cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of Preliminary Oxidation on the Corrosion Resistance of Ferritic-Martensitic Steels in Lead Melts

We study the effect of preliminary oxidation (800°C, 24 h) of ferritic-martensitic steels (both EP823 structural steel and Fe–14Cr steel dispersion-hardened by oxides) on their corrosion resistance in oxygen-containing lead melts (10–6 –10–7 wt.% O) in the course of holding at 650°C for 500 h. In the process of holding of nonoxidized steels in oxygen-containing lead, the steel surface is covered with scale with multilayered structure: for EP823 steel, on the basis of (Fe, Cr)3O4 spinel with chromium content increasing in the direction of the matrix and the formation of (Fe, Cr)2O3 islets on the surface; for the steel dispersion-hardened by oxides, the scale consists of an external sublayer of Fe3O4 magnetite and an inner sublayer of Me2O3 (Me = Fe, Cr). It is shown that the preliminary oxidation of steels leads to the intensification of the diffusion of chromium to the surface and, hence, promotes the formation of an oxide layer based on the Me3O4 (Me = Fe + Cr) chromium-containing spinel. In the course of holding of oxidized steels in lead, we revealed a structural rearrangement of the oxide layers formed earlier: for EP823 steel, from (Fe, Cr)3O4 into Cr2O3; for the steel dispersion-hardened by oxides, from (Cr, Fe)3O4 into (Cr, Fe)2O3.
Carbohydrate Accumulation in Tundra Graminoid Plants as a Function of Season and Tissue Age

Summary Tissue age is shown to be an important determinant of nonstructural carbohydrate concentration in plants of Carex aquatilis, Dupontia fischeri , and Eriophorum angustifolium , the dominant plants of the wet meadow tundra at Barrow, Alaska. Highest reducing sugar, total sugar, and total non structural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations are found in growing tips. There are also differences within age classes among species and through the growing season. In a three-way factorial analysis of variance, significant interactions between age class and month of sampling were found for reducing sugars in roots and rhizomes and total sugars in roots. It is suggested that these interactions are indications of seasonal changes in the allocation and/or utilization patterns among age classes, particularly growing tips, and should reflect seasonal changes in growth rate. When the data are expressed on a sugar, storage polysaccharide, or TNC weight per unit length or per tissue basis, it is seen that Carex plants, which have the lowest dry weight concentrations of these components among the three species, actually store the largest amounts of carbohydrates. This may be related to the long-lived nature of its tissues and the relatively heavy investment in structural components. Carex holds most of its reserves in the rhizome, Dupontia shares its TNC about equally between stembase and rhizome, while Eriophorum stores almost all carbohydrates in the stembase.
Selective Intraoperative Vasopressor Use Is Not Associated with Increased Risk of DIEP Flap Complications.

Background During deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap cases, anesthesiologists commonly avoid intravenous vasopressor administration because of the theoretical concern of inducing vasospasm, thrombosis, or congestion in the vessels of the anastomosis, potentially resulting in poor flap perfusion and ischemia and necessitating revision. In the setting of hypotension, however, vasopressor administration may actually improve outcomes by augmenting flap perfusion by means of increased mean arterial pressure. Methods The authors reviewed 475 consecutive DIEP flap cases in 333 patients at a single large academic medical center over a 3-year period, addressing potential confounders using univariate analyses. Results Ephedrine administration was significantly associated with decreased risk of intraoperative flap complications (OR, 0.88), including vasospasm, thrombosis, and congestion requiring revision, compared with controls, after controlling for the severity and duration of hypotension. Phenylephrine had no significant association with complication rates. Vasopressor administration was not associated with an increased risk of reoperation in the setting of necrosis within 60 days. Conclusions Ephedrine treatment for hypotension during DIEP flap cases is associated with decreased intraoperative flap complication rates compared with controls who did not receive vasopressors, whereas phenylephrine has no significant association. The common clinical practice of complete abstinence from vasopressors out of concern for worsening DIEP flap outcomes is not supported by this study. Clinical question/level of evidence Therapeutic, III.
Re-evaluation of the life cycle of Eimeria maxima Tyzzer, 1929 in chickens (Gallus domesticus)

A time-course study was conducted to resolve discrepancies in the literature and better define aspects of the Eimeria maxima life cycle such, as sites of development and both morphology and number of asexual stages. Broiler chickens were inoculated orally with five million E. maxima oocysts (APU1), and were necropsied at regular intervals from 12 to 120 h p.i. Small intestine tissue sections and smears were examined for developmental stages. The jejunum contained the highest numbers of developmental stages. At 12 h p.i., sporozoites were observed inside a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in the epithelial villi and the lamina propria. By 24 h, sporozoites enclosed by a PV were observed in enterocytes of the glands of Lieberkuhn. At 48 h p.i., sporozoites, elongated immature and mature schizonts, were all seen in the glands with merozoites budding off from a residual body. By 60 h, second-generation, sausage-shaped schizonts containing up to 12 merozoites were observed around a residual body in the villar tip of invaded enterocytes. At 72 and 96 h, profuse schizogony associated with third- and fourth-generation schizonts was observed throughout the villus. At 120 h, another generation (fifth) of schizonts were seen in villar tips as well as in subepithelium where gamonts and oocysts were also present; a few gamonts were in epithelium. Our finding of maximum parasitization of E. maxima in jejunum is important because this region is critical for nutrient absorption and weight gain.
Role of Preoperative Biliary Stenting and Preoperative Preparation Before Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Surgical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment option for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Pancreaticoduodenectomy is a morbid procedure that is fraught with an acceptable mortality rate, but a high morbidity rate. Preoperative biliary stenting can be used as a bridge to surgery for pancreatic cancer, to minimize the risk of developing cholangitis and to facilitate the administration of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. It can also be used for palliation in patients with unresectable disease. However, biliary stenting is not recommended for routine use preoperatively and must be individualized to the patient. Prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy, a thorough, systematic, and methodical approach to risk stratification and preoperative planning is mandatory to improve patient selection and optimize outcomes. A multidisciplinary team approach consisting of surgeons, gastroenterologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and pain specialists helps to deliver comprehensive care to patients in preparation for the operation.
Perspectives on Genetic Testing and Return of Results from the First Cohort of Presymptomatically Tested Individuals At Risk of Huntington Disease

This qualitative study gathered opinions about genetic testing from people who received presymptomatic testing for Huntington’s disease (HD) 20–30 years ago and have lived with the implications of that testing for decades. During the last section of a semi-structured interview, participants were asked open-ended questions about their opinions on the importance of autonomy in the decision to be tested for HD, whether a formal HD testing protocol is necessary, whether physician ordering for HD is acceptable without a formal protocol, whether online direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing for HD is acceptable, and whether incidental/secondary findings should be returned in the context of whole exome/genome sequencing. Most—but not all—participants were in favor of an individual’s right to decide whether and when to pursue HD testing, use of a formal HD testing protocol, and returning medically actionable secondary findings. However, the majority of participants were opposed not only to physician ordering and DTC HD testing in the absence of a formal protocol but also to returning a secondary finding of an expanded HD allele. This study presents the opinions of a unique and extremely well-informed cohort on issues that need to be taken into careful consideration by genetic counselors and other medical professionals who are developing genetic testing protocols, making decisions about the availability of genetic tests, and making decisions about whether and how to return incidental findings.
Domestic Productivity or Export Support

In Chap. 2, we made a distinction between infrastructure for industrialization of a country versus export-oriented infrastructure, and we discussed that many countries including India, China, and Japan emphasize export orientation. In Chap. 3, we indicated that regardless of what key orientation is taken, infrastructure development must be emphasized; it must be developed rapidly and effectively. In Chap. 5, consumer well-being and quality of life in the society were briefly discussed. However, in different parts of this book, it is also mentioned that the economy cannot grow without making a major contribution to the consumer well-being. I maintain that infrastructuring must always consider consumer well-being regardless of its orientation and its development progress.
Hematologic Cancer Survivorship Management: Transplantation

This chapter will review the late effects of treatment impacting hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors. In general, HSCT patients receive high doses of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to eradicate their malignancy, together with an infusion of their own (autologous) or another person’s (allogeneic) stem cells to restore hematopoiesis (the blood and immune system). Allogeneic cells may be from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood obtained from a related or unrelated donor. Patients experience the toxic effects of the cytotoxic treatment and are at high risk for infections owing to posttransplant immune deficiency. Late effects for HSCT survivors are commonly compounded by the toxic effects of their previous cancer treatment. This chapter will cover physiologic and psychological aspects of survivorship for HSCT patients, as well as graft-versus-host disease, a common and frequently chronic condition that occurs after allogeneic HSCT.
Sexual and Commercial Trafficking of Children

Universally recognized as a form of modern slavery, each year millions of human beings are taken from their homes to be economically exploited in distant lands. An unknown portion of these victims are children, often of quite tender age. Estimates on how many such children are to be found throughout the world are presented along with a discussion of the underlying causes of this kind of victimization. In some cases, children are trafficked as a cheap source of exploitable labor. But most often trafficked children are forced into prostitution, kept in bondage to satisfy the lust of their pedophile patrons and the greed of their “traffickers/owners.” Focus is directed to the victims as well as the victimizers involved in the worldwide trafficking business. The ways victimizers recruit and control their victims are described. All trafficked children suffer many kinds of abuse while being trafficked and during their period of forced labor. Most are scarred for life as a result. Specific attention is given to the health hazards trafficked children experience, especially those forced into prostitution. Most of these children never see their homes again, some dying as a consequence of their enslavement. National and international laws, and their un-enforcement, governing the trafficking of human beings are described. Considerable attention is given to various international and local efforts that aim at preventing the trafficking of children and helping those who have been victimized.
Balancing measures: identifying unintended consequences of diabetes quality performance measures in patients at high risk for hypoglycemia.

OBJECTIVE To determine if changes in overtreatment rates were associated with changes in undertreatment rates. DESIGN Pre-test/post-test study used cross-sectional administrative data from calendar years (CYs) 2013 and 2016. SETTING The Veterans Health Administration. PARTICIPANTS Patients with diabetes at risk for hypoglycemia (n = 171 875 and 166 703 in 2013 and 2016, respectively). INTERVENTION Observational study of extant initiatives to reduce overtreatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Overtreatment rate of diabetes defined at the proportion of patients in the group at high risk for hypoglycemia with A1c 9%. RESULTS There was marked variation in overtreatment rates; for A1c < 7%, overtreatment rates ranged from 26.4% to 58.2% and 26.2% to 49.2% at the facility level in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The mean (±standard deviation (SD)) facility-level overtreatment rates fell from 40.3 (±5.3)% in 2013 to 37.75 (±4.70)% in 2016 (P < 0.001, paired t-test). Facility undertreatment rates ranged from 5.8% to 16.9% and 6.8% to 18.7% at the facility level in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The mean (±SD) undertreatment rate rose from 10.3 (±2.2)% in 2013 to 11.0 (±2.4)% in 2016 (P ≤ 0.001, paired t-test). However, change at individual facilities ranged from a decrease of 4.6% to an increase of 7.2%. Within year correlations were stronger than between year correlations. Overtreatment defined as A1c < 7 in this population inversely correlated strongly with undertreatment (r = -0.653, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Promotion of overtreatment reduction may be associated with an increase in undertreatment in patients with diabetes. Unintended consequence should be considered when implementing and evaluating quality measures and systems should include balancing measures to identify potential unintended harms.
Bank Credit Allocation in Latin America and the Caribbean

Despite their importance, data on the structure of bank credit by maturity are scarce. For Latin America and the Caribbean, data are particularly difficult to obtain, as few banks report loan maturity data in commercial data sets such as Bankscope. With support from the Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas, this study assembled a novel data set on the structure of bank credit allocation in Latin America and the Caribbean covering 21 countries during 2004-14. This paper uses Bankscope and International Financial Statistics data to extended the coverage to more than 100 countries, creating the largest data set so far on credit by maturity. Benchmarking credit structure in Latin America and the Caribbean, the paper finds that the region is financially underdeveloped, because the ratio of short-term credit to gross domestic product is lower than in peers; long-term credit is at par; and consumer and commercial loans are lower. The paper also explores patterns of credit growth through nonparametric regressions. The results indicate that short-term credit grows faster than long-term credit as income grows in low-income countries, but the situation reverses when countries reach high- or middle-income status. Reflecting this trend, the share of mortgage loans rises with income.
Intrinsic network reactivity differentiates levels of consciousness in comatose patients.

Abstract Objective We devise a data-driven framework to assess the level of consciousness in etiologically heterogeneous comatose patients using intrinsic dynamical changes of resting-state Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Methods EEG signals were collected from 54 comatose patients (GCS ⩽ 8) and 20 control patients (GCS > 8). We analyzed the EEG signals using a new technique, termed Intrinsic Network Reactivity Index (INRI), that aims to assess the overall lability of brain dynamics without the use of extrinsic stimulation. The proposed technique uses three sigma EEG events as a trigger for ensuing changes to the directional derivative of signals across the EEG montage. Results The INRI had a positive relationship with GCS and was significantly different between various levels of consciousness. In comparison, classical band-limited power analysis did not show any specific patterns correlated to GCS. Conclusions These findings suggest that reaching low variance EEG activation patterns becomes progressively harder as the level of consciousness of patients deteriorate, and provide a quantitative index based on passive measurements that characterize this change. Significance Our results emphasize the role of intrinsic brain dynamics in assessing the level of consciousness in coma patients and the possibility of employing simple electrophysiological measures to recognize the severity of disorders of consciousness (DOC).
“Still Raped Over Here”: Gay Male Femininity and the Rewards of Camp Ambivalence in Richard Day’s Girls Will Be Girls

Girls Will Be Girls (GWBG) delivers a substantive queer-feminist critique of heteronormative animus toward women and gay men through jokes that weaponize that animus for insurgent purposes. The fil...
TRANSACTION COSTS AND CONTRACTING: The Practitioner Perspective

An important decision confronting public managers is choosing when to contract for service delivery. We focus on two service characteristics that transaction cost theory suggests may influence the chances of contract success. Asset specificity is the extent to which resources applied to delivering a service can be applied to other services, and ease of measurement is the extent to which the quality and quantity of service outcomes and outputs can be easily gauged. Drawing on a survey of public managers' perceptions of these dimensions for 64 common municipal services, we review previous studies of contracting to investigate how these two transaction costs factors influence governments' decisions about whether to contract, how to manage contracts, and when contracting is likely to be successful. Our survey and review shed light on how public managers should manage contracting and how scholars should further investigate this important subject.
Plant Accessible Water Storage Capacity and Tree-Scale Root Interactions Determine How Forest Density Reductions Alter Forest Water Use and Productivity

Forest disturbances such as wildfire and drought-related disease often lead to declines in productivity that both influence and are influenced by forest water use, particularly in the semi-arid environments of the Western US. Fuel treatments are frequently proposed to reduce vulnerability to these drought-related impacts and in some cases as an approach to increase water yield. By changing ecosystem structure, fuel treatments alter ecosystem function (including hydrologic cycling, carbon sequestration, energy partitioning and biogeochemical cycling). Empirical studies of the impacts of changing ecosystem structure, either through active forest management or through natural disturbances, show a wide range of responses that include both increases and decreases in forest water use. Variation in climate and species, as well as the magnitude of forest density reduction, are commonly proposed as explanations for this variation. In this paper we use a coupled eco-hydrologic model to demonstrate that subsurface features are likely to be a critical, but often over-looked, factor that influences forest water use and regeneration following density reduction treatments. Using a case study site in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, we show that whether forest water use increases or decreases following density reduction, as well as the magnitude and rate of recovery of hydrologic changes, depends strongly on plant accessible water storage capacity within the rooting zone and the extent to which the root structures of neighboring trees interact and share water. We find that in some cases density reduction can increase water yield and productivity of remaining trees for the first few years following treatment. However we also show that when soils are shallow and roots systems overlap, counter-intuitive increases in water use and related declines in productivity can occur due to water stress. Results highlight the importance of accounting for site-specific variation, such as soil water storage capacity, in assessing how fuel treatments may interact with ecosystem water use and drought vulnerability, and ultimately downslope impacts on streamflow.
The Effect of Hospital Market Competition on the Adoption of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background The use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has grown rapidly. The purpose of this study was to assess whether hospital market competition was associated with the use of TAVR. Methods We used 5 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project state inpatient databases (Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Washington) to identify patients undergoing TAVR (n = 5563) or surgical aortic valve replacement (n = 30,672) across 154 hospitals from 2011 to 2014. Using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) to calculate market competition, hospitals were categorized into commonly used categories of low (HHI >0.25), moderate (HHI 0.15-0.25), and high (HHI Results After adjustment, patients treated at high-competition hospitals had higher odds of receiving TAVR, relative to patients at low-competition hospitals (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj], 5.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.10-13.4). TAVR use increased each year (ORadj, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.38-2.17) but was similar across HHI categories. Competition was not associated with in-hospital mortality or length of stay. Patients at high-competition hospitals were more likely to be discharged home (ORadj, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.23-4.66) compared with patients at low-competition hospitals. Conclusions Market competition was positively associated with a hospital's adoption of TAVR. Future studies should further examine the impact of competition on quality and appropriateness.
Heterogenization of Trinuclear Palladium Complex into an Anionic Metal–Organic Framework through Postsynthetic Cation Exchange

The innate modular nature of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) enables postsynthetic modification of the crystalline framework, thereby resulting in novel properties. Anionic MOFs are an interesting ...
Consensus/linear algebra

Abstract Models of consensus in the collective properties of heterogeneous systems regularly employ equation systems. As managed by linear algebra, the variables and coefficients are placed separately in a particular order as elements or entries of rows and columns of vectors and matrices, which are compact independent working units. Operations, some with special rules, include the arithmetic and matrix counterparts, elementary matrix operations, and transposition. They apply to single elements, groups of elements, and entire vectors and matrices. Especially notable are square, diagonal, identity and inverse matrices, vector and matrix transposes, and determinants. Square matrices provide unique solutions for systems of linearly independent equations as associated with maximal rank, invertibility, and a nonzero determinant. Gaussian elimination is a popular algorithm for solving and characterizing systems of algebraic equations. Determinants, or historical tools for solving equation systems, currently have mostly supplementary roles. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors for linear ordinary differential equations systems are obtainable via a characteristic equation combining conventional with linear algebra operations.
Factors Relating to the Presence and Modifiability of Self-Perceptual Bias Among Children with ADHD.

Past research raises concerns about whether the presence of self-perceptual biases among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) interferes with accurate assessment and/or diminishes treatment response. Yet, it remains unclear whether self-perceptual bias is a construct that can be modified. The current study examines individual differences in how children with ADHD (n = 178) display and modify their self-perceptions of competence in the presence of an external motivator for self-perceptual accuracy. Participants were grouped based on the presence and modifiability of their self-perceptual biases across three experimental conditions. Results demonstrate that the presence and modifiability of participants’ self-perceptual biases across conditions was associated with adjustment (i.e., externalizing and internalizing problems) and cognitive functioning. Findings suggest multiple factors may be associated with self-perceptual bias (e.g., self-protection and cognitive impairment), and that these factors may differ across children. Implications for intervention, including whether assessment and treatment can be improved, are discussed.
Are reported likelihood ratios well calibrated

Abstract In this work we introduce a new statistical methodology for empirically examining the validity of model-based Likelihood Ratio (LR) systems by applying a general statistical inference approach called generalized fiducial inference. LR systems are gaining widespread acceptance in many forensic disciplines, especially in the interpretation of DNA evidence, in the form of probabilistic genotyping systems (PGS). These systems output a Bayes factor, commonly referred to as a likelihood ratio in forensic science applications. Methods for examining the validity of such systems is a topic of ongoing interest. In addition to summarizing existing approaches and developing our new approach, we illustrate the methods using the PROVEDIt dataset by examining LR values calculated with two PG software packages.
Effects of free-stream turbulence on turbulent boundary layers with mild adverse pressure gradients

The influence of near isotropic free-stream turbulence on the shape factors and skin friction coefficients of turbulent boundary layers is presented for the cases of zero and mild adverse pressure gradients. With free-stream turbulence, improved fluid mixing occurs in boundary layers with adverse pressure gradients relative to the zero pressure gradient condition, with the same free-stream turbulence intensity and length scale. Stronger boundary layers with lower shape factors occur as a result of a lower ratio of the integral scale of turbulence to the boundary layer thickness, and to vortex stretching of the turbulent eddies in the free-stream, both of which act to improve the transmission of momentum from the free-stream to the boundary layers.
The Proximity of Spatial Clusters of Low Birth Weight and Risk Factors: Defining a Neighborhood for Focused Interventions.

Low birth weight (LBW) is associated with significant mortality and morbidity and remains a significant preventable problem. Risk factors include socioeconomic, demographics, and characteristics of the environment. Spatial analysis can uncover unusual frequencies of health problems in neighborhoods, eventually leading to insights for targeted interventions. This study's goals were to 1. Evaluate the geographic distribution of spatial clusters of LBW births and maternal risk factors. 2. Determine the spatial relationship between risk factors and LBW. This study obtained data on LBW newborns and risk factors from 19,013 births over 5 years (2012–2016) for Escambia County Census Tracts, extracted from FloridaCharts.com. Software was used to detect significant spatial clusters; these clusters were then plotted on a map. Poisson regression determined the statistical relationship between Census Tract risk factors and LBW. A separate analysis of the LBW cluster controlling for risk factors was also performed. All risk factor clusters resided in similar locations as the LBW cluster. The multiple Poisson regression model containing all risk factors fully explained the LBW cluster. On bivariate Poisson regression all risk factors in the Census Tract were significantly related to LBW whereas in multivariable Poisson regression, the proportion of births to African American women in the Census Tract remained significant after adjusting for other risk factors (p < 0.001). Clusters of LBW and risk factors were located in the same region of the county, with the proportion of births to African American women in the Census Tract remaining significant on multiple Poisson Regression. Targeted interventions should be directed at the geographic level.
Biases obscure whether sexes and ages of window-killed fall migrants die in proportion to their frequency in the migrating population

The timing of migratory passage for sexes and ages of birds is difficult to document because migration is spread out over time and space. We compared sex and age ratios from 10 species of birds that were banded in Wisconsin during fall migration to a sample of autumn window-killed birds from Chicago, Illinois. We assumed that these specimens were a random sample of the migrating population because dates of passage in Wisconsin either predate or were coincident with specimens recovered in Chicago. More juveniles than adults collided with windows, which is expected because of the higher number of juveniles in the fall migratory population. For Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis), Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla), and White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), statistically fewer adults collided with windows than expected. It is possible that adults of these species, who have made at least 2 prior successful migratory journeys, might have experienced some degree of learning to avoid windows. For specimen data, ratios of males to females were approximately equal, except for Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana; 1:0.82). However, banders were unable to determine sex for a high percentage of each species, ranging from 98.5% undetermined sex for Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) to 48% for Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas). Taken at face value, banding records for Common Yellowthroat, Dark-eyed Junco, and White-throated Sparrow indicated a much higher percentage of males, whereas for Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), females were much more common; 6 species showed no apparent difference in sex ratio between the banding and window samples. In species for which banders declined to identify an individual's sex for a high percentage of birds, we questioned whether the identification of sex in the remaining small percentage was accurate. Thus, we considered the alternative possibility that the specimen data were in fact the most appropriate null hypothesis, and if so, it would suggest that banders have misidentified sexes consistently in 4 species, and ages in 7 species.
Boosting SNR for Passive detection of Weak Radar Pulses under non-Cooperative Environment

The ESM receivers with wide monitoring bandwidth face great challenges in detection of weak radar pulses while keeping the sensitivity high. The likelihood ratio based adaptive energy detectors impose a high signal to noise ratio constraint for successful detection of multiple radar signals falling in wide analysis bandwidth. This paper proposes a detection technique for enhancing the SNR of a weak radar pulse by investigating the relation between the monitoring bandwidth, the signal bandwidth and the frequency resolution among simultaneously intercepted multiple radar pulses. The algorithm explores the multi-rate poly phase filtering architecture to reduce the noise bandwidth of each intercepted pulse, thus increasing its SNR. Its performance is evaluated against different sets of digital channels through Monte-Carlo simulations. The SNR boosting is found highly dependent on the definition of frequency resolution among multiple cointercepted pulses. It is concluded through simulations that the proposed method effectively improves the receiver's sensitivity by improving the signal's SNR in wide analysis spectra.
Disorders of Consciousness in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: The Role of the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.

Prevalence and etiology of unconsciousness are uncertain in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We tested the hypothesis that increased inflammation in COVID-19 precedes coma, independent of medications, hypotension, and hypoxia. We retrospectively assessed 3203 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 from March 2 through July 30, 2020, in New York City with the Glasgow Coma Scale and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) scores. We applied hazard ratio (HR) modeling and mediation analysis to determine the risk of SIRS score elevation to precede coma, accounting for confounders. We obtained behavioral assessments in 3203 of 10,797 patients admitted to the hospital who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Of those patients, 1054 (32.9%) were comatose, which first developed on median hospital day 2 (interquartile range [IQR] 1–9). During their hospital stay, 1538 (48%) had a SIRS score of 2 or above at least once, and the median maximum SIRS score was 2 (IQR 1–2). A fivefold increased risk of coma (HR 5.05, 95% confidence interval 4.27–5.98) was seen for each day that patients with COVID-19 had elevated SIRS scores, independent of medication effects, hypotension, and hypoxia. The overall mortality in this population was 13.8% (n = 441). Coma was associated with death (odds ratio 7.77, 95% confidence interval 6.29–9.65) and increased length of stay (13 days [IQR 11.9–14.1] vs. 11 [IQR 9.6–12.4]), accounting for demographics. Disorders of consciousness are common in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 and are associated with increased mortality and length of hospitalization. The underlying etiology of disorders of consciousness in this population is uncertain but, in addition to medication effects, may in part be linked to systemic inflammation.
VHF and UHF Lithium Niobate MEMS Resonators Exceeding 30 dB of Passive Gain

This letter reports on the passive voltage amplification provided by X-cut Lithium Niobate (LN) S0 mode resonators when implemented as Matching Networks (MN) in the front-end of ultra-low-power, Internet of Things (IoT) receivers. In the first section, a simple gain analytical model is described. In the second part, devices design rules and geometries are disclosed. In the third and last section, measurements methodology and results are presented. Measured gains of 38.9 dB and 32.5 dB are reported at 110 and 570 MHz, respectively, for a capacitive load of ~100 fF. These performance represent, to the knowledge of the authors, the largest passive voltage gains ever recorded at the given frequencies for MEMS-based matching networks.
The association of prediagnostic circulating levels of cardiometabolic markers, testosterone and SHBG with risk of breast cancer among normal weight postmenopausal women in the UK Biobank

Emerging evidence suggests that normal weight postmenopausal women with a relative excess of body fat are at increased breast cancer risk. However, little is known about the associations between obesity-related blood markers and risk of breast cancer among these individuals. In this prospective study comprising 58 629 normal weight postmenopausal women (body mass index between 18.5 kg/m2 and 24.9 kg/m2 ) who were enrolled in the UK Biobank cohort between 2006 and 2010, we examined the associations of glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with risk of breast cancer. A total of 1268 postmenopausal breast cancer cases were ascertained during a median follow-up period of 7 years. Women with CRP, total testosterone and free testosterone (FT) levels in the highest quintile had increased risk of breast cancer compared to those in the lowest quintile (HRQ5 vs Q1 : 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.63, HR Q5 vs Q1 : 1.47, 95% CI: 1.20-1.80 and HR Q5 vs Q1 : 1.53, 95% CI: 1.23-1.90, respectively), whereas those with SHBG in the highest quintile had reduced risk (HR Q5 vs Q1 : 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.88). These associations were attenuated but persisted after additional adjustment for BMI, fat mass index (whole body fat mass [kg]/height [m2 ]) or waist circumference and after mutual adjustment for testosterone, CRP and/or SHBG. Our study suggests that the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer among normal weight women is increased in association with relatively high levels of CRP and testosterone and with relatively low levels of SHBG.
The ultimatum bargaining game: An adaptation for teaching ethics.

PURPOSE The ultimatum bargaining game has been devised by economists to measure fairness and generosity during negotiations. This study sought to adapt the game to classroom application with the intent of (a) determining whether the known outcomes would be replicated given modifications needed to make the game suitable as an educational tool and (b) sharing the resulting self-appraisal with students themselves. METHODS A total of 452 first-year dental students participated in this adaptation as part of a classroom exercise. Students, identified as donors, were allocated an imaginary stake of $100 and asked to share some amount of it with a recipient classmate by making a nonnegotiable, one-time offer. If the offer is accepted, the donor student retains any residual amount. If the offer is rejected, neither the donor nor recipient receives anything. The question being tested is whether student fairness and/or generosity change when the preferred donor status is assigned at random versus on the basis of an earned property entitlement represented here by a higher-class rank. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION When status as Group A donors was established at random, the majority of students offered their fictitious Group B counterpart the fairest possible amount of $50 (70.4% in 2020 and 61% in 2018). However, when students were told that their status as Group A donors would be established based on their ranking in the upper half of the class, the percentage offering the fairest amount declined to 49.5% in 2020 and to 51.8% in 2018. This outcome was available for immediate disclosure to students during the classroom session; it was consistent with results previously reported for the ultimatum bargaining game; and it showed that when a property entitlement is perceived as having been earned (manifested by a higher-class rank), fairness and generosity decline.
من تعليم منفصل الى تعليم مختلط: دراسة مقارنة انطباعات الطلاب السعوديين الإناث والذکور الدارسين في جامعة أکرون تجاه تجربة التأقلم مع التعليم المختلط

في هذه الدراسة، بحثت في کيف يرى الطلاب السعوديين في جامعة أکرون تجربة التعليم المختلط کأفراد نشأوا في بيئة ثقافية ونظام تعليمي طبيعته الفصل بين الجنسين، واستکشاف أي اختلافات في مثل هذه التصورات والخبرات بين الذکور والإناث. وکان الهدف من هذه الدراسة العثور على إجابات لأربعة أسئلة. (أ) کيف يرى الطلاب السعوديين، کمخرجات من نظام تعليم من جنس واحد وثقافة الفصل بين الجنسين، إلى تجربة التعليم المختلط أثناء حضورهم البرامج الأکاديمية المختلطة في الولايات المتحدة؟ (ب) هل تجربة المرأة السعودية للتعليم المختلط في الولايات المتحدة مختلف عن تجربة الرجل؟ (ج) هل جنس الطالب عاملا في إعاقة أو تسريع التکيف مع هذا التغيير؟ أم الوقت الذي يقضيه في التعليم المختلط؟ أم أنها على حد سواء؟ (د) کيف يمکن التخفيف من التحديات المتصورة للتکيف مع التعليم المختلط في الخارج؟ ولمعالجة مشکلة البحث والأسئلة، طبقت منهجية دراسة وتحليل الظواهر، والتي شملت تحليل تصورات أربعة طلاب سعوديين تم اختيارهم عشوائيا، مختلفين في الجنس ومستوى التعليم والوقت الذي قضوه في الولايات المتحدة، للوصول إلى تقييم معبر للظاهرة موضوع الدراسة. وخلصت إلى أن الطلاب السعوديين الذين يدرسون في برنامجا اکاديميا في الولايات المتحدة قد يکون لديهم تصورات وتجارب مختلفة تختلف وفقا لجنسهم، ومدة تکيفهم مع التعليم المختلط، وخاصة خلال الفصل الدراسي الأول. ومع ذلک، بعد بقائهم لمدة کافية في بيئة التعليم المختلط، يحقق الطلاب السعوديون، من الذکور والإناث، مستوى مماثل من التکيف مع الاختلاف الثقافي في التعليم المختلط ليکونوا قادرين على التفاعل بشکل فعال مع الطلاب غير السعوديين من الجنس الآخر بينما ما زالوا يواجهون مستويات مختلفة من التوتر والصعوبة والإحراج عند التفاعل مع الطلاب السعوديين من الجنس الآخر. وقد أجازت اللجنة الدراسة وأوصت بنشره في کبرى الدوريات في علوم الاجتماع والتربية، کما تم نشر الدراسة على مکتبة أوهايو البحثية.
Pelvic Floor Injury and Consequences

An accepted risk factor for pelvic floor injuries is vaginal birth, and its concomitant birth trauma. Muscular trauma occurs in the pelvic floor, as much as any other trauma, but is not often thought of as “muscular.” Although much of the effect is mitigated over the life span, with conflicting evidence and unclear causal and mechanistic explanations in the literature of the role of birth trauma, understanding the impact of pelvic muscle trauma is imperative in appreciating women’s health over the life span. The greatest impact of vaginal birth trauma is on the incidence and prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (Obstet Gynecol, 2007;109:295–302). The prognosis of vaginal birth trauma on development or severity of urinary incontinence and anal incontinence is more difficult to determine because of the profound impact that aging has on these conditions. Immediately after birth, little is known about the sequelae of specific trauma other than in the short-term postpartum period. In what follows, the literature is reviewed with an aim to elucidate the role of pelvic floor injury, its impact, and prognosis on a parous woman’s pelvic floor.
The Inner Nuclear Membrane Protein Src1 Is Required for Stable Post-Mitotic Progression into G1 in Aspergillus nidulans

How membranes and associated proteins of the nuclear envelope (NE) are assembled specifically and inclusively around segregated genomes during exit from mitosis is incompletely understood. Inner nuclear membrane (INM) proteins play key roles by providing links between DNA and the NE. In this study we have investigated the highly conserved INM protein Src1 in Aspergillus nidulans and have uncovered a novel cell cycle response during post mitotic formation of G1 nuclei. Live cell imaging indicates Src1 could have roles during mitotic exit as it preferentially locates to the NE abscission points during nucleokinesis and to the NE surrounding forming daughter G1 nuclei. Deletion analysis further supported this idea revealing that although Src1 is not required for interphase progression or mitosis it is required for stable post-mitotic G1 nuclear formation. This conclusion is based upon the observation that in the absence of Src1 newly formed G1 nuclei are structurally unstable and immediately undergo architectural modifications typical of mitosis. These changes include NPC modifications that stop nuclear transport as well as disassembly of nucleoli. More intriguingly, the newly generated G1 nuclei then cycle between mitotic- and interphase-like states. The findings indicate that defects in post-mitotic G1 nuclear formation caused by lack of Src1 promote repeated failed attempts to generate stable G1 nuclei. To explain this unexpected phenotype we suggest a type of regulation that promotes repetition of defective cell cycle transitions rather than preventing progression past the defective cell cycle transition. We suggest the term “reboot regulation” to define this mode of cell cycle regulation. The findings are discussed in relationship to recent studies showing the Cdk1 master oscillator can entrain subservient oscillators that when uncoupled cause cell cycle transitions to be repeated.
Service-Oriented Integration Environment for CAD/CAM Systems

The nature of product modeling systems and related application programs for design and manufacture makes it difficult to integrate them into a consistent and dynamic environment. This has been especially true for rule-based application programs. Through the use of standardized functional interfaces and UNIX interprocess communication, an environment has been developed that allows modelers and application programs to behave like objects within the integration environment. Each modeler and application objects in the system runs as a separate process. Each object has specific methods associated with it and also incorporates the concepts of data hiding and encapsulation. The object-oriented approach creates an environment that is service oriented vs. the traditional data-oriented approach. The software that creates and controls this environment is called the Information Services Exchange ISX. ISX is currently being used to implement a project sponsored by Computer Aided Manufacturing---International CAM-I aimed at integrating a wide range of product development software. The approach developed within ISX could have a significant effect on design of diverse and large-scale product development systems.
Microgravity vibration isolation for the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is being envisioned as a laboratory for experiments in numerous microgravity (μg) science disciplines. Predictions of the ISS acceleration environment indicate that the ambient acceleration levels will exceed levels that can be tolerated by the science experiments. Hence, microgravity vibration isolation systems are being developed to attenuate the accelerations to acceptable levels. While passive isolation systems are beneficial in certain applications, active isolation systems are required to provide attenuation at low frequencies and to mitigate directly induced payload disturbances. To date, three active isolation systems have been successfully tested in the orbital environment. A fourth system called g-LIMIT is currently being developed for the Microgravity Science Glovebox and is manifested for launch on the UF-1 mission. This paper presents an overview of microgravity vibration isolation technology and the g-LIMIT system in particular.
Physico-chemical properties of the microbubble lipid shell [ultrasound contrast agents]

Targeted microbubbles stabilized by a lipid monolayer are currently being developed in conjunction with ultrasound for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Targeted microbubbles utilize specific receptor-ligand interactions to adhere to the site of interest - a process which can be enhanced by using ultrasonic radiation force. The monolayer shell is composed of a main phospholipid component and an emulsifier comprising a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) headgroup. The targeting ligand is tethered to a lipid in the monolayer via a PEG spacer. Using epi-fluorescence microscopic techniques, we show here for the first time that the targeting ligand is not uniformly distributed over the microbubble surface, but instead clusters into the expanded phase interdomain region. We also demonstrate for the first time the relationships between composition, microstructure and lipid shedding properties during ultrasonic insonation of the microbubble. These results have implications for the rational design of lipid-coated microbubbles as targeted ultrasound contrast agents.
Real-time ocean data assimilation and prediction with global NCOM

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) at Stennis Space Center has developed a global implementation of the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM). Global NCOM encompasses the open ocean to 5 m depth in a curvilinear global model grid with 1/8 degree grid spacing at 45/spl deg/N, extending from 80/spl deg/S to a complete Arctic cap with grid singularities mapped into Canada and Russia. The model employs 40 vertical sigma-z levels, with sigma in the upper ocean and coastal regions, and z in the deeper ocean. The real-time system uses Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) 3-hourly wind stresses and heat fluxes. Operationally available sea surface temperature (SST) and altimetry (SSH) data are incorporated into NAVOCEANO Modular Ocean Data Assimilation System (MODAS) and Navy Layered Ocean Model (NLOM) analyses and forecasts of SSH and SST. These in turn are combined with the MODAS synthetic database to yield three-dimensional fields of temperature and salinity for assimilation into global NCOM. We describe the analysis and forecast system, present selected evaluations of the model performance, and discuss planned upgrades to the model and data assimilation methods.