cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy in Surface Science

This chapter discusses the use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in surface science. Basic principles of STM imaging are introduced, and the imaging methodology is discussed, along with practical and instrumentation requirements. The approach taken in surface imaging by STM is illustrated by the example of silicon surfaces. An application of STM that has gained ever-increasing importance is discussed in detail: atomic-scale spectroscopy. A survey of the spectroscopic capabilities of STM is provided, and a variety of techniques for local spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging are introduced. In addition, pathways toward obtaining chemical and element specificity at the atomic scale—traditionally a weakness of STM—are discussed. The extension of the operating conditions of STM to high and low temperatures has opened up new avenues of investigation. Here, variable-temperature STM of dynamic surface processes is discussed, as well as manipulation of atoms and molecules at cryogenic temperatures. Examples of STM imaging and spectroscopy on subsurface structures include the use of ballistic electrons to probe buried interfaces, and cross-sectional STM on cleavage faces of III/V semiconductors to image embedded nanostructures. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of STM image simulation techniques.
Chemical Synthesis of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Nanocrystals and Their Surface Oxidation Properties

Bismuth−antimony−telluride alloy, Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3, nanocrystals (NCs) have been synthesized by direct chemical solution synthesis, in which the bismuth and antimony precursors, dissolved in a phenyl ether solution and coordinated with dodecanethiol, directly reacted with tellurium in trioctylphosphine. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for the structure and morphology characterization of these NCs. Their XRD pattern evolution indicated that the reaction temperature plays a critical role in alloying and crystallization of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 NCs. X-ray photoelectron spectrometry was used to study the alloy states and surface oxidation. It is found that the choice of the capping ligands can be important and useful in protecting against the surface oxidation of Bi2Te3-type thermoelectrical nanomaterials.
Total hip replacement is preferred for displaced femoral neck fracture in selected elderly patients: commentary on an article by Ghazi Khalil Chammout, MD, et al.: "total hip replacement versus open reduction and internal fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures. A randomized long-term follow-up study".

This interesting and remarkable study presents previously unpublished data from a randomized controlled trial of treatment of femoral neck fractures with either total hip replacement or internal fixation. The investigators evaluated outcomes at eleven and seventeen years after enrollment, providing long-term data on fracture treatment that is rarely available, particularly in a randomized study design. The basic conclusion was that in active patients in the age group studied, total hip replacement is better. This conclusion would have been groundbreaking and controversial in the early 1990s, when this study began enrolling patients. This conclusion is now well known and accepted on the basis of studies published during the prolonged follow-up period of this study. However, the comparisons between the two treatment groups, performed well over a decade after the injury and treatment, provide a more definitive assessment of expected lifetime patient function and hip survival after the treatment of a femoral neck fracture. Despite the early follow-up evidence that total hip replacement has fewer complications, there was reason for clinicians to be concerned about this treatment because of the …
Receipt of pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder by justice-involved U.S. Veterans Health Administration patients

Abstract Background Pharmacotherapy – methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone – is an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, but little is known about receipt of these medications among veterans involved in the justice system. The current study examines receipt of pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder among veterans with a history of justice involvement at U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities compared to veterans with no justice involvement. Methods Using national VHA clinical and pharmacy records, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of veterans with an opioid use disorder diagnosis in fiscal year 2012. Using a mixed-effects logistic regression model, we examined receipt of pharmacotherapy in the 1-year period following diagnosis as a function of justice involvement, adjusting for patient and facility characteristics. Results The 1-year rate of receipt for pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder was 27% for prison-involved veterans, 34% for jail/court-involved veterans, and 33% for veterans not justice-involved. Compared to veterans not justice-involved, those prison-involved had 0.75 lower adjusted odds (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65–0.87) of receiving pharmacotherapy whereas jail/court-involved veterans did not have significantly different adjusted odds. Conclusions Targeted efforts to improve receipt of pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder among veterans exiting prison is needed as they have lower odds of receiving these medications.
Resprouting and seeding hypotheses: a test of the gap-dependent model using resprouting and obligate seeding subspecies of Arctostaphylos

Ecological factors favoring either postfire resprouting or postfire obligate seeding in plants have received considerable attention recently. Three ecological models have been proposed to explain patterns of these two life history types. In this study, we test these three models using data from California chaparral. We take an innovative approach to testing these models by not testing community or landscape patterns, but instead, investigating vegetation structure characteristic of four pairs of resprouting and (non-resprouting) obligate seeding subspecies of Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae), a dominant and diverse shrub genus in California chaparral. Data were analyzed for percentage bare ground, elevation, annual precipitation, number of fires, and time between fires and were compared independently for each subspecies pair. Results were consistently supportive of the gap-dependent model suggesting that obligate seeders are favored when post-disturbance gaps are large. Results were inconclusive or contrary to expectations for both of the other two models.
Hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of furfural and furfuryl alcohol catalyzed by ruthenium(II) bis(diimine) complexes

The catalytic activity of ruthenium(II) bis(diimine) complexes cis-[Ru(6,6′-Cl2bpy)2(OH2)2](Z)2 (1, Z = CF3SO3; 2, Z = (3,5-(CF3)2C6H3)4B, i.e. BArF) and cis-[Ru(4,4′-Cl2bpy)2(OH2)2](Z)2 (3, Z = CF3SO3; 4, Z = BArF) for the hydrogenation and/or the hydrogenolysis of furfural (FFR) and furfuryl alcohol (FFA) was investigated. The molecular structures of cis-[Ru(4,4′-Cl2bpy)2(CH3CN)2](CF3SO3)2 (3′) and dimeric cis-[(Ru(4,4′-Cl2bpy)2Cl)2](BArF)2 (5) were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The structures are consistent with the anticipated reduction in steric hindrance about the ruthenium centers in comparison with corresponding complexes containing 6,6′-Cl2bpy ligands. While compounds 1, 2, 3, 4 are all active and highly selective catalysts for the hydrogenation of FFR to FFA under modest reaction conditions, 3 and 4 showed decreased activity. This is best explained in terms of reduced Lewis acidity of the Ru2+ centers and reduced steric hindrance about the metal centers of catalysts 3 and 4. cis-[Ru(6,6′-Cl2bpy)2(OH2)2](BArF)2 (2) also displayed high catalytic efficiency for the hydrogenation of FFA to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. Presumably, this is because coordination of C═C bonds of FFA to the ruthenium center is poorly inhibited by non-coordinating BArF counterions. Interestingly, cis-[Ru(6,6′-Cl2bpy)2(OH2)2](CF3SO3)2 (1) showed some catalytic activity in ethanol for the hydrogenolysis of FFA to 2-methylfuran, albeit with fairly modest selectivity. Nonetheless, these results indicate that ruthenium(II) bis(diimine) complexes need to be further explored as catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of C―O bonds of FFR, FFA, and related compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Automatic Collecting Device for Tyroglyphid (Acaridae) Mites

Tyroglyphid mites are excellent experimental animals for studies of mite ecology and physiology, because identification to species is easy, and they are among the easiest mites to culture. Their importance as stored-product pests may one day be overshadowed by the significance of their relationships, as yet not clear, with insects and fungi. Many species have extensive geographical distributions and occur in many niches outside those associated with stored products. Various methods of basic culturing or rearing individual mites are discussed by Woodring (1963) and Solomon and Cunningham (1964).
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Suppress Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization in Mice

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in the laser-induced mouse model of choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
Ligation of the Mouse Common Carotid Artery

Arterial injury leads to vascular remodeling, with contributions from endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, inflammatory cells, and potentially other circulating cells. The resultant intimal lesion formation, also described as neointima or intimal hyperplasia, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular disease as it contributes to the restriction of oxygenated blood flow to organs critical to survival. The ability to perform reproducible arterial injury in the mouse has opened up vascular remodeling studies with genetically modified mice. Complete ligation of the common carotid artery of the mouse is a highly feasible, reproducible injury model that initiates a vascular response involving primarily vascular smooth muscle cells. Typically, in this flow cessation model, the ligated carotid artery undergoes proliferation and migration of medial smooth muscle cells, forming a significant neointima with associated constrictive remodeling. The contralateral carotid artery undergoes outward remodeling, increasing circumference in response to changes in blood flow. Gene expression changes occur in both the ligated and contralateral artery, and a stable lesion is formed within 3–4 weeks after ligation. The extent of lesion response in this model depends on the genetic background of the mice. This injury model has features of maintaining an intact endothelium, and generally low levels of mechanical injury, without a major inflammatory response. For these reasons, mouse carotid artery ligation has been widely used for elucidation of the factors controlling vascular smooth muscle cell behavior in response to injury. Proteins and microRNAs known to affect the remodeling response in this model are summarized.
Fine-structure superplastic ceramics

Despite extensive studies of superplastic behavior in metallic systems since the 1960s, work on superplasticity in ceramics and ceramic composites is of very recent origin. This is primarily because ceramics normally fracture intergranularly at low strain values, as a result of a weak grain-boundary cohesive strength. The low grain-boundary cohesive strength is a result of inherent high grain-boundary energy. Research in superplastic ceramics began actively only in the late 1980s but has expanded very rapidly since then. The ceramics and ceramic composites made superplastic to date are essentially based on the principles developed for metallic alloys. Existing data indicate that for polycrystalline ceramics, however, a grain size of less than 1 μm is necessary for superplastic behavior. This is in contrast to superplastic metals, in which grain sizes are typically only required to be less than 10 μm. To highlight the dominant effect of grain size on the deformation behavior of ceramics, Figure 6.1 shows the modulus-compensated flow stresses measured from a number of studies on tetragonal zirconia as a function of diffusivity-compensated strain rate. It is evident that for a given stress, the strain rate increases dramatically as grain size decreases. (Or, conversely, that for a given imposed strain rate the stress required decreases dramatically as grain size decreases.) Figure 6.1 illustrates the importance of grain-boundary-sliding (GBS) mechanisms in the deformation of fine-grained ceramics.
Commitment and conflict in the restaurant industry: Perceptions from the Generation Y viewpoint

ABSTRACTThis study investigates Generation Y restaurant employees’ perceptions of conflict and the extent to which the presence of management team conflict influences employee organizational commitment. Regression analysis found that perceptions of task and process conflict negatively impact organizational commitment, while relationship conflict was not found to have a statistically significant impact on organizational commitment. This study represents the first attempt to understand the carryover effects of management team conflict on employees and offers insights into the perceptions of the Generation Y restaurant worker. Theoretical and managerial implications of the empirical findings as well as directions for future research are discussed.
Application of water-soluble chitosan to shrimp for quality retention

Abstract Water-soluble chitosan produced using chitosanase enzyme was characterized and then applied to shrimp through vacuum tumbling. Untreated shrimp meat and shrimp meat treated with acetic acid solution and distilled water through vacuum tumbling were used as controls. All the shrimp were separately cryogenically frozen before frozen storage at −20 °C. The effect of water-soluble chitosan on the shrimp meat quality was evaluated during 120 days of frozen storage. Chitosanase enzyme shortened the polymer chain, reduced the molecular weight and particle size, and markedly improved water solubility of chitosan. Microscopy images showed that water-soluble chitosan penetrated into shrimp muscle tissue while chitosan was adhered on the surface of shrimp. At 120 days of storage, shrimp treated with water-soluble chitosan had lower aerobic plate counts, yeast and mold counts, and lipid oxidation compared to the controls. Also, there were no changes in color, texture, and moisture contents for water-soluble chitosan treated shrimp during frozen storage. Our results showed that chitosanase could process chitosan into water-soluble chitosan with a lower molecular weight and particle size. Our study also demonstrated that water-soluble chitosan could be applied to shrimp through vacuum tumbling for maintaining the quality characteristics of shrimp.
In over your head: common and uncommon patterns of uptake in the calvarium on bone scan imaging

1933 Learning Objectives In a pictorial review we will show a variety of normal patterns of uptake and variants, and we will also show different pathological images which include: Malignancy infection congenital anomalies metastatic disease post surgical radiation changes dental disease focal and diffuse patterns of uptake a variety of other abnormalities Evaluation of Tc-99m MDP uptake in the calvarium on bone scan imaging can be daunting with a variety of common and uncommon patterns of uptake. An understanding of these patterns of uptake is essential to the accurate interpretation of the bone scan study. In a pictorial review, we demonstrate a variety of normal and abnormal patterns of uptake in the calvarium and discuss various issues in arriving at an accurate interpretation. In a pictorial review, will discuss normal development and a variety of pathology in the calvarium on bone scans encountered in daily practice. We expect that an understanding of the various patterns of uptake in the calvarium will help in the interpretation of nuclear bone scan studies to help arrive at a diagnosis. Understanding the various uptake patterns and how to differentiate amongst them is a valuable tool of the nuclear medicine radiologist.
Environmental Contamination and Decontamination After Fukushima Daiichi Accident

In this chapter, effectiveness of the environmental decontamination is discussed from the point of view of waste management. First, the relation between the environmental contamination and the radiation dose rate to the resident is summarized. Then, a model has been developed to understand effectiveness of artificial decontamination measures to achieve the goals set by the Japanese law. The analysis revealed the importance of waste volume reduction by strategic selection of areas for decontamination and development of volume reduction technologies. Decontamination can effectively contribute to reduction of the air dose rate if it is applied in areas where natural dispersion is slow, and thus strategic prioritization of areas for decontamination is highly recommended. Because of high heterogeneity of the natural environment, an adaptive, staged approach with feedbacks from actual decontamination should be taken. Instead of constructive feedback loop, however, we observe a vicious cycle consisting of a lack of integrated scientific knowledge base about environmental contamination and deterioration in trust among stakeholders in society. To halt this vicious cycle, we need to establish a fundamental scientific basis, both natural and social, for enabling in-depth analysis about what has been the most crucial damage resulting from the accident and why that occurred, and how radiological risk can or should be compared with other risks in society.
Association of POLE-mutated and MSI endometrial cancers with an elevated number of tumor-infiltrating and peritumoral lymphocytes and higher expression of PD-L1.

5511 Background: TCGA identified two groups of endometrial cancers with high mutation frequency: an ultramutated group of tumors which harbored mutations in polymerase e (POLE) and a hypermutated group with microsatellite instability (MSI). We hypothesized that these hypermutated tumors may harbor more neoantigens and thus stimulate a stronger immune response compared to tumors with low mutation frequency. In this regard, we evaluated whether hypermutated tumors are associated with an elevated number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and peritumoral lymphocytes and higher expression of the immune modulatory molecule PD-L1. Methods: We evaluated 4 POLE-mutated (determined via Sanger sequencing of mutational hotspots), 28 MSI-tumors and 32 microsatellite stable (MSS) endometrioid endometrial tumors. MSI status was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC was performed for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, PD-1 and PD-L1 using standard protocols. For evaluation of TILs, a photomicrograph (40X) of the area ...
The George Wilson Effect: Does Intergenerational Closure and Collective Efficacy Reduce Juvenile Delinquency in a Neighborhood?

ABSTRACTA substantial amount of research found crime and delinquency to be lower in areas with stronger neighborhood communities, but the casual mechanism behind this association remains debated. The current study contributes to this debate by examining the association of two forms of social capital with rates of delinquency. The first, collective efficacy, has been widely studied, while the second, intergenerational closure has not. While the results support previous research indicating the primary role of collective efficacy as a proactive factor against delinquency, results for intergenerational closure suggest the influence of neighborhood community on delinquency does not always result in lower delinquency.
Hold Or take Optimal Plan (HOOP): A quadratic programming approach to multi-robot trajectory generation:

In this work, we present Hold Or take Optimal Plan (HOOP), a centralized trajectory generation algorithm for labeled multi-robot systems operating in obstacle-free, two-dimensional, continuous work...
Dietary Supplement and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Are Highly Prevalent in Patients with Gastrointestinal Disorders: Results from an Online Survey.

ABSTRACTThe use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread among adults in the United States to self-treat a range of disorders, including gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. This s...
Mechanisms of organophosphorus pesticide toxicity in the context of airway hyperreactivity and asthma

Numerous epidemiologic studies have identified an association between occupational exposures to organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) and asthma or asthmatic symptoms in adults. Emerging epidemiologic data suggest that environmentally relevant levels of OPs may also be linked to respiratory dysfunction in the general population and that in utero and/or early life exposures to environmental OPs may increase risk for childhood asthma. In support of a causal link between OPs and asthma, experimental evidence demonstrates that occupationally and environmentally relevant OP exposures induce bronchospasm and airway hyperreactivity in preclinical models. Mechanistic studies have identified blockade of autoinhibitory M2 muscarinic receptors on parasympathetic nerves that innervate airway smooth muscle as one mechanism by which OPs induce airway hyperreactivity, but significant questions remain regarding the mechanism(s) by which OPs cause neuronal M2 receptor dysfunction and, more generally, how OPs cause persistent asthma, especially after developmental exposures. The goals of this review are to 1) summarize current understanding of OPs in asthma; 2) discuss mechanisms of OP neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity that warrant consideration in the context of OP-induced airway hyperreactivity and asthma, specifically, inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, neural plasticity, and neurogenic inflammation; and 3) identify critical data gaps that need to be addressed in order to better protect adults and children against the harmful respiratory effects of low-level OP exposures.
Introduction: The issue in perspective

This special issue of the Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education grew out of a keynote talk given by Jack Frymier at the Sixth National Evaluation Institute in Indianapolis, titled "Who Is Accountable to Whom and for What?" The main thesis of Frymier's plenary address was that learning is behavior largely managed by and taking place within individuals and so to hold some external agency such as a classroom teacher, groups of teachers, or schools accountable for how much students learn is wrongheaded, legally indefensible, and directly opposite the Western democratic tradition of holding individuals responsible for their own behavior.
Prevalence of Eating Disorder Risk and Body Image Distortion Among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Varsity Equestrian Athletes

Context: Participation in appearance-based sports, particularly at the collegiate level, may place additional pressures on female athletes to be thin, which may increase the likelihood of their resorting to drastic weight control measures, such as disordered eating behaviors. Objectives: (1) To estimate the prevalence and sources of eating disorder risk classification by academic status (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) and riding discipline (English and Western), (2) to examine riding style and academic status variations in body mass index (BMI) and silhouette type, and (3) to examine these variations across eating disorder risk classification type (eg, body image disturbances). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Seven universities throughout the United States. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 138 participants volunteered (mean age = 19.88 ± 1.29 years). They represented 2 equestrian disciplines: English riding (n = 91) and Western riding (n = 47). Main Outcome Measure(s): Participa...
Introduction to Sexually Transmitted Infections

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a group of contagious diseases most commonly transmitted “from person to person by close, intimate contact.” Although most of this contact has traditionally been sexual intercourse, many categories of sexual practices permit transmission from “person to person.” Vertical transmission from mother to newborn is also possible. The means of transmission unite these diseases—not etiologies, symptoms, or clinical consequences.
WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK? KATHERINE MAYO AND THE POLITICS OF IMPERIAL FEMINISM IN BRITISH INDIA

En 1927, une journaliste americaine a l'esprit reformateur nommee Katherine Mayo, publie Mother India, un recit de la vie indienne eclairant la situation critique des femmes. L'A. s'interesse a la controverse raciale qui a suivi la publication du livre de Mayo. Le debat sur ce livre n'est pas seulement d'un interet historique; on peut l'envisager sous l'angle des utilisations geo-politiques de la critique feministe. Les discussions ont rapidement porte sur le referendum pour le Home Rule indien en laissant largement de cote la question specifique des femmes
‘We don’t teach race here’: race-silenced pedagogies of Trinidadian preschool teachers

Much of the educational literature highlights the importance of teaching young children about the value of diversity in relation to fostering positive social–emotional skills and well-being. In the...
T cells instruct dendritic cells to produce inflammasome independent IL-1β causing systemic inflammation

While IL-1{beta} is critical for anti-microbial host defense, it is also a key mediator of autoimmune inflammation. Inflammasome activation following pathogenic insults is known to result in IL-1{beta} production. However, the molecular events that produce IL-1{beta} during T cell driven autoimmune diseases remain unclear. Here, we have discovered an inflammasome-independent pathway of IL-1{beta} production that is triggered upon cognate interactions between dendritic cells and effector CD4 T cells. Analogous to inflammasome activation, this T cell-instructed IL-1{beta} also relies on two independent signaling events. TNF produced by activated CD4 T cells engages TNFR signaling on DCs leading to pro-IL-1{beta} synthesis. Subsequently, FasL, also expressed by effector CD4 T cells, engages Fas on DCs leading to caspase-8 dependent pro-IL-1{beta} cleavage. Remarkably, this two-step mechanism is completely independent of pattern recognition receptor activation. IL-1{beta} produced upon cognate DC-effector CD4 T cell interaction causes wide spread leukocyte infiltration, a hallmark of systemic inflammation as well as autoimmune pathology. This study has uncovered a novel feature of DC-T cell cross-talk that allows for active IL-1{beta} secretion independent of innate sensing pathways and provides a mechanistic explanation for IL-1{beta} production and its downstream consequences in CD4 T cell driven autoimmune pathology.
Foliar Application of Plant Growth Retardants to Coreopsis rosea ‘American Dream’

Abstract In one experiment conducted in 1998 and two in 1999, Coreopsis rosea ‘American Dream’, or pink coreopsis, were treated with four plant growth retardants (PGRs): B-Nine from 2500 to 7,500 p...
Relation of Kidney Function Decline and NT-proBNP with Risk of Mortality and Readmission in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Abstract Background Acute declines in kidney function occur in approximately 20%-30% of patients with acute decompensated heart failure, but its significance is unclear, and the importance of its context is not known. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of a decline in kidney function in the context of decongestion among patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure. Methods Using data from patients enrolled in the Ultrafiltration in Decompensated Heart Failure with Cardiorenal Syndrome Study (CARRESS) and Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation (DOSE) trials, we used multivariable Cox regression models to evaluate the association between decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and change in N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with a composite outcome of death and rehospitalization, as well as testing for an interaction between the two. Results Among 435 patients, in-hospital decline in eGFR was not significantly associated with death and rehospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.89 per 30% decline, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74, 1.07), whereas decline in NT-proBNP was associated with lower risk (HR = 0.69 per halving, 95% CI 0.58, 0.83). There was a significant interaction (P = 0.002 unadjusted; P = 0.03 adjusted) between decline in eGFR and change in NT-proBNP where a decline in eGFR was associated with better outcomes when NT-proBNP declined (HR = 0.78 per 30% decline in eGFR, 95% CI 0.61, 0.99), but not when NT-proBNP increased (HR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.76, 1.30). Conclusions Decline in kidney function during therapy for acute decompensated heart failure is associated with improved outcomes as long as NT-proBNP levels are decreasing as well, suggesting that incorporation of congestion biomarkers may aid clinical interpretation of eGFR declines.
Performance Comparison of Real-Time Light Scattering Dust Monitors Across Dust Types and Humidity Levels.

Video techniques for monitoring exposure, such as NIOSH’s “Helmet-CAM,” employ both real-time dust monitors and mobile video cameras to assess workers’ respirable dust exposures. Many real-time personally worn dust monitors utilize light scattering sensing elements, which are subject to measurement biases as a function of dust type (size, composition, shape factor) and environmental conditions such as relative humidity. These biased and inaccurate dust measurements impair the monitor’s ability to properly represent actual respirable dust concentrations. In the testing described, instrument mass concentration data was collected using three different types of commonly used commercial off-the-shelf personal dust monitors and compared to a reference standard. This testing was performed in a calm air (Marple) dust chamber in which three units of each make and model (for a total of nine monitors) were used for each test. Equivalency factors (EF, a multiplier to match the Thermo TEOM 1400a reference instrument) ranged between 0.746 and 1.879 across all dusts and environmental conditions tested, and between 0.821 and 1.519 on the ISO test dust.
Trends in factors indicating increased risk for STI among key subpopulations in the United States, 2002-2015.

Objectives Within the context of rising rates of reportable STIs in the USA, we used national survey data to examine temporal trends in high-risk factors that indicate need for STI/HIV preventive services among key subpopulations with disproportionate STI rates. Methods We used data from the 2002 (n=12 571), 2006–2010 (n=22 682) and 2011–2015 (n=20 621) National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). NSFG is a national probability survey of 15–44 year olds living in US households. We examined STI risk factors among sexually active men who have sex with men (MSM) and Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, 15–19 year old, 20–24 year old, and 25–29 year old women who have sex with men (WSM) and men who have sex with women (MSW). Risk behaviours included: received money or drugs for sex, gave money or drugs for sex, partner who injected drugs, partner who has HIV, non-monogamous partner (WSM, MSW only) and male partner who had sex with other men (WSM only). Endorsement of any of these behaviours was recoded into a composite variable focusing on factors indicating increased STI risk (yes/no). We used chi-squares and logistic regression (calculating predicted marginals to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs)) to examine STI risk factors over time among the key subpopulations. Results From 2002 to 2011–2015, reported STI risk factors did not change or declined over time among key subpopulations in the USA. In adjusted analyses comparing 2002 to 2011–2015, we identified significant declines among WSM: Hispanics (aPR=0.84 (0.68–1.04), non-Hispanic blacks (aPR=0.69 (0.58–0.82), adolescents (aPR=0.71 (0.55–0.91) and 25–29 year olds (aPR=0.76 (0.58–0.98); among MSW: Hispanics (aPR=0.53 (0.40–0.70), non-Hispanic blacks (aPR=0.74 (0.59–0.94) and adolescents (aPR=0.63 (0.49–0.82); and among MSM (aPR=0.53 (0.34–0.84). Conclusions While reported STIs have increased, STI risk factors among key subpopulations were stable or declined. Condom use related to these risk factors, sexual mixing patterns and STI testing should be examined.
A brief history of rickets

The review provides a historical perspective on the convergence of our understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of bone, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and FGF-23 their impact on rickets.
Hardness of Bounded Distance Decoding on Lattices in $\ell_p$ Norms.

$ \newcommand{\Z}{\mathbb{Z}} \newcommand{\eps}{\varepsilon} \newcommand{\cc}[1]{\mathsf{#1}} \newcommand{\NP}{\cc{NP}} \newcommand{\problem}[1]{\mathrm{#1}} \newcommand{\BDD}{\problem{BDD}} $Bounded Distance Decoding $\BDD_{p,\alpha}$ is the problem of decoding a lattice when the target point is promised to be within an $\alpha$ factor of the minimum distance of the lattice, in the $\ell_{p}$ norm. We prove that $\BDD_{p, \alpha}$ is $\NP$-hard under randomized reductions where $\alpha \to 1/2$ as $p \to \infty$ (and for $\alpha=1/2$ when $p=\infty$), thereby showing the hardness of decoding for distances approaching the unique-decoding radius for large $p$. We also show fine-grained hardness for $\BDD_{p,\alpha}$. For example, we prove that for all $p \in [1,\infty) \setminus 2\Z$ and constants $C > 1, \eps > 0$, there is no $2^{(1-\eps)n/C}$-time algorithm for $\BDD_{p,\alpha}$ for some constant $\alpha$ (which approaches $1/2$ as $p \to \infty$), assuming the randomized Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis (SETH). Moreover, essentially all of our results also hold (under analogous non-uniform assumptions) for $\BDD$ with preprocessing, in which unbounded precomputation can be applied to the lattice before the target is available. Compared to prior work on the hardness of $\BDD_{p,\alpha}$ by Liu, Lyubashevsky, and Micciancio (APPROX-RANDOM 2008), our results improve the values of $\alpha$ for which the problem is known to be $\NP$-hard for all $p > p_1 \approx 4.2773$, and give the very first fine-grained hardness for $\BDD$ (in any norm). Our reductions rely on a special family of "locally dense" lattices in $\ell_{p}$ norms, which we construct by modifying the integer-lattice sparsification technique of Aggarwal and Stephens-Davidowitz (STOC 2018).
Speech-based characterization of dopamine replacement therapy in people with Parkinson's disease.

People with Parkinson’s (PWP) disease are under constant tension with respect to their dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) regimen. Waiting too long between doses results in more prominent symptoms, loss of motor function, and greater risk of falling per step. Shortened pill cycles can lead to accelerated habituation and faster development of disabling dyskinesias. The Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) is the gold standard for monitoring Parkinson’s disease progression but requires a neurologist to administer and therefore is not an ideal instrument to continuously evaluate short-term disease fluctuations. We investigated the feasibility of using speech to detect changes in medication states, based on expectations of subtle changes in voice and content related to dopaminergic levels. We calculated acoustic and prosodic features for three speech tasks (picture description, reverse counting, and diadochokinetic rate) for 25 PWP, each evaluated “ON” and “OFF” DRT. Additionally, we generated semantic features for the picture description task. Classification of ON/OFF medication states using features generated from picture description, reverse counting and diadochokinetic rate tasks resulted in cross-validated accuracy rates of 0.89, 0.84, and 0.60, respectively. The most discriminating task was picture description which provided evidence that participants are more likely to use action words in ON than in OFF state. We also found that speech tempo was modified by DRT. Our results suggest that automatic speech assessment can capture changes associated with the DRT cycle. Given the ease of acquiring speech data, this method shows promise to remotely monitor DRT effects.
Phage-Phage, Phage-Bacteria, and Phage-Environment Communication

Besides obtaining and utilizing resources, organisms have three basic ecological tasks: to survive, to reproduce, and to move. Survival is necessary for reproduction, reproduction increases numbers, and movement at a minimum assures that all of an organism’s ‘eggs’ are not found in the same spatial ‘basket’. For bacteriophages (phages), these facets can be differentiated into mechanisms that operate within the context of bacterial hosts (intracellularly) versus less so, i.e., instead extracellularly. Survival of phages, or their inactivation, thus can occur in the course of infection of bacteria, or instead as free virions, that is, as phages which have not yet adsorbed and infected a bacterium. Reproduction by phages can range from that which is more closely linked with normal bacterial metabolism and which ends with the phage intracellular (as in the course of lysogenic cycles) to that which involves substantial modification of normal bacterial metabolism and which ends with the phage now extracelullar (as in the course of lytic cycles). Movement of phages can occur most familiarly as diffusing virions, but also while phages are infecting bacteria. In the course of undergoing these and other processes, materials and information can flow from one entity to another, such as resulting in, for example, detection by infecting phages of multiple virion adsorptions to the same cell, transfer of genetic material from phages to bacteria, or extracellular factors influencing phage infection abilities. Broadly, such flow of materials and information from one entity to another can be described as different processes of communication, including between phages, between phages and bacteria, or between phages and the environment more generally. In this chapter I explore such phage-associated communication including, particularly, in terms of its impact on phage ecology.
The Conversations We've Been Having.

The Conversations We’ve Been Having It’s striking that the conversations about race being had by many racial justice allies are new to them. For many Black Americans, such talks are a nearly daily ...
Bayesian Distance Weighted Discrimination

Distance weighted discrimination (DWD) is a linear discrimination method that is particularly well-suited for classification tasks with high-dimensional data. The DWD coefficients minimize an intuitive objective function, which can solved very efficiently using state-of-the-art optimization techniques. However, DWD has not yet been cast into a model-based framework for statistical inference. In this article we show that DWD identifies the mode of a proper Bayesian posterior distribution, that results from a particular link function for the class probabilities and a shrinkage-inducing proper prior distribution on the coefficients. We describe a relatively efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to simulate from the true posterior under this Bayesian framework. We show that the posterior is asymptotically normal and derive the mean and covariance matrix of its limiting distribution. Through several simulation studies and an application to breast cancer genomics we demonstrate how the Bayesian approach to DWD can be used to (1) compute well-calibrated posterior class probabilities, (2) assess uncertainty in the DWD coefficients and resulting sample scores, (3) improve power via semi-supervised analysis when not all class labels are available, and (4) automatically determine a penalty tuning parameter within the model-based framework. R code to perform Bayesian DWD is available at this https URL .
A seawater battery with desalination capabilities enabling a dual-purpose aqueous energy storage system

Abstract Effectively storing electricity produced from renewable sources and increasing the supply of fresh water with a reduced carbon footprint are two pressing issues to sustainably and reliably provide electricity and clean water. In this study, a new aqueous rechargeable Na-ion battery system, which can store/release energy while operating in seawater and can also perform membrane-free seawater desalination, is developed enabling a dual-purpose energy storage system (ESS). The discharging cell of this system is composed of a sodiated NaTi2(PO4)3 electrode and a desodiated nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) electrode in 0.6 M NaCl, and generates an average output voltage of 1.19 V. The charging process is achieved in two separate cells that require low input voltages. In the first, a desodiated NaTi2(PO4)3 electrode is paired with Bi as a Cl-storage electrode, and this cell performs desalination during charging. In the second, a sodiated NiHCF electrode is paired with a chlorinated Bi electrode, and this cell performs salination during charging. The energy output generated by the discharging cell is ~94% of the combined energy inputs required by the two charging cells. As the energy consumed for the desalination and salination processes is not truly consumed but rather stored in the system through the charging process, and the majority of the energy stored during charging is recovered during discharging, the extra energy consumed for desalination is minimized. The high energy efficiency and desalination performance of the proof-of-concept dual-purpose ESS are reported with excellent cyclabilities of all component electrodes (> 1000 cycles).
The Effects of Competing Verbal Behavior on Performance in a Math Task

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of an auditory-distractor stimulus and vocal-blocking task on performance on a math task and measures of overt verbal operants. College students served as participants, and they were instructed to solve an arithmetic problem while continuously emitting overt verbal behavior. The overt verbal behavior consisted of either talking aloud while solving the problem or reciting the alphabet. A third condition consisted of playing an auditory-distractor file containing the alphabet during the response interval while participants talked aloud. Data were collected on response accuracy, latency to respond, and frequency of echoic and self-echoic responses emitted during the response interval. The vocal-blocking task significantly affected performance on the math task when visual stimuli were absent. The decrease in performance coincided with significant decreases in participants’ mean frequency of echoic and self-echoic responses. In sum, correctly responding to an arithmetic problem was significantly affected by the vocal-blocking task, indicating support for the necessity of verbal mediation during problem solving.
Hungry and Marginalized: The Intersection of Mental Health & Food Insecurity in the Returning Prison Population

Food insecurity is defined as having inadequate access to food, both in terms of the quality of the food and the quantity of food available. Approximately 15.8 million households in the United States are food insecure, and these households represent almost 49 million women, men and children. A sub-section of the food insecure population is former prisoners who return to society after being released from prison. The returning prison population is marginalized and spatially concentrated in urban communities; this population is often unemployed, homeless, and poor. As a result, they have difficulty meeting basic needs, including accessing enough food. Studies about food insecurity and the returning prison population tend to focus on the connection between food insecurity and HIV, but studies fail to focus on food insecurity in the returning prison population and mental health. Based on in-depth interviews and surveys from adult clients of a food bank, an association between food insecurity and mental health in the returning prison population is documented. The prevalence of self-reported traumatic events by former prisoners who visit food pantries in a major U.S. city is high, but little is known about how former prisoners are living with food insecurity.
Association of Public Reporting of Medicare Dialysis Facility Quality Ratings With Access to Kidney Transplantation.

Importance Improving the quality of dialysis care and access to kidney transplantation for patients with end-stage kidney disease is a national clinical and policy priority. The role of dialysis facility quality in increasing access to kidney transplantation is not known. Objective To determine whether patient, facility, and kidney transplant waitlisting characteristics are associated with variations in dialysis center quality. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based cohort study is an analysis of US Renal Data System data and Medicare Dialysis Facility Compare (DFC) data from 2013 to 2018. Participants included all adult (aged ≥18 years) patients in the US Renal Data System beginning long-term dialysis in the US from 2013 to 2017 with follow-up through the end of 2018. Patients with a prior kidney transplant and matched Medicare DFC star ratings to each annual cohort of recipients were excluded. Patients at facilities without a star rating in that year were also excluded. Data analysis was performed from January to April 2021. Exposures Dialysis center quality, as defined by Medicare DFC star ratings. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the proportion of patients undergoing incident dialysis who were waitlisted within 1 year of dialysis initiation. Secondary outcomes were patient and facility characteristics. Results Of 507 581 patients beginning long-term dialysis in the US from 2013 to 2017, 291 802 (57.4%) were male, 266 517 (52.5%) were White, and the median (interquartile range) age was 65 (55-75) years. Of 5869 dialysis facilities in 2017, 132 (2.2%) were 1-star, 436 (7.4%) were 2-star, 2047 (34.9%) were 3-star, 1660 (28.3%) were 4-star, and 1594 (27.2%) were 5-star. Higher-quality dialysis facilities were associated with 47% higher odds of transplant waitlisting (odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% CI, 1.39-1.57 for 5-star facilities vs 1-star facilities; P < .001). Black patients were less likely than White patients to be waitlisted for transplantation (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.72-0.76). In addition, patients at for-profit (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.74-0.81) and rural (OR, 0.63; 95%, CI 0.58-0.68) facilities were less likely to be waitlisted for transplantation compared with those at nonprofit and urban facilities, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, patients at higher-quality dialysis facilities had higher odds than patients at lower-quality facilities of being waitlisted for kidney transplantation within 1 year. Waitlisting rates for kidney transplantation should be considered for integration into the current Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services DFC star ratings to incentivize dialysis facility referral to transplant centers, inform patient choice, and drive quality improvement by increasing transplant waitlisting rates.