cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular conducting magnetic heterostructures

Building molecular conducting magnets has been of considerable interest due to their metallic transport and magnetic properties. Conjugated aniline anions and transition-metal cations are recognized to synthesize such π–d interaction frameworks. Here, an interfacial assembly of quasi-two-dimensional aniline heterojunction frameworks is developed, which consists of a proton-aniline conducting layer (conductivity of 9.2 × 102 S cm−1) and a transition metal–aniline magnetic layer. The two-dimensional aniline coordination framework with pronounced π–d interactions is indispensable for obtaining ordered spin states and metallic transport conductivity. We apply optical and Raman spectroscopy to study the interactions between the metal cations and nitrogen atoms in the aniline chains. The bilayer heterostructure maintains a high conductivity of 3.5 × 102 S cm−1 and increased magnetization, while the coupling of metallic conducting and magnetic layers leads to an enhanced magnetoconductance of 0.4% under a magnetic field of 70 kOe.
Introduction: Menstruation as Structural

To recognize menstruation as structural, we must tune into the very political dimensions that undergird our institutions, laws, policies, budgets, guidelines, taxation, programs, and data collection. Historically, decision-makers have paid limited attention to menstruation—either due to oversight and neglect or due to deliberate exclusion. Yet, the last decade has seen enormous developments; at various levels, menstruation is rising to the level of global awareness. This might be what most distinguishes the current state of the menstrual movement from its past. Menstruation is gaining traction. Against this background, this section offers an overview and early assessment of these developments at various levels including those driven by practitioners, policy-makers, activists, and civil society actors. It seeks to capture these trends and initiatives through a combination of practice-based and research-based chapters that bring together different perspectives, voices, and experiences. This diversity is essential to engage different types of emerging knowledge in this field and to combine practical experience with critical reflection.
Collision-Free UAV Navigation with a Monocular Camera Using Deep Reinforcement Learning

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with reduced sensing and communication capabilities can support potential use cases in different indoor environments such as automated factories or commercial buildings. In this context, we consider the problem of collision-free autonomous UAV navigation supported by a simple sensor. We propose a navigation system based on object detection and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) that only exploits sensing data obtained by a monocular camera mounted on the UAV. Object detection is incorporated into DRL training to reduce flight time and to maximize the probability of avoiding both current and future crashes. Moreover, object detection also helps to remove the impact of wrong predictions from the deep network. When compared to schemes using traditional RL methods, the proposed framework not only leads to collision- free trips, but it also reduces flying times towards given destinations by 25%, and cuts down 50% of unnecessary turns.
Interdisciplinary teamwork artefacts and practices: a typology for promoting successful teamwork in engineering education

Professional organisations and engineering educators in Australia recognise that interdisciplinary teamwork skills are increasingly important for engineering graduates to develop. However, knowledg...
A Simple Scoring Tool to Predict Medical Intensive Care Unit Readmissions Based on Both Patient and Process Factors.

Although many predictive models have been developed to risk assess medical intensive care unit (MICU) readmissions, they tend to be cumbersome with complex calculations that are not efficient for a clinician planning a MICU discharge. To develop a simple scoring tool that comprehensively takes into account not only patient factors but also system and process factors in a single model to predict MICU readmissions. Retrospective chart review. We included all patients admitted to the MICU of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a tertiary care center, between June 2016 and May 2017 except those who were < 18 years of age, pregnant, or planned for hospice care at discharge. Logistic regression models and a scoring tool for MICU readmissions were developed on a training set of 409 patients, and validated in an independent set of 474 patients. Readmission rate in the training and validation sets were 8.8% and 9.1% respectively. The scoring tool derived from the training dataset included the following variables: MICU admission diagnosis of sepsis, intubation during MICU stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy during MICU stay, non-emergency department admission source to MICU, weekend MICU discharge, and length of stay in the MICU. The area under the curve of the scoring tool on the validation dataset was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.68–0.84), and the model fit the data well (Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.644). Readmission rate was 3.95% among cases in the lowest scoring range and 50% in the highest scoring range. We developed a simple seven-variable scoring tool that can be used by clinicians at MICU discharge to efficiently assess a patient’s risk of MICU readmission. Additionally, this is one of the first studies to show an association between MICU admission diagnosis of sepsis and MICU readmissions.
Outcomes of Heart Transplant Recipients Bridged with Percutaneous versus Durable LVADs

