cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optothermal analysis of polymer composites

A number of thermographic techniques under optical-radiation heating are described for the nondestructive evaluation of different kinds of fiber-filled polymer-based composites. Shallow delaminations within carbon-fiber reinforced laminates can be detected by this method under wide-area surface heating to 5 or 10° above ambient. A number of image-processing algorithms are described for improving the visibility of subsurface defects. Spot-heating techniques are presented for the characterization of fiber concentration, distribution, and orientation in carbon or steel fiber-filled composites. Particular emphasis is given to the possibility of mapping fiber-orientation properties at gradually deeper layers below the surface. These optothermal techniques appear to be a convenient tool for the inspection of opaque composites in terms of rapidity, lack of sample preparation requirement, and simplicity both in its implementation and in the interpretation of results.
Por los linderos de la lengua: Ideologías lingüísticas en los Andes, by Howard, R

Rosaleen Howard's Por los Linderos de la Lengua: Ideologias Linguisticas en los Andes (Along the Boundaries of Language: Linguistic Ideologies in the Andes) gathers diverse voices of Ecuadorians, P...
Perspective on Data Analysis for the Space Telescope

The systems that are being created to provide data management and analysis facilties for the Hubble Space Telescope are similar to many that preceeded them, but also employ some techniques that are relatively new to astronomical data processing. These systems will be briefly reviewed, both from an overall view and from the user view. The various elements that have been used in the design and construction of the systems and the more important technological features will be discussed in some detail.
Constrained second order optimization on non-archimedean fields

Constrained optimization on non-Archimedean fields is presented. We formalize the notion of a tangent plane to the surface defined by the constraints making use of an implicit function Theorem similar to its real counterpart. Then we derive necessary and sufficient conditions of second order for the existence of a local minimizer of a function subject to a set of equality and inequality constraints, based on a concept of continuity and differentiability that is stronger than the conventional one.
Nonlinear Wave-Wave Interactions

Abstract A selected record of the measured wind wave data, which contained the maximum wave height during a mistral event, was divided into five segments, and computations of wavelet bicoherence were conducted for the whole record and for all divided segments in order to analyze the details of nonlinear wave-wave interactions. In computing wavelet bicoherence, both sum and difference rules of frequencies were considered. A close inspection of the computed wavelet bicoherence for the whole record of wave height and the divided segments reveals that the details of wave-wave interactions are better explored by considering five-minute segments of wave height. Averaging over the whole record of wave height causes loss of important temporal characteristics in nonlinear wave-wave interactions.
RESTRICTION OF GENE EXPRESSION IN B LYMPHOCYTES AND THEIR PROGENY III. Endogenous IgA and IgM on the Membranes of Different Plasma Cell Precursors

Fluorescent antibody staining with antibodies to the f and g locus allotype markers present on rabbit α-chains revealed that the α-chain is the heavy chain on the Peyer's patch lymphocytes which previously had been shown to be the precursors of IgA-producing plasma cells. In addition, lymphocytes which had been stripped of membrane Ig with pronase and then cultured overnight to allow the sole expression of endogenous membrane Ig were found to have either the µ-chain or the α-chain on their membranes, but not both. These results suggest that most lymphocytes are restricted to the synthesis of one class of heavy chains at a time and that the commitment to synthesizing that particular heavy chain is maintained during the differentiation of lymphocytes into plasma cells. The proportion of lymphocytes with membrane α-chains is higher in the Peyer's patch and appendix, two gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), than in other lymphoid tissues. Since the GALT are enriched sources of precursors for IgA-producing plasma cells compared to nongut-associated tissues, the presence of cells bearing membrane α-chains correlates well with the relative abilities of these tissues to generate IgA plasma cells.
The effect of prey species and environmental complexity on the functional response of Franklinothrips orizabensis: a test of the fractal foraging model

