo Leopold, Arne Naess, and Val Plumwood, I will show that a phenomenology of moral experience and personal identity makes possible an understanding of an ecologically informed self-identity adequate to serve as a point of departure for a non-anthropocentric ethic of care and connectedness to others. I shall argue that the ecological self, as a form of personal identity, is able to integrate three layers of selfhood, the body self, the narrative self, and the reflective self, into a form of moral subjectivity that gives voice and respect to the complexity and varieties of moral experience. The ecological self, understood in this way, supports an ethical and healing relation to the natural world by recovering and integrating into its identity qualities which have been systematically denied by the modern separation of self and other, culture and nature, human and animal, and reason and emotion. This chapter argues that moral experience is structured by a prima facie form of rationality inherent in the intentional structure of experience. Consequently, the first-person moral experience that naturally flows from an ecological self cannot be easily dismissed as “mere subjectivity” as the dominant forms of modern moral theory are quick to do. Furthermore, the resulting understanding of moral subjectivity and the intentional structure of moral experience leads to a perspectival and pragmatic, rather than a metaphysical, understanding of value, thereby undercutting the worry of eco-fascism that has plagued eco-philosophies such as Leopold’s land ethic and Naess’s deep ecology. In turn, this understanding of moral experience and an ecologically informed personal identity opens up a new way of understanding the task of moral philosophy.
Statistical Primer for Athletic Trainers: The Essentials of Understanding Measures of Reliability and Minimal Important Change

Objective: To describe the concepts of measurement reliability and minimal important change. Background: All measurements have some magnitude of error. Because clinical practice involves measurem...
The basal ganglia-circa 1982 - A review and commentary

A review is presented of recent studies which utilize new anterograde and retrograde axon transport methods in order to improve knowledge of the projection of the basal ganglia and to clarify their sites of origin. These studies have thrown new light on certain topographic connectional relationships and have revealed several new reciprocal connections between constituent nuclei of the basal ganglia. Also examined are the many new histochemical techniques that are now providing regional biochemical overlays for connectional maps of the central nervous system, especially regions in or interconnecting with the basal ganglia.
Optimizing bioreactor growth of the smallest eukaryote

Photosynthetic organisms are adept at circumventing nutrient deprivation. Microalgae in particular present novel adaptations to nutrient and light starvation since they can scavenge external and internal nutrient pools to redistribute energy resources for survival. In this report, a turbidostatic photobioreactor was used to characterize environmental conditions and nutrient requirements for cultures of the smallest free-living eukaryote Ostreococcus tauri. Optimized growth conditions were identified that enable 4-times faster phototrophic growth-rates while increasing total biomass 10-fold. By achieving phototrophic doubling times shorter than 6 hours, these results highlight the potential of this smallest eukaryote for future industrial bioproduct applications.
Structurally Related Kappa Opioid Receptor Agonists with Substantial Differential Signaling Bias: Neuroendocrine and Behavioral Effects in C57BL6 Mice.

Background The kappa opioid receptor system has been revealed as a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for the treatment of addictions to substances of abuse. Kappa opioid receptor agonists have been shown to block the rewarding and dopamine-releasing effects of psychostimulants. Recent investigations have profiled the in vivo effects of compounds biased towards G-protein-mediated signaling, with less potent arrestin-mediated signaling. The compounds studied here derive from a series of trialkylamines: N-substituted-N- phenylethyl-N-3-hydroxyphenylethyl-amine, with N-substituents including n-butyl (BPHA), methylcyclobutyl (MCBPHA), and methylcyclopentyl (MCPPHA). Methods BPHA, MCBPHA, and MCPPHA were characterized in vitro in a kappa opioid receptor-expressing cell line in binding assays and functional assays. We also tested the compounds in C57BL6 mice, assaying incoordination with rotarod, as well as circulating levels of the neuroendocrine kappa opioid receptor biomarker, prolactin. Results BPHA, MCBPHA, and MCPPHA showed full kappa opioid receptor agonism for G-protein coupling compared with the reference compound U69,593. BPHA showed no measurable β-arrestin-2 recruitment, indicating that it is extremely G-protein biased. MCBPHA and MCPPHA, however, showed submaximal efficacy for recruiting β-arrestin-2. Studies in C57BL6 mice reveal that all compounds stimulate release of prolactin, consistent with dependence on G-protein signaling. MCBPHA and MCPPHA result in rotarod incoordination, whereas BPHA does not, consistent with the reported requirement of intact kappa opioid receptor/β-arrestin-2 mediated coupling for kappa opioid receptor agonist-induced rotarod incoordination. Conclusions BPHA, MCBPHA, and MCPPHA are thus novel differentially G-protein-biased kappa opioid receptor agonists. They can be used to investigate how signaling pathways mediate kappa opioid receptor effects in vitro and in vivo and to explore the effects of candidate kappa opioid receptor-targeted pharmacotherapeutics.
Vibratory In Situ and Laboratory Soil Moduli Compared

A comparison of in situ determined and laboratory determined vibratory, shear, and compression moduli for 13 sites within the United States and one site in the Marshall Islands indicates that, in general, the laboratory-determined moduli ranged within ±50% of the in situ moduli. This degree of agreement is considered good since reasonable variations in confining pressure and density can easily account for the differences. At three sites, the laboratory-determined moduli were as much as 86% less than the in situ moduli. It is believed that additional field investigations are required to establish the cause of these deviations.
Airborne Lidar Characterization of Oceanic Phenomena

Airborne polarization lidar has been used to characterize a variety of oceanic phenomena. Physical phenomena, such as internal waves and turbulence, were observed by tracking scattering layers at density gradients in the upper ocean.
Femtosecond Pulse Generation: Principles and Fiber Applications

The principles of ultrashort pulse generation by passive modelocking are outlined. Particular attention is paid to the fast saturable absorber case as exemplified by Kerr-lens modelocking (KLM) and polarization additive-pulse-modelocking (P-APM). Steady-state behavior is described in the context of the master equation, and limitations of theory and practice are discussed. Application of these principles to ultrashort-pulse fiber lasers is demonstrated by soliton laser and stretched-pulse laser examples.
A CA2+ -ACTIVATED MUSCLE PROTEASE IN MYOFIBRILLAR PROTEIN TURNOVER

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Ca 2+ -activated muscle protease in myofibrillar protein turnover. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that, when incubated with individual, purified myofibrillar proteins, the protease degrades C-protein, tropomyosin, troponin-T, and troponin-I but has no effect on either the heavy or light chains of myosin, a-actinin, actin, or troponin-C. Degradation of C-protein by the protease produces two fragments of approximately 10,000 and 130,000 daltons. Degradation of tropomyosin, troponin-T, and troponin-I by the protease results in fragments of approximately 10,000–14,000 daltons. Because the Ca 2+ -activated protease has free access to myofibrils in the muscle cell, its activity must be under close regulation to prevent continuous and indiscriminate degradation of functioning fibrils.
Fermentation Substrates from Cellulosic Materials: Production of Fermentable Sugars from Cellulosic Materials

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the production of fermentable sugars from cellulosic materials. The chapter presents a comparison of the availability and the economy of utilization of cellulosic wastes as an alternative natural resource to those of petroleum crude oil, which is the major raw material source of current chemical industries. The chapter discusses the use of selective solvent extraction to fractionate cellulosic wastes into three individual components: (1) cellulose, (2) hemicellulose, and (3) lignin. Once cellulose is dissolved in a solution, it is neither protected by a crystalline structure nor lignin seal. The composition of cellulosic materials varies widely from plant species to species. It also varies because of different harvesting and storage conditions.
Quantum Processes Systems, and Information

A new and exciting approach to the basics of quantum theory, this undergraduate textbook contains extensive discussions of conceptual puzzles and over 800 exercises and problems. Beginning with three elementary 'qubit' systems, the book develops the formalism of quantum theory, addresses questions of measurement and distinguishability, and explores the dynamics of quantum systems. In addition to the standard topics covered in other textbooks, it also covers communication and measurement, quantum entanglement, entropy and thermodynamics, and quantum information processing. This textbook gives a broad view of quantum theory by emphasizing dynamical evolution, and exploring conceptual and foundational issues. It focuses on contemporary topics, including measurement, time evolution, open systems, quantum entanglement, and the role of information.
Advancing health equity through the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program.

Achieving health equity requires addressing social determinants of health. Promoting health equity as it relates to cancer control is one of six priorities of the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP). This article describes recent activities implemented by three NCCCP awardees (North-west Portland Area Indian Health Board, Kansas, Michigan) and the CDC-funded National Behavior Health Network (NBHN), whose aim is to reduce health disparities among those with mental health and/or substance disorders. North-west Portland administered tribal surveys to help better understand tribal cancer-related risk factors, health behaviors, provide baseline data to support their cancer plan, and obtain resources for targeted interventions. Kansas established a health equity workgroup with a vision of addressing health equity through implementation and uptake of activities among all Kansans. Michigan provided trainings in health equity and social justice and developed health equity learning labs. As a result of the successful implementation of the NBHN’s Community of Practice, individuals currently living with mental illness and/or substance disorders have had increased access to tobacco cessation and other cancer support services. These efforts and key opportunities for public health practitioners and their partners to increase engagement in cancer health equity are summarized in this article.
EF-04 Association of ultraviolet-B radiation and risk of SLE among women in the nurses’ health studies

Background Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) exposure may lead to worsened photosensitivity, rashes, and systemic flares among SLE patients. Although UV-B radiation damages keratinocytes and may result in production of novel forms of autoantigens, it remains unknown whether UV-B exposure increases the risk of developing SLE. We aimed to examine the association of UV-B exposure with risk of incident SLE in a large prospective cohort of women, examining SLE risk overall and by subtypes defined by presence of anti-Ro/La antibodies (+anti Ro/La) and/or cutaneous manifestations most associated with UV exposure in SLE patients. Methods The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) enrolled 121,701 U.S. female nurses in 1976; NHSII enrolled 116,430 in 1989. Biennial questionnaires collected lifestyle, environmental, and medical data. Residential addresses were geocoded. Incident SLE was confirmed by medical record review. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer and Ozone Monitoring Instrument gridded remote sensing images scaled to a 1 km spatial resolution predicted average July noon-time erythemal UV-B (mW/m2) annually starting in 1980. Participants without UV-B data at baseline were excluded. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox regression models across tertiles of cohort-specific, time-varying cumulative average UV-B through one cycle prior to SLE onset. We examined SLE risk overall and stratified by presence of anti-Ro/La or cutaneous manifestations (malar rash and/or photosensitivity) at diagnosis through 2014 (NHS) or 2013 (NHSII), controlling for potential confounders. We also conducted a ‘lagged’ analysis by ending the exposure window two cycles prior to SLE diagnosis, as SLE symptoms may develop insidiously pre-diagnosis. Results Mean age at SLE diagnosis was 49.3 (10.4) years among 286 SLE cases in NHS/NHSII. At SLE diagnosis, 13% of women had +anti Ro/La whereas 80% had either +anti Ro/La or at least one cutaneous manifestation. Compared to the lowest tertile of UV-B exposure, risk of overall SLE, SLE with +anti Ro/La, or SLE with photosensitivity in the highest UV-B tertile were increased, but not statistically significant in the main analysis (table 1) or in lagged analyses. However, women in the highest UV-B tertile had statistically significantly increased risks of SLE with malar rash (HR 1.68 [95% CI 1.08 to 2.62]) (table 1), but this was no longer significant in the lagged analysis (HR 1.39 [95% CI 0.92 to 2.10]). Conclusions Increasing cumulative UV-B exposure was not associated with risk of developing overall SLE. However, among women at risk for SLE, living in areas with higher UV-B exposure was associated with increased risk of developing SLE presenting with malar rash. Further studies are warranted to determine whether high UV-B exposure may play a role in triggering SLE onset with malar rash.
The comparability of the visual and verbal versions of the Inclusion of Community in Self scale.

Aims Many factors affect the utility and practicality of measures in longitudinal studies characterized by transient participants such as those caught in the cycle of incarceration. The current study evaluated the psychometric equivalency of a visual and a verbal version of a single-item connectedness measure; the aim was to determine whether the different formats can be used interchangeably depending on feasibility. Methods Participants were 133 jail inmates (49% male; 43% Black; Mage = 35 years, SD = 10 years) interviewed just before release from jail. Results Results provide evidence for the concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity of the two ICS versions. Attempts to calibrate the verbal measure to the visual measure were moderately successful. Conclusion Taken together, results suggest the two formats are comparable, but not interchangeable; they map on to other variables in similar ways but cannot be used in lieu of one another.
Simulation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Through history, advancements in technology have revolutionised manufacturing and caused a leap in industrialisation. Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, comprises of advanced technologies such as robotics, autonomous transportation and production machinery, additive manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G mobile communication, sensors, systems integration, Cloud, big data, data analytics, and simulation. Such technologies are used in the production of quality goods, which increased product diversity, and often at lower costs achieved through optimisation and smart production techniques. The goals of Industry 4.0 are to achieve Smart Factories and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). The introductory chapter presents concepts from Industry 4.0 and contextualises the role of simulation in bringing about this new industrial age. The history of the industrial revolutions and simulation are discussed. Major concepts in Industry 4.0, such as CPS, vertical and horizontal system integration, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Cloud, big data, data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), and additive manufacturing are evaluated in the context of simulation. The discussions show that computer simulation is intrinsic to several of these Industry 4.0 concepts and technologies, for example, the application of simulation in hybrid modelling (e.g., digital twins), simulation-based training, data analytics (e.g., prescriptive analytics through the use of computer simulation), designing connectivity (e.g., network simulation), and simulation-based product design. Simulation has a pivotal role in realising the vision of Industry 4.0, and it would not be farfetched to say that simulation is at the heart of Industry 4.0.
Assessment of Firework-Related Ocular Injury in the US

Importance Fireworks are popularly used for recreation but can lead to potentially blinding injuries. Studies quantifying the trend and national prevalence of firework-related ocular injuries are limited. Objective To characterize firework-related ocular injuries treated in emergency departments (EDs) in the US from 1999 to 2017. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a stratified probability sample of more than 100 hospital-affiliated US EDs representing more than 5300 nationwide hospitals. Deidentified individuals in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database who experienced eye injury due to fireworks between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2017, were included. Analysis began February 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Annual prevalence of firework-related ocular injury, firework type stratified by demographic information, diagnosis, event location/date, and patient disposition. Results A total of 34 548 firework-related ocular injuries were seen in US EDs during the 19-year study period (estimated from 1007 individuals in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database). Overall, 664 individuals (65.9%) were 18 years or younger, 724 (71.9%) were male, and 512 (50.8%) were white. Twenty-eight patients (2.8%) sustained a ruptured globe, while 633 (62.9%) sustained ocular burn injuries, 118 (11.7%) had ocular foreign bodies, 97 (9.6%) had conjunctival irritation, and 46 (4.6%) experienced other severe eye trauma. Of 1007 individuals, 911 (90.5%) were treated and released without transfer, while 87 (8.7%) required admission or transfer to another hospital. The most common specified firework types included firecrackers (193 [19.2%]), bottle rockets (177 [17.6%]), sparklers (88 [8.7%]), roman candles (66 [6.6%]), and novelty devices (65 [6.5%]) (eg, poppers and snappers). Bottle rockets disproportionately caused the most severe injuries, including ruptured globe (odds ratio, 5.82; 95% CI, 2.72-12.46;P Conclusions and Relevance These findings support that firework-related ocular injuries range from mild irritation to ruptured globe, and most occur frequently in those who are young, male, and white. Focused preventive methods and regulations may be imperative in decreasing fireworks-related ocular morbidity, namely from bottle rockets and especially near national holidays.
Liver Tumor Ablation Procedure Duration and Estimated Patient Radiation Dose: Comparing Positron Emission Tomography/CT and CT Guidance.

Abstract Purpose To compare procedure duration and patient radiation dose in positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and CT-guided liver tumor ablation procedures. Materials and Methods In this retrospective, case-control study, 275 patients underwent 368 image-guided ablation procedures to treat 537 tumors. Radiologists used PET/CT guidance for 117 procedures and CT guidance for 251 procedures. PET/CT-guided procedures were performed by one radiologist (C: P.B.S.). All 3 radiologists (A: J.G.S., B: a radiologist who is not an author on this article, and C: P.B.S.) performed CT-guided procedures. Potential confounders included patient demographics, clinical and tumor characteristics, and procedural variables. Results The mean duration and estimated patient radiation dose of PET/CT-guided procedures performed by radiologist C were 21.5 ± 4.9 minutes longer and 0.7 ± 2.8 mSv higher than CT-guided procedures performed by all radiologists in an unadjusted comparison. Adjusting for confounding, mean duration and estimated dose of PET/CT-guided procedures performed by radiologist C were 28.3 ± 3.8 minutes longer (P Conclusions PET/CT-guided liver ablations had a slightly longer duration with slightly higher estimated patient radiation dose than similar CT-guided liver ablations. Procedure duration and patient dose do not appear to be major impediments to the emerging field of PET/CT-guided tumor ablation.
Masks, Culture Wars, and Public Health Expertise: Confessions of a Mask 'Expert'

The arrival of COVID-19 has seen a sea change in how we view masks. As the author of an encyclopedia entry and law review article on anti-mask laws I know this well. Over the past three months, reporters have been asking me about masks, the reluctance of Americans to wear them and the Red vs. Blue culture wars. This paper outlines my experiences and thoughts. After briefly describing the volte face in attitudes towards masks, I take up the argument that, in the coronavirus context, the mask is not a symbol but merely a tool to fight the virus. Then I look at masks and the culture wars, focusing particularly on the argument masking is less common in red states for political reasons. Finally, I look at how to create a culture of masking. Here I look at how public health officials have at times undercut their position by relying too heavily on law enforcement solutions to masking and treating questions, such as whether to protest, as a medical issue rather than a political one. I conclude with plea to treat mask wears as persons, rather than targets of law enforcement, or subjects of medical study.
A composition study of a targeted sampling of Ixodidae family ticks and their pathogen status throughout the Flint Hills region of Kansas

Bovine anaplasmosis is an economically significant disease of cattle concerning the producers and veterinary practitioners of the state of Kansas as well as the rest of the United States. Its transmission by iatrogenic vectors has been well classified. The role of persistently infected ticks in the transmission of Anaplasma marginale is also well known, but their role as biological magnifiers and their ability to harbor the bacteria in novel ecological areas warrant further examination. The objective of this study was to quantify the distribution and infection status of Ixodidae ticks throughout the rangeland of the Flint Hills region of Kansas.
The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Postgraduate Endodontic Programs in the United States

In December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified as an acute infectious disease in Wuhan, China and subsequently led to an ongoing pandemic. At the onset of the pandemic, dental professionals stood to face the greatest exposure risk to SARS-Cov2 due to aerosolization of fluids from the oral cavity and respiratory airways. As a result, dental professionals, including academic institutions and their students and residents halted much of their operations to minimize exposure risks and potentially slow the spread of infection to peers and patients alike. Currently, there is little in the literature that describes the changes that academic institutions have implemented in the face of pandemics. This article will discuss the chronology, modifications, and possible resultant outcomes of COVID-19 related events in respect to Graduate Endodontic programs in the United States.
Affective Rights: A Foundation for Ethical Standards

Current industry practices concerning the protection of rights and privacy has been found wanting. This discussion provides analysis and justification on the realignment needed to re-establish ethical development practices as the norm rather than the exception. Support for change is based on the recognition of human rights, to one extent or another, among the nations of the world. The introduction of Affective Rights is made and shown to have always existed as inalienable. To aid in acceptance and to encourage appropriate development of the new approach, a conceptual system design is outlined as a straightforward strategy using proven technology. To be effective, changes will be required in the way consumers, developers, and regulatory agencies protect these rights, and are made aware of these issues. To that end, it is proposed independent auditing services be created as part of the prototype to verify and validate stakeholder compliance to accepted ethical standards. A flagship pilot program is proposed as a proof of concept.
Comparison of Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 and Thrombosis Versus Those Without Thrombosis.

The occurrence of venous thromboembolisms in patients with COVID-19 has been established. We sought to evaluate the clinical impact of thrombosis in patients with COVID-19 over the span of the pandemic to date. We analyzed patients with COVID-19 with a diagnosis of thrombosis who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, District of Columbia, and Maryland) during the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021). We compared the clinical course and outcomes based on the presence or absence of thrombosis and then, specifically, the presence of cardiac thrombosis. The cohort included 11,537 patients who were admitted for COVID-19. Of these patients, 1,248 had noncardiac thrombotic events and 1,009 had cardiac thrombosis (myocardial infarction) during their hospital admission. Of the noncardiac thrombotic events, 562 (45.0%) were pulmonary embolisms, 480 (38.5%) were deep venous thromboembolisms, and 347 (27.8%) were strokes. In the thrombosis arm, the mean age of the cohort was 64.5 ± 15.3 years, 53.3% were men, and the majority were African-American (64.9%). Patients with thrombosis tended to be older with more co-morbidities. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher (16.0%) in patients with COVID-19 with concomitant non-cardiac thrombosis than in those without thrombosis (7.9%, p <0.001) but lower than in patients with COVID-19 with cardiac thrombosis (24.7%, p <0.001). In conclusion, patients with COVID-19 with thrombosis, especially cardiac thrombosis, are at higher risk for in-hospital mortality. However, this prognosis is not as grim as for patients with COVID-19 and cardiac thrombosis. Efforts should be focused on early recognition, evaluation, and intensifying antithrombotic management for these patients.
Fe-Ion Bolted VOPO 4 ∙2H 2 O as an Aqueous Fe-Ion Battery Electrode

Iron ion batteries using Fe2+ as a charge carrier have yet to be widely explored, and they lack high-performing Fe2+ hosting cathode materials to couple with the iron metal anode. Here, it is demonstrated that VOPO4 ∙2H2 O can reversibly host Fe2+ with a high specific capacity of 100 mAh g-1 and stable cycling performance, where 68% of the initial capacity is retained over 800 cycles. In sharp contrast, VOPO4 ∙2H2 O's capacity of hosting Zn2+ fades precipitously over tens of cycles. VOPO4 ∙2H2 O stores Fe2+ with a unique mechanism, where upon contacting the electrolyte by the VOPO4 ∙2H2 O electrode, Fe2+ ions from the electrolyte get oxidized to Fe3+ ions that are inserted and trapped in the VOPO4 ∙2H2 O structure in an electroless redox reaction. The trapped Fe3+ ions, thus, bolt the layered structure of VOPO4 ∙2H2 O, which prevents it from dissolution into the electrolyte during (de)insertion of Fe2+ . The findings offer a new strategy to use a redox-active ion charge carrier to stabilize the layered electrode materials.
Human Development Dynamics: Network Emergence in an Agent Based Simulation of Adaptive Heterogeneous Games and Social Systems

In the context of political modernization and economic development, the complex adaptive systems framework can help address the coupling of macro social constraint and opportunity with individual agency. Using a simple evolutionary game approach, we fuse endogenously derived socio-economic system dynamics from Human Development (HD) Theory with Prisoner’s Dilemma spatial intra-societal economic transactions. We then explore a new human development dynamics (HDD) model behavior via quasi-global simulation methods to explore technological progression on economic development, cultural plasticity, social and political change. Using network analysis, we then investigate the impact of technology proliferation on communications ease and the resulting compression of social space on individual wealth and political preference formation. As economic and social capital is created, past transaction histories tend to reinforce future success, and networks emerge and solidify at different rates depending on technology. Increasing social connectivity in small populations has an immediate and positive impact on wealth creation, yet those effects become negative as technology proliferates and population size increases. This suggests not only diminishing marginal returns to increasing communications’ payoffs to individuals but moreover crowding out effects. We believe complex adaptive or evolutionary systems approaches are necessary to understand both near and potentially catastrophic, far-from-equilibrium behavior and societal outcomes across all human scales of modernization.
Epithelial cells and other cytologic features of pseudomyxoma peritonei in patients with ovarian and/or appendiceal mucinous neoplasms: a study of 12 patients including 5 men.

BACKGROUND Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PP) is a rare condition. Cytologic evaluation of peritoneal fluid often is an initial diagnostic test for possible ovarian and/or appendiceal primary tumors. Previous studies suggest that patients with PP who have epithelial cells (ECs) in their peritoneal fluid usually have a less favorable prognosis than patients with acellular PP. To the authors' knowledge, few reports of PP in the cytologic literature cite the presence of ECs. METHODS Twelve cases of PP diagnosed by cytologic examination at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center over 15 years were identified. In all cases, primary tumors were confirmed histologically. All available cytologic smears and cell block sections were reviewed for cytomorphology, with particular attention given to the presence of ECs. A correlation between the presence of ECs and patient outcome also was sought (median follow-up, 26 months). RESULTS Two patients had ovarian neoplasms, six patients (one female and five males) had appendiceal neoplasms, and four patients had synchronous ovarian and appendiceal tumors. Cytologic features included mucin pools (12 of 12 patients), ECs (11 of 12 patients), mesothelial or mesothelial-like cells (10 of 12 patients), histiocytes (11 of 12 patients), and fibroblast-like or spindle cells (6 of 12 patients). ECs were columnar with mucinous features in the majority of cases, and the number of ECs in each case was variable, ranging from 1+ (rare) to 3+ (many). Of the 11 patients with available follow-up data, 6 had recurrent disease, 4 had persistent disease, and 1 patient with acellular PP was alive without clinical evidence of disease after 24 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Unlike previous PP cytology reports, the current study frequently identified ECs (92%). Because of the potential prognostic implication of ECs in patients with PP, a diligent search for ECs is warranted. Indication of the presence or absence of ECs in the cytology report may be useful when PP is diagnosed. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2000;90:17–23. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
In vitro mechanical strain trauma alters neuronal calcium responses: Implications for posttraumatic epilepsy

SUMMARY Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is known to initiate a series of chemical cascades resulting in neuronal dysfunction and death. Epidemiology studies have found that a prior incidence of TBI is the most important cause of remote symptomatic epilepsy in young adults and children. TBI-induced changes in neuronal sensitivity to stimulation may contribute to acute seizures and the eventual generation of epilepsy. This study examined TBI-induced changes in neuronal sensitivity to stimulation by measuring intracellular calcium ([Ca ++ ]i) responses in neurons during glutamate application in vitro. Initial experiments examined neuronal and glial cell death and determined that a 31% mechanical strain trauma to mixed neuronalastrocyte rat cortical cultures produced a trend, but no significant cell death at 48 h after injury. Subsequent experiments utilized this magnitude of trauma to examine the sensitivity of cortical neurons to changes in [Ca ++ ]i in response to 100lm glutamate at five time points postinjury (1, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h). Traumatically strain-injured neurons responded with a dynamic change in the accumulation of [Ca ++ ]i, with a significant increase at 48 h and a significant decrease at 72 h as compared to uninjured cultures. These data highlight that TBI leads to abnormal responsiveness to stimulation, an indicator of neuronal dysfunction in surviving cells. Such changes in sensitivity to stimulation may also be associated with changes in excitability in the first hours to days after TBI, and may play a role in early posttraumatic seizures observed in patients with TBI. In addition, this study provides an in vitro paradigm for testing the function of surviving cells following treatment interventions targeted at reducing cell death and dysfunction.