Purpose The new UNOS heart allocation policy prioritizes patients with percutaneous ventricular support devices over durable LVADs. We examined one-year survival of heart transplant recipients successfully bridged with Impella versus durable LVADs in the most recent era. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all primary adult orthotopic heart transplant recipients in the UNOS registry between Jan 1, 2016 to June 12, 2020. Recipients were identified as having an isolated durable LVAD or Impella device at the time of transplant. Those bridged with ECMO, RVAD, BIVAD, or TAH were excluded. One-year survival was examined with the Kaplan Meier method and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Of 10,492 heart transplant recipients in the study period, 4610(44%) were bridged with a durable LVAD and 158(2%) with Impella. Impella use increased following the UNOS allocation policy change (3% vs 1% of transplants, p Conclusion Impella utilization as bridge to transplant has tripled in the current era of heart transplantation with no significant difference in one-year survival compared to those bridged with durable LVADs. Percutaneous LVAD platforms can be cautiously considered in the sickest patients requiring LVAD bridge to transplantation.
25) Enhancing Resident Education through Longitudinal Patient Simulation in a Pediatric ICU

Purpose: There is an increasing stress on Pediatric residency programs to provide standardized education and ensure that all residents receive adequate training and experience while still ensuring safe patient care. By implementing a longitudinal patient simulation experience, each resident gains hands-on educational experience of the core critical pediatric diseases while improving critical thinking skills and autonomy. Methods: We …
The twink next door, who also does porn: networked intimacy in gay porn performers' self-presentation on social media

The performer–viewer relationship premised on mediated intimacy is a pivotal element of porn. As social media afford more interactivity and flexibility for pornographic relationship-building, gay p...
The origins of touchscreen competence: Examining infants' exploration of touchscreens.

Abstract Infants’ exposure to images presented on screens is increasing with the accelerating use of technology in society and at home. Touchscreen technology provides numerous interactive screen opportunities geared toward infants and toddlers. Touchscreens are unique in that they possess the 2D qualities of a picture, but a set of manipulation possibilities similar to, but distinct from, a 3D object. Research comparing infants’ manual exploration of photographs, objects, and screen images has demonstrated that although 7–10-month-old infants direct different actions towards 3D objects, their exploration of screen images does not differ significantly from their exploration of 2D photographs (Ziemer & Snyder, 2016). The current investigation compares the ways in which 7–10-month-old infants and 15–18-month-old infants manually explore screen images, photographs, and objects. Infants in the older age group were shown examples of objects, photographs, and screen images presented within a well in a table with a Plexiglas® cover to create identical tactile feedback. Coders noted the presence or absence of appropriate actions displayed toward the various surfaces. Results were compared to data collected earlier (Ziemer & Snyder, 2016) to demonstrate the evolution of touchscreen competence across the first years of infant development. By 15–18 months, infants demonstrate an emerging repertoire of touchscreen-appropriate behaviors directed towards touchscreens that is not demonstrated by 7–10-month-old infants. Differences in haptic exploration suggest the beginnings of a touchscreen competence that enables infants to understand and interact with touchscreens in a new way.
Identity and style: Fashionable, collective, and personal

In this paper, I consider the relationship between fashion styles, with a focus on clothing and accessories, and identity. Specifically, I investigate the role played by fashion in three distinct, but often intertwined instances. First, I consider the relation between the choice of a given style and the establishment of collective identity. I then move to the analysis and comparison between what is implied by the possession of a “fashionable style” and by what is instead regarded as “personal style”. The goal is to show both how fashionable styles emerge and gain popularity and how personal styles affect the notion of personal identity. Importantly, I argue for the active role of fashion: a personal style does not simply underline character traits, it is constitutive of identity and can effectively shape who we are.
Competitive Location and Coverage in Emergency Medical Systems

In the recent competitive app-based retail market, required service information has become easily accessible. In such scenarios, customers preferring `faster' service induce competition between two or multiple service providers, as the server which indicates lower service times is preferred. In this work, we analyze a similar spatial and temporal competition between two players who maximize the number of customers they serve in a non-cooperative game setting. In particular, we focus on the Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Especially in the time-sensitive cases like EMS, location as well as serving range of the service providers is crucial as service times are heavily dependent on those. We consider a simple model here with two service providers maximizing their service by choosing the right base location and serving range. The customer inflow or the demand is modeled as a temporal, uniform Poisson process over an area. We design a probabilistic model with random arrivals and service rates which leads to a system where the probability of players being idle can be computed. Location and service regions are chosen as strategies to maximize the utility and minimize the loss due to competition, considering the stochasticity of the process. We study the behavior of these services which are coupled through their overlapping service regions. Using renewal theory arguments, we explicitly compute the probabilities of players competing for customers in the overlapping regions and also those of winning in competitions. We also approximate the probabilities by showing the limited dependence between servers. We study the Nash equilibrium, which defines the strategic equilibrium location and service range of a player in a simplified one-dimensional case. We show that PSNEs (Pure Strategy Nash Equilibrium) exist for all cases. We also solve for the case where servers are always free to serve and show that PSNEs exist here as well. We further analyze the gain of efficiency in the system that comes with the flexibility of location and after allowing centralized queues (Price of Anarchy). Finally, we experimentally verify these results showing more practical implications. Our work shows that under a heavy customer induced competition, service providers indeed compete for customers by choosing regions that overlap. Also, the price of anarchy analysis shows that such heavy competition, in fact, leads to more and more losses and that an existence of a social planner would not only benefit the customers, but also the service providers.
Tutorial on Blockchain Applications in Supply Chains

This tutorial builds on the earlier work by Babich and Hilary (2019) and Babich and Hilary (2020) and updates the status of various applications of blockchain technology to supply chains. We present a revised framework for analyzing the value of blockchain applications, based on five strengths and the corresponding five weaknesses. We describe industry efforts to take advantage of these strengths and to address these weaknesses. We outline the main academic research themes and discuss examples of research questions.
Where to, from Here?

Planners and planning activities are inherently political; consequently, we must understand how our work as individuals, as part of groups, and as part of the institutions. It shapes how we view planning issues, the methods we identify as appropriate to analyze and solve the problem, and the outcomes we consider desirable or favorable. In other words, our individual agency and motivations are mediated and influenced by the group (societal) settings within which we work, and are ultimately shaped by the larger institutional and political constructs that govern our lives. It is in this context that we must understand the dynamics of doing participatory planning enabled by digital technologies.
Determining the distribution of marine and coastal ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria using a quantitative approach.

Abstract The oxidation of ammonia to nitrite is the first and often rate-limiting step in nitrification and plays an important role in both nitrogen and carbon cycling. This process is carried out by two distinct groups of microorganisms: ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). This chapter describes methods for measuring the abundance of AOA and AOB using ammonia monooxygenase subunit A ( amoA ) genes, with a particular emphasis on marine and coastal systems. We also describe quantitative measures designed to target two specific clades of marine AOA: the “shallow” (group A) and “deep” (group B) water column AOA.
δ-complete decision procedures for satisfiability over the reals

We introduce the notion of "δ-complete decision procedures" for solving SMT problems over the real numbers, with the aim of handling a wide range of nonlinear functions including transcendental functions and solutions of Lipschitz-continuous ODEs. Given an SMT problem ϕ and a positive rational number δ, a δ-complete decision procedure determines either that ϕ is unsatisfiable, or that the "δ-weakening" of ϕ is satisfiable. Here, the δ-weakening of ϕ is a variant of ϕ that allows δ-bounded numerical perturbations on ϕ. We establish the existence and complexity of δ-complete decision procedures for bounded SMT over reals with functions mentioned above. We propose to use δ-completeness as an ideal requirement for numerically-driven decision procedures. As a concrete example, we formally analyze the DPLL〈ICP〉 framework, which integrates Interval Constraint Propagation in DPLL(T), and establish necessary and sufficient conditions for its δ-completeness. We discuss practical applications of δ-complete decision procedures for correctness-critical applications including formal verification and theorem proving.
A Servo‐Mechanical load Frame for In Situ, Noninvasive, Imaging of Damage Development

The X-ray tomographic microscope (XTM) is a non-invasive X-ray imaging instrument for characterizing a material`s structure three-dimensionally with microscopic spatial resolution. The authors have designed a servomechanical load frame for use with the XTM which will allow imaging of samples under load. The load frame is capable of generating tensile or compressive forces up to 15.6 kN with a design system stiffness of 8.76 {times} 10{sup 8} N/m. The test specimen can be rotated through 360{degree}, without induced bending or torque. Torqueless motion is accomplished by synchronously rotating the grips on precision bearings with an accuracy of 0.01{degree}. With this load frame it will be possible, for the first time, to image the initiation and accumulation of internal damage (0.5 {mu}m detectability) formed in a 6 mm diameter specimen during the application of a monotonic or low frequency cyclic load. This is accomplished by interrupting the test and maintaining a fixed load (or displacement) during the non-invasive XTM data collection procedure. This paper describes the in situ load frame design and experimental capabilities. This system can be used to enhance the understanding of failure in composite materials.
Paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia and the paraneoplastic syndromes

Paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia, also known as paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, is one of the wide array of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes in which neurological symptoms are indirectly caused by an underlying malignancy, most commonly gynecological, breast, or lung cancer or Hodgkin's lymphoma. We describe a patient with severe cerebellar dysfunction attributed to a paraneoplastic neurological syndrome. The case highlights the need to look for paraneoplastic syndromes-both to discover malignancies early, at a treatable stage, and, as in our case, to address very distressing symptoms for the patient's relief even if the malignancy is not curable.
Cross-Cultural Supervision: Guiding the Conversation toward Race and Ethnicity

It is expected that over the next 50 years, the population of the United States will become increasingly racially diverse, and that this racial and ethnic diversity will be reflected in client populations as well (Sue & Sue, 1999). Much of the counseling literature of the last 2 decades has addressed the need for multiculturally competent counselors, and has detailed key dimensions of multicultural counseling competence (Arredondo, et al, 1996; Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992). While considerable attention has been given to cultural competence in the counseling arena, an area that has been addressed fcir less frequently is cross-cultural competence in supervision. Bernard and Goodyear (1998) defined supervision as an evaluative relationship between a senior and junior member of the counseling profession whose purpose is to "enhance the professional functioning" of the supervisee (p. 4). Their definition portrays the senior member of the supervision dyad as responsible for directing and nurturing the development of the supervisee's skills and professional identity. It is clear that in a context of increasing client diversity, an essential feature of supervision would include the supervisor's ability to raise and guide analyses of race, ethnicity, and culture with the supervisee as part of the critical process of honing the supervisee's multicultural skill.
Failure Models: Performance and Service Requirements for Metals

This chapter summarizes the mechanical failure modes most commonly observed in practice followed by a brief description of each one. For uniaxial loading of a machine or structural element, the total elastic deformation of the member may be found by integrating the elastic strain over the length of the element. The two most widely accepted theories for predicting the onset of yielding are the distortion energy theory and the maximum shearing stress theory. Computer-controlled fatigue testing machines are widely used in all modern fatigue testing laboratories. Three commonly used methods for extrapolating short-time creep data to long-term applications are the abridged method, the mechanical acceleration method, and the thermal acceleration method. Erosion corrosion is influenced by the velocity of the flowing corrosive medium, turbulence of the flow, impingement characteristics, concentration of abrasive solids, and characteristics of the metal alloy surface exposed to the flow. Keywords: elastic deformation; elastic strain; erosion corrosion; fatigue testing machines; mechanical failure modes; metal alloy
Cord blood transplantation in children with hemoglobinopathies

Introduction: Current challenges in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for hemoglobinopathies include the possibility of using alternative donors to expand the number of candidates to an allograft. Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) have extended the access to HSCT in patients lacking matched related or unrelated adult donors, and appears particularly appealing in non-malignant diseases by virtue of the associated low incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).Areas covered: Outcomes of patients with thalassemia or sickle cell disease given related UCBT is at least as good as that of patients receiving bone marrow (BM) allograft from human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-identical siblings, provided the UCB unit contains adequate cell dose. The experience with unrelated UCBT has been less encouraging, primarily due to low engraftment rates and delayed hematopoietic recovery. New promising approaches of ex vivo graft manipulation aimed at overcoming the drawback of cell dose li...
Physiology and Nutrition of Lampropedia hyalina

A detailed study of the physiology and nutrition of Lampropedia hyalina revealed that it is an aerobic, cytochrome-containing chemoheterotroph which is limited in its energy sources to a few intermediates (and close derivatives) of the Krebs cycle. Reducing compounds at low levels are potent growth inhibitors. The microbe has no photosynthetic ability (despite its previous taxonomic position with the sulfur purple bacteria). The results of a general investigation of its physiology are reported. Added biotin and thiamine are needed for growth in defined media; pantothenate is strongly stimulatory. Alanine, arginine, and tyrosine, as well as NH4Cl, serve as sole nitrogen sources. A unique motion exhibited by cells of a rapidly growing culture is described. Aspects of its metabolism of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate and limiting aspects of its physiology as related to its ecology are discussed.
A parallel implementation of the Hough transform method to detect lines and curves in pictures

An implementation of the Hough transform method on the Connection Machine is described. Detection and description of lines and curves in a picture is extremely expensive on sequential machines. The Hough transformation lends itself to elegant implementation on machines with SIMD (single instruction stream, multiple data system) architectures. The crucial issue in SIMD implementations is the cost of interprocessor communication. In this work, appropriate optimizations were carried out to minimize such costs. >
Representing Religion in The Postmodern Age

Crocker. Jon Christopher. Vital Souls: Bororo Cosmology, Natural Symbolism and Shamanism. Tuscon: University of Arizona Press, 1985. xiii. 380 pp. $29.95 (cloth). Farella. John R. The Main Stalk:. Synthesis of Navajo Philosophy. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1984. + 221 pp. $19.95 (cloth). Angell. J. William. and E. Pendleton Banks. eds. Images of Man: Studies in Religion and Anthropology. Macon, Ga.: Mercer Press, 1984. ix. 142 pp. $13.95 (cloth).
Portrait of a physician.

837 Ameri can physician and polit ical leader; and Hippocrates. This remarkable vivid painting was recently sold at auction for the highest price, obtained to that date, for an American folk watercolor. The artist responsible for this work is basically un­ known. Some authorities have attributed the watercolor to a Mr. G. Willson on the basis of its similarity to a few other portraits that have been Portrait of a Physician Medic ine in American Ar t
On the fluctuations of the stochastic traveling salesperson problem

Consider n points X1, ', Xn independently and uniformly distributed on the unit square [0, 1]2. Denote by Tn the length of the shortest tour through X1, ', Xn. We prove that for some universal constant K, we have P|Tn-ETn| â¥ t â¥ K-1 exp-t2K whenever t â¤ K-1n1/2.
Oxygen Conservation and Oxygen-conserving Devices in Chronic Lung Disease: A Review

The efficacy of long-term oxygen therapy for hypoxemic COPD patients is well established. However, oxygen is expensive and the portability of home oxygen is limited by the weight and bulk of the oxygen source. As a result, there has been a recent surge of interest in creating oxygen-conserving devices and methods. The efficiency of oxygen therapy can be improved over steady flow delivery by focusing oxygen delivery to early inspiration. Three methods for improving oxygen delivery efficiency—transtracheal catheter, reservoir cannula and demand-pulse oxygen delivery—are currently available for patient use. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. By using oxygen conservation methods, the oxygen required to achieve adequate blood oxygenation can be reduced by a factor of 2:1 to 7:1 compared to steady flow. Thus, the cost of oxygen can be substantially reduced while increasing the portability and range of home oxygen therapy.
Measurement of the faraday effect in a θ-pinch plasma using a HeNe laser

Abstract : A measurement is reported of the Faraday rotation in a theta-pinch plasma, using a He-Ne laser, operating at 6328A, as the light source. This provides a means of measuring the magnetic field within a plasma, without perturbing the plasma.
A 10-year comparative study of the treatment of general paresis with fever therapy (radiant energy) and chemotherapy

I. In the comparsion of the results of the treatment of general paresis by fever therapy (with or without chemotherapy) with the standard chemical therapeutic procedure, we find certain similarities in the results. 1. The average periods between treatment and death and the average periods before discharge are similar in the two groups. 2. The cases committed for more than four years have little chance of discharge. II. The mortality from treatment or following treatment is much greater with chemotherapy (48 per cent) than with fever treatment (11.2 per cent). III. The percentage of markedly improved cases discharged is much greater after fever therapy than after chemotherapy (90 per cent vs. 53 per cent). IV. The percentage of cases unimproved or still under commitment is approximately the same in the two groups.
Accelerator-feasible N -body nonlinear integrable system

A new $N$-body integrable system including interactions between particles has been found, which could be experimentally realized in particle accelerators, with implications for charged particle beams.
The representation of the body self in human figure drawings.

Abstract The matching of 25 frontal drawings of the female human figure with 25 frontal photographs of the college women who drew the figures was attempted by 30 male graduate psychology students and 30 women religious graduate students of art. The drawings and photos were arranged in envelopes according to a balanced lattice design, and presented to each of the judges in different envelopes in an order determined by randomized latin squares. Both groups matched the drawings with the photographs of the same Ss at significantly higher than chance expectancy (p<.01). These findings suggest that this matching technique may be of some value in testing the hypothesis of objective body self projection in human figure drawings.
Exactly alternating silarylene–siloxane polymers. II. The condensation polymerization of arylenedisilanols and bisureidosilanes

A new method for the preparation of exactly alternating silarylene–siloxane polymers by the low temperature step-growth condensation polymerization reaction of arylenedisilanols and bisurei-dosilanes in chlorobenzene was investigated. To obtain high molecular weight products 1H NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography were used to monitor the polymerization reaction. By using these procedures 12 different polymers were prepared from 1,4-bis(dimethylhydroxysilyl)-benzene, 4,4′-bis(dimethylhydroxysilyl)phenyl ether, bis(1,1-tetramethylene-3-phenylureido)-dimethylsilane, and bis(1,1-tetramethylene-3-phenylureido)-methylvinylsilane monomers. The polymers were obtained in high yields, purities, and molecular weights.
Phospholipase C Expression and Activity in Smooth Muscle Cells of Renal Arterioles and Aorta of Young, Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats During Culture

Background Phospholipase C (PLC)-β1 and -δ1, but not -γ1, protein expressions in fresh renal arterioles and aorta are greater in 6-week-old, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) versus normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs). This PLC activity is also greater in both vessels of SHRs. In the present study, we tested whether cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of preglomerular arterioles and aorta accurately reflect strain differences observed in fresh vessels, with VSMCs of SHRs predicted to have higher levels of PLC isozymes and enzyme activity. We assessed the stability of variables over passages 3 to 11. Methods The VSMCs were isolated and cultured using standard techniques. The PLC-isozyme protein levels and catalytic activity were determined by Western blot analysis and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) production, respectively. Results Immunoblots showed expression of PLC-γ1 and -δ1, but not PLC-β1, in VSMCs from both vessels. Arteriolar VSMCs of SHRs had three-to-fivefold higher levels of PLC-γ1 and -δ1 during passages 3 to 8. Enzymatic activity in these VSMCs was higher in SHRs versus WKYs, especially during passages 6 to 11. In contrast, cultured aortic VSMCs of SHRs had two-to-threefold lower densities of PLC-γ1 and -δ1 protein. Conclusions Compared with fresh resistance arterioles and aorta, cultured VSMCs exhibit changes in PLC-isozyme protein levels and enzyme activity that vary with passage. The differences between cultured VSMCs of SHRs and WKYs do not accurately reflect those in fresh resistance and conduit vessels, either qualitatively or quantitatively. The results of VSMC culture studies should be interpreted with caution and should ideally be compared with more physiologically relevant fresh preparations.
Relative exposure to swine animal feeding operations and childhood asthma prevalence in an agricultural cohort

Large swine animal feeding operations (AFOs) have become the model of livestock production throughout the United States. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown an increase in adverse respiratory symptoms among workers at AFOs. However, the impact on communities surrounding these facilities is still being investigated. We evaluated the association between relative environmental exposure to AFOs and the prevalence of prescribed medication for wheeze and/or childhood asthma in rural Iowa. Demographic and health information on 565 children aged 0-17 was obtained from a previous population-based cohort study while data on the AFOs were collected from publically available tax records. We created a metric of each child's relative environmental exposure to swine CAFOs which incorporated the size of the AFO as well as distance and wind direction. We determined the association between self-reported prescription medication for wheeze and/or self-reported physician diagnosed asthma and relative exposure while controlling for recognized risk factors using correlated logistic regression. The prevalence of childhood asthma in the cohort was 11.0% while 22.7% of children had been previously prescribed medication for wheeze or had a lifetime asthma diagnosis. Children with a larger relative environmental exposure to AFOs had a significantly increased odds of both outcomes (OR=1.51, p=0.014 asthma; OR=1.38, p=0.023 asthma or medication for wheeze). When stratified into exposure quartiles a linear trend was observed with asthma or medication for wheeze as the dependent variable but not with asthma alone. This study is the first to investigate children's cumulative relative exposure to smaller AFOs and adds to the growing volume of literature supporting a link between proximity to swine AFOs and adverse respiratory health.
Analytic Solutions of Linearized Lattice Boltzmann Equation for Simple Flows

A general procedure to obtain analytic solutions of the linearized lattice Boltzmann equation for simple flows is developed. As examples, the solutions for the Poiseuille and the plane Couette flows in two-dimensional space are obtained and studied in detail. The solutions not only have a component which is the solution of the Navier–Stokes equation, they also include a kinetic component which cannot be obtained by the Navier–Stokes equation. The kinetic component of the solutions is due to the finite-mean-free-path effect. Comparison between the analytic results and the numerical results of lattice-gas simulations is made, and they are found to be in accurate agreement.
Non-linear sigma model solutions for the disoriented chiral condensate at O(p4)

Abstract Boost-invariant (1+1) dimensional solutions for the Disoriented Chiral Condensate (DCC) are obtained numerically, in the context of the SU(2)L ⊗ SU(2)R non-linear sigma model at O(p4) in the momentum expansion. We ignore the mass terms in the Lagrangian, as we are mainly interested in the behavior of the solutions for small values of proper time τ. The solutions obtained at O(p4) are matched to those of O(p2) at a late proper time τ ⪢ 1 m π , where mπ = 140 MeV is the mass of the pion. We find that at O(p4) the solutions for the DCC do not have singular behavior at early proper times τ ⪡ 1 m π . The solutions indicate that for τ ≲ (0.5–0.8) fm the O(p4) corrections become important. We take the sizes of the field derivatives to be indicators of the validity of the momentum expansion. Thus, we deduce that the O(p4) solutions can be used to represent the qualitative behavior of the DCC down to proper times of about 0.2 fm. Since below ∼ 0.2 fm the formalism is not reliable, we conclude that the inclusion of higher order terms beyond O(p4) is not needed to extend the validity of the solutions to earlier proper times.
Attitude-Independent Magnetometer Calibration with Time-Varying Bias

We present a method for on-orbit, attitude-independent magnetometer calibration that includes the effect of time-varying bias due to electronics on-board a spacecraft. The calibration estimates magnetometer scale factors, mis-alignments, and constant as well as time-varying bias. Time-varying effects are mitigated by including spacecraft telemetry in the measurement model and estimating constant parameters that map the telemetry data to magnetometer bias. The calibration is demonstrated by application to flight data from the Radio Aurora Explorer satellite and significantly reduces the uncertainty of off-the-shelf magnetometers embedded within the satellite and subject to spacecraftgenerated fields. This method simplifies the satellite design process by reducing the need for booms and strict magnetic cleanliness requirements.
Metabolism and biological activity of all-trans 4,4-difluororetinyl acetate

Abstract All- trans [11- 3 H]4,4-difluororetinyl acetate was synthesized by treating methyl all- trans [11- 3 H]4-oxoretinoate with diethylaminosulfurtrifluoride, followed by reduction and acetylation of the product. After oral administration of the radioactive difluoro analog in oil to rats, difluororetinol, difluororetinyl palmitate and related esters, 4-oxoretinol, 4-oxoretinoic acid and polar conjugated derivatives were identified in the intestine, liver, kidney and / or blood. The major metabolic products were difluororetinyl palmitate and related esters, which were stored in the liver. The presence of the difluoro analog in liver oil from treated rats was confirmed by 19 F-NMR spectroscopy. Neither retinol nor retinyl esters were detected as products of the metabolism of the difluoro analog. Nonetheless, all- trans difluororetinyl acetate showed 26 ± 12% of the biological activity of all- trans retinyl acetate in the rat growth assay. Presumably, the difluoro analog is active per se in growth rather than by conversion to retinol or to one of its known growth-promoting metabolites. In general, however, the difluoro analog was metabolized in a manner very similar to vitamin A. The vitamin A moiety of administered difluororetinyl acetate and retinyl acetate was poorly stored (1.8–3.3%) in the liver of vitamin A-depleted rats, confirming and extending past reports that the liver storage mechanism is severely impaired when initial liver stores are very low.
The Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Slosson Intelligence Test for Pre-Kindergarten Pupils

The ability of the Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) to predict academic achievement was assessed by using three samples of pre-kindergarten pupils from three successive years in a large midwest school district. At the beginning of the kindergarten year, the Screening Test of Academic Readiness (STAR) was administered to all three samples. Obtained SIT-STAR correlations ranged from .184 to .689. At the beginning of the first grade, the Stanford Early School Achievement Test (SESAT), Primary Battery II, was administered to two samples of pupils. The SIT-SESAT correlations ranged from .296 to .653. At the beginning of the second grade, the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), Primary Battery I, was administered to one sample of pupils. The SIT-SAT correlations ranged from .392 to .586. All of the 102 correlations were statistically significant. The SIT appeared to be most predictive of STAR Total and Numbers scores; of SESAT Mathematics, Word Reading, Aural Comprehension, and Environment scores; and of SAT Total ...
Effect of a Water-Soluble Vitamin E Analog, Trolox C, on Retinal Vascular Development in an Animal Model of Retinopathy of Prematurity

The debate over the efficacy of vitamin E as a therapy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) continues 45 years after it was first proposed. The discrepancies between one clinical study and another may be due to the difficulty of delivering a lipid-soluble molecule like vitamin E to the immature retina. Trolox C is a water-soluble analog of vitamin E with potent antioxidant activity. We have studied the effectiveness of intraperitoneal injection of Trolox C in an animal model of ROP. Albino rats were placed in 80% oxygen at birth where they remained for 14 d before sacrifice and assessment of retinal vasculature. Rats were administered 625 microg/kg Trolox C, or vehicle, by intraperitoneal injection on alternate days for the duration of the exposure. Other rats were simultaneously raised in room air, injected, and assessed as controls. Percent avascular retinal area, vascular leakage, and retinal capillary density were measured by computer-assisted image analysis. Trolox C-injected rats had significantly smaller avascular areas (14.6 +/- 4.8% vs. 25.4 +/- 6.3%), less leak area (0.04 +/- 0.07 mm2 vs. 0.16 +/- 0.14 mm2), and greater capillary density (24.3 +/- 2.6 pixel % vs. 18.9 +/- 3.1 pixel %) than vehicle-injected counterparts. These findings indicate that Trolox C facilitated the process of retinal vasculogenesis under hyperoxemic conditions. They also suggest that oxygen free radical-mediated damage plays a role in the pathologic effect of high oxygen rearing of newborn rats. Additional studies are warranted to determine precise site(s) and mechanism(s) of Trolox C activity in this and similar disease models in which peroxidation is believed to play a causal role.
Solubility of polystyrenes in supercritical fluids

Abstract Solubilities of polystyrene standards with narrow molecular weight distributions have been studied in near and supercritical n -butane and n -pentane. Using a versatile experimental system which permits determination of the phase behavior over the whole concentration range, demixing (binodal) pressures and coexistence curves have been generated. The experimental data on demixing pressures at critical concentrations have been compared with the theoretical predictions from the corresponding state theories of Flory and Patterson.
Exploring Dishware Influences on Product Evaluation, Willingness to Pay, and Restaurant Type

This exploratory study empirically examined the influences of dishware on consumers’ product evaluation and foodservice perceptions. The results indicate that consumers have the tendency to associate food served in dishware of different materials with different types of restaurants. Most importantly, dishware materials could have an impact on consumers’ product evaluation. Product evaluation was higher when the food was served in a ceramic plate than in a paper plate. Dishware materials were also found to affect willingness to pay and such effect was mediated by product evaluation. Implications for restaurants are discussed.
A Community College Instructor’s Reflective Journey Toward Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Nature of Science in a Non-majors Undergraduate Biology Course

Research supports an explicit-reflective approach to teaching about nature of science (NOS), but little is reported on teachers’ journeys as they attempt to integrate NOS into everyday lessons. This participatory action research paper reports the challenges and successes encountered by an in-service teacher, Sarah, implementing NOS for the first time throughout four units of a community college biology course (genetics, molecular biology, evolution, and ecology). Through the action research cycles of planning, implementing, and reflecting, Sarah identified areas of challenge and success. This paper reports emergent themes that assisted her in successfully embedding NOS within the science content. Data include weekly lesson plans and pre/post reflective journaling before and after each lesson of this lecture/lab combination class that met twice a week. This course was taught back to back semesters, and this study is based on the results of a year-long process. Developing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for NOS involves coming to understand the overlaps and connections between NOS, other science subject matter, pedagogical strategies, and student learning. Sarah found that through action research she was able to grow and assimilate her understanding of NOS within the biology content she was teaching. A shift in orientation toward teaching products of science to teaching science processes was a necessary shift for NOS pedagogical success. This process enabled Sarah’s development of PCK for NOS. As a practical example of putting research-based instructional recommendations into practice, this study may be very useful for other teachers who are learning to teach NOS.
New Thiophene-Linked Conjugated Poly(azomethine)s: Theoretical Electronic Structure, Synthesis, and Properties

We report a joint theoretical and experimental study of several new thiophene-based poly(azomethine)s. Hybrid density functional theory (DFT) method was used to calculate the optimized geometry and electronic structure of poly(azomethine)s. Theoretical band gaps of the new thiophene-based poly(azomethine)s were in the range 2.33−2.67 eV, which are smaller than that of the phenylene-based polymer. The variation of the backbone ring (fluorene, carbazole, or naphthalene) or donor/acceptor side group on the phenylene ring significantly affected the dihedral angles and resulted in the variation of electronic properties (ionization potential, electron affinity, and band gap) of the poly(azomethine)s. Five soluble new conjugated poly(azomethine)s derived from the polymerization of 2,5-diformyl-3-hexylthiophene (DFHT) with various diamines were prepared and characterized. The optical and electrochemical band gaps of the polymer films were in the ranges 2.21−2.28 and 2.13−2.24 eV, respectively. The trend of the ef...
Partially ordered region: a new mechanism for electromechanical response of EAPs

The understanding of the electromechanical response in electroactive polymers (EAPs) will lead the development of new materials or the improvement of existing materials. The recent development of electrostriction based high performance EAPs, such as irradiated P(VDF-TrFE) and dielectric elastomers, makes it more interesting to understand the micro-mechanism that contribute the observed strain response. However, the current widely accepted mechanisms, such as electric field induced phase transition and the Maxwell effect, could not explain some of the observed phenomena. In this paper, the structure and property of recrystallized P(VDF-TrFE) 65/35 copolymer which was previously irradiated with high-energy electrons are reported. It is found that the interfacial layer existing between the crystalline regions and amorphous regions plays an important role. This concept is further extended to explain the pre-stress dependence of the electromechanical response observed in dielectric elastomers. That is, partially ordered regions are induced in the dielectric elastomer by the pre-stress. These partially ordered regions are the key to the observed high electromechanical performance dielectric elastomers.
Use of digital image correlation technique in full-scale testing of prestressed concrete structures

Abstract This paper reports the advantages and limitations of the digital image correlation (DIC)-based non-contact measurement technique through full-scale testing of prestressed concrete (PC) structures. Specifically, two ultimate load tests were conducted on a full-scale pre-stressed I-shaped beam and measurements were collected from both conventional instruments (displacement transducers) and a pair of high definition cameras. Stereographic images were processed using the DIC technique to obtain full field 3-D displacement (and strain) fields. The results were compared with those from conventional instruments. It was observed that the DIC technique could provide very accurate and detailed information, which is not possible to obtain using conventional techniques, including the in-plane and out-of-plane strains and their spatial variations, and the locations of high tensile and compressive strains which at later stages of loading result in cracking or crushing of concrete. Nevertheless, certain limitations of the DIC technique exist when used in testing of concrete structures such as the sensitivity to external light sources and preparation of the measurement surface, loss of data points after spalling of cover concrete, and the inability of the used algorithm to identify cracks and report crack widths. Currently, research is being conducted to address these limitations. Although providing useful information on the pros and cons of the DIC-based non-contact measurements for PC structures, it is noted that the results presented in this paper are based on a limited number of tests. Future research is needed to draw general conclusions.
Is neuroborreliosis a medical emergency

Although Lyme disease affects the nervous system in many ways (collectively known as neuroborreliosis), only rarely does it present as a medical emergency. In extreme cases, it may cause (1) encephalitis, (2) a rapidly progressive peripheral neuropathy, or (3) a painful truncal radiculopathy that may be confused with a severe visceral process. Knowing when to consider this spirochetosis in the differential diagnosis requires an understanding of its true clinical spectrum, and of an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approach.