1. The hypothesis proposed by the fractal foraging model, that prey procurement by predators declines as habitat complexity increases, was tested. To evaluate this hypothesis, the effect of two prey species, second-instar larvae of Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara and Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouche) (both Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and environmental complexity on the functional response of the predatory thrips Franklinothrips orizabensis Johansen (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) was examined. 2. The Koch curve, a well-studied fractal, was used to generate the shapes of experimental arenas to test the effect of environmental complexity on the functional response of F. orizabensis. Complexity was defined in terms of the number of acute vertices in which prey thrips could seek refuge and the length of the perimeter that had to be searched by the predator. Four shapes were tested: a circle (zero acute vertices, circumference = 186.61 mm), equilateral triangle (three acute vertices, perimeter = 240 mm), star (six acute vertices, perimeter = 277.13 mm), and snowflake (18 acute vertices, perimeter = 333.65 mm). All shapes were scaled so that the area of each arena was 2771 mm(2) . 3. Franklinothrips orizabensis exhibited a Type II functional response for both prey species and all four experimental arenas tested. Significantly fewer S. perseae larvae were killed in the most complex arena (i.e. the snowflake) when prey densities exceeded 16. For H. haemorrhoidalis , significant differences in mortality were observed only when prey densities equalled four. These results demonstrated that the fractal foraging model was supported when certain prey densities coincided with particular levels of environmental complexity. 4. Subtle changes in environmental complexity and different prey species of varying density can affect prey-predator interactions significantly.
Are all voting queues created equal

Providing equitable voting experiences across voting precincts has been noted as an important goal in elections. We seek to provide equity to all voters so that no one particular group of voters is disadvantaged or disenfranchised. This paper uses the average absolute differences of waiting times across all precincts as a performance metric for equity. A simulation-based greedy improvement algorithm is proposed to generate machine allocations. We examine our allocation method using a factorial experimental design, and we conclude that our heuristic outperforms the utilization-equalization method which was used by at least one county in the 2008 presidential election.
Cardiac Arrhythmias: Types, Diagnosis, and Management

Studies have reported an incidence of arrhythmias during anesthesia varying from 16 to 61% (30,57). Using Holter monitoring, Bertrand and colleagues (8) detected arrhythmias in 84 of 100 patients undergoing anesthesia. Kuner and coworkers (33) showed no difference in arrhythmias with patients with and without cardiac disease, or during general versus spinal anesthesia. Numerous factors may contribute to arrhythmias during anesthesia, including congenital heart disease, hypertension (35), anesthetic drugs (32), and sympathetic stimulation (32). Eerola and colleagues (18) reported that 19 of 25 difficult intubations were associated with arrhythmias. Under halothane, succinylcholine anesthesia, endotracheal intubation increased arrhythmias (22). The use of either succinylcholine or pancuronium increased the incidence of arrhythmias in patients taking digitalis and pancuronium did so more than succinylcholine (6).
Free Streaming Theory for Segmental Jet Deflectors

Liquid jet may be deflected by device that is composed of straight segments but if segments are short, compared to thickness of jet, deflection angle is unknown; formulas are derived for computation of 2 dimensional case for symmetrical deflectors by applying free streamline theory; for application to flip buckets on spillways, set of curves is presented for designers.
Zenger's Case: Prototype of a Political Trial

In this article, Professor Finkelman examines the 1735 Zenger case and its implications for free press in America. Despite its limited legal significance, the Zenger case became an important ideological and political precedent. While some scholars have argued against the historical significance of the case, Professor Finkelman holds that the most important aspect of the Zenger legacy is that “in the revolutionary period it was always there as a guiding light for those who were gradually developing an ideology of freedom of expression.”
By the Hands of Our Brothers: An Exploration of Sibling-to-Sibling Aggression for Victimized Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Women

AbstractTwo major forms of aggression against children have recently received considerable attention from the media: childhood bullying specific to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (GLBTQ) youths and family violence. As a consequence, research on these topics has also increased and expanded to include bullying and violence within the family for both heterosexual and GLBTQ youths. Importantly, however, these studies have focused on adult-to-child victimization, leaving a gap in the literature in regard to sibling-to-sibling bullying and violence, especially for GLBTQ individuals. This study explores this gap in the research through the examination of 64 heterosexual and GLBTQ women's experiences of sibling-to-sibling aggression. Comparative analyses reveal that the GLBTQ participants experienced more severe forms of verbal victimization from their brothers than the heterosexual participants. Meanwhile, heterosexual participants experienced more physical aggression from their brothers than GLB...
Anterior Lobe Substance, the Thyroid Stimulator. III. Effect of Anterior Lobe Substance on Thyroid Gland.:

In previous work1 we found that intraperitoneal injection of an extract made from Armour's anterior lobe powder causes the thyroid gland of the larvae of Ambystoma tigrinum to display its functional phase in a typical manner long before it is displayed in normal animals and linked with the progress of metamorphosis in the same way as it is in normal metamorphosis. Exactly the same result we obtained by injecting, intraperitoneally, an extract of anterior lobe powder prepared in our own laboratory by the method described in Article I of this series. Illustrations are required to demonstrate satisfactorily these results and will he published in a more complete article. The main results will be summarized here.The animals used are the same as those discussed in Article I of this series. Larvae of the eastern as well as of the western race (Utah axolotle) of Ambystoma tigrinum were examined. The thyroids of 16 experimentals and 11 controls were examined. The thyroids were studied fresh, stained or unstained, ...
Responses to Parental Cancer: A Clinical Perspective

Parental cancer constitutes a unique stressor, and newly diagnosed patients often express deep concerns about how their children will adapt to the illness and treatments. Although data on this underserved group of “second-order patients” is growing, the literature has yielded limited practical information for the clinician working with cancer patients who have children at home. The present study examines long-term adjustment in two samples of grown daughters of cancer patients. Subjects reported having experienced significant emotional upheaval and substantial family disruption during the acute phase of their parents' diagnosis and treatments. Many of the family problems were related to difficulties with the healthy parent. Subjects also recalled numerous positive changes during this acute phase of adjustment to the stressor. Over the long term, subjects did not differ from comparison women on several measures of psychological adjustment, suggesting that children of cancer patients are not necessarily at elevated risk for long-term psychological maladjustment. Nevertheless, many subjects continued to experience a lasting subjective impact of their cancer experiences that appeared to be too subtle or existential to be measured by general psychological instruments. Most of these changes were positive, and deriving a sense of benefit from the experience was a near-universal phenomenon. Subjects discussed what helped and hindered their coping efforts, and made a number of recommendations to others facing this family stressor. Inadequate communication about the cancer was identified by many subjects as an impediment to their eventual adjustment.
Medical Savings Accounts: Issues to Consider

Today's public policy environment is unlike that of 1993 and 1994, when interest centered on the pursuit of comprehensive health care reform. The President and the Congress are currently focused on ways to reform the health care system through incremental measures. Given concerns regarding rising health care costs and utilization, policymakers, employers, analysts, and the media are directing their attention to proposals that put more control in the hands of the consumer, in the hope that less money will be spent on health care. Medical savings accounts (MSAs) represent one such approach. MSAs can be viewed as savings accounts for uninsured medical expenses. They resemble flexible spending accounts (FSAs).1 In an MSA, employers and individuals are allowed to contribute to a savings account on a pre-tax basis and roll over the unused funds at the end of the year. At year end, any FSA contributions that have not been spent are forfeited by the individual. A primary difference between an FSA and the proposed MSAs is the absence of the FSA "use-it-or-lose-it" provision in MSAs. In addition, most MSA proposals would allow unused balances and earnings to accumulate on a pre-tax basis or be paid to the account balance holder in taxable cash. However, unlike FSAs, most MSA proposals incorporate a move to high deductible, or catastrophic, health insurance and, if broadly used, would fundamentally change the way in which health care is financed.
101 ACUTE, SEVERE THROMBOCYTOPENIA FOLLOWING FLUOROURACIL ADMINISTRATION: REPORT OF A CASE.

Purpose To investigate the incidence and etiology of acute thrombocytopenia due to fluorouracil (FU). Patient Case A 76-year-old female with metastatic colorectal cancer was admitted for course number 17 of FOLFOX (FU/leucovorin/oxalaplatin) and 13 of bevacizumab. Within 36 hours of the start of chemotherapy, she developed gingival bleeding and melena. Her platelet count was 3,000 compared to 171,000 the previous day. PT, PTT, direct Coombs9, fibrinogen, and peripheral smear were unremarkable. Her remaining chemotherapy was held, and 2 units of platelets were transfused with an appropriate incremental rise. She had a similar occurrence with the next 2 cycles of FOLFOX/bevacizumab as demonstrated by an acute fall of the platelet count within a 24-hour period. Thrombocytopenia was also experienced when FOLFIRI/bevacizumab (FU/leucovorin/irinotecan) was administered with a decline from 114,000 to 2,000 over an 8-hour period. To rule out other medications, Zofran and Decadron were given 8 hours prior to the chemotherapy. No adverse events were noted from these premedications. She has now tolerated a course of IROX (irinotecan/oxaliplatin) and bevacizumab without incident. Summary After a literature review, reported cases of hemolysis and immune thrombocytopenia were found with irinotecan and oxaliplatin. However, no such reports were found for FU. This case demonstrates Level I evidence of drug-induced thrombocytopenia due to FU. Using modified antigen capture ELISA, convalescent serum tested positive for IgG against HPA 5a/5b platelet-specific antigen. However, there was no potentiation of reaction when serum was exposed to FU. Conclusion It is proposed here that the effect of the patient9s known antibody is potentiated in vivo when exposed to FU resulting in immune thrombocytopenia through a yet to be identified mechanism.
Low Itraconazole Serum Concentrations Following Administration of Itraconazole Suspension to Critically Ill Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients

Objective:To report itraconazole serum concentrations following administration of itraconazole suspension via orogastric feeding tubes to 2 critically ill allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.Case Summaries:A 38-year-old man and a 29-year-old man, each allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients, were treated with oral itraconazole for documented fungal infections. Intubation and mechanical ventilation impeded ingestion of itraconazole capsules. Itraconazole was prepared initially as a suspension in intravenous lipid emulsion 20% and later as a suspension in citric acid 1.5% in D5W USP. Itraconazole serum concentrations were assayed using HPLC. Predose itraconazole serum concentrations were undetectable to 72 ng/mL. Postdose itraconazole serum concentrations were 5–97 ng/mL. Itraconazole concentrations measured in these patients were markedly lower than serum concentrations reported in the literature for similar doses administered to fed subjects.Discussion:Efficacy of this antifungal agent is li...
Neurosurgical sequelae of domestic dog attacks in children

OBJECTIVE The authors' goals in this study were to describe a series of dog attacks on children that required neurosurgical consultation and to better understand the pattern of injuries inflicted, the circumstances that place children at risk for attack, and the dog breeds involved. In addition, the authors review the surgical and medical management of these patients. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective review of all children requiring neurosurgical consultation for dog bite at a regional Level 1 pediatric trauma center over a 15-year period. RESULTS A total of 124 children with dog bites to the head, face, and neck were evaluated in the emergency department. Of these, 17 children (13.7%) incurred injuries requiring neurosurgical consultation. Fifty-three percent of victims were female. The mean age at the time of attack was 30 months. Twelve (71%) of the attacks were perpetrated by the family pet, and 13 (76%) occurred at the patient's home. Breeds involved in the attacks included German Shephe...
A crustal structure profile on the Agulhas Bank

Abstract This paper reports the results of a seismic refraction profile on the continental shelf to the south of South Africa. Anchored buoys served as receiving stations at sea. Two stations on land operated during part of the shooting program. At some stages of the experiment, the noise level was unusually low and 24-kg shots were recorded at distances of 180 km. The arrival times beyond 120 km showed a surprisingly high apparent velocity of 8.9 km/sec. It is considered improbable that the high apparent velocity was the result of a dipping Mohorovicic discontinuity.
The Influence of Peer Behavior as a Function of Social and Cultural Closeness: A Meta-Analysis of Normative Influence on Adolescent Smoking Initiation and Continuation

Although the influence of peers on adolescent smoking should vary depending on social dynamics, there is a lack of understanding of which elements are most crucial and how this dynamic unfolds for smoking initiation and continuation across areas of the world. The present meta-analysis included 75 studies yielding 237 effect sizes that examined associations between peers' smoking and adolescents' smoking initiation and continuation with longitudinal designs across 16 countries. Mixed-effects models with robust variance estimates were used to calculate weighted-mean Odds ratios. This work showed that having peers who smoke is associated with about twice the odds of adolescents beginning (OR ¯ = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.76, 2.19]) and continuing to smoke (OR ¯ = 1.78, 95% CI [1.55, 2.05]). Moderator analyses revealed that (a) smoking initiation was more positively correlated with peers' smoking when the interpersonal closeness between adolescents and their peers was higher (vs. lower); and (b) both smoking initiation and continuation were more positively correlated with peers' smoking when samples were from collectivistic (vs. individualistic) cultures. Thus, both individual as well as population level dynamics play a critical role in the strength of peer influence. Accounting for cultural variables may be especially important given effects on both initiation and continuation. Implications for theory, research, and antismoking intervention strategies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
Advances in immunotherapeutic research for glioma therapy

Gliomas are primary malignancies of the brain. Tumors are staged based on malignancy, nuclear atypia, and infiltration of the surrounding brain parenchyma. Tumors are often diagnosed once patients become symptomatic, at which time the lesion is sizable. Glioblastoma (grade IV glioma) is highly aggressive and difficult to treat. Most tumors are diagnosed de novo. The gold standard of therapy, implemented over a decade ago, consists of fractionated radiotherapy and temozolomide, but unfortunately, chemotherapeutic resistance arises. Recurrence is common after initial therapy. The tumor microenvironment plays a large role in cancer progression and its manipulation can repress progression. The advent and implementation of immunotherapy, via manipulation and activation of cytotoxic T cells, have had an outstanding impact on reducing morbidity and mortality associated with peripheral cancers under certain clinical circumstances. An arsenal of immunotherapeutics is currently under clinical investigation for safety and efficacy in the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent high grade gliomas. These immunotherapeutics encompass antibody-drug conjugates, autologous infusions of modified chimeric antigen receptor expressing T cells, peptide vaccines, autologous dendritic cell vaccines, immunostimulatory viruses, oncolytic viruses, checkpoint blockade inhibitors, and drugs which alter the behavior of innate immune cells. Effort is focusing on determining which patient populations will benefit the most from these treatments and why. Research addressing synergism between treatment options is gaining attention. While advances in the treatment of glioma stagnated in the past, we may see a considerable evolution in the management of the disease in the upcoming years.
Allocation of Treatment Responsibility in Adolescents With Epilepsy: Associations With Cognitive Skills and Medication Adherence.

Objectives To describe allocation of treatment responsibility (ATR) in adolescents with epilepsy, investigate associations between cognitive skills and ATR, and examine whether ATR for antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) predicted electronically monitored adherence. Method Sixty adolescents with epilepsy and their caregivers completed the Allocation of Treatment Responsibility Scale and a battery of self-report measures. Medical chart review data and electronically monitored AED adherence were collected for 1 year. Descriptive data assessed ATR for caregivers and adolescents; multivariate hierarchical regressions tested associations between variables. Results ATR for labs and clinic appointments was greatest for caregivers, while ATR for AEDs was more likely to be shared between caregiver and adolescent. Poorer attention was associated with greater caregiver responsibility for AEDs. Greater caregiver responsibility for AEDs was associated with higher electronically monitored adherence over 12 months. Conclusions In adolescents with epilepsy, caregivers are responsible for most treatment tasks, although responsibility for taking medication was shared with the adolescent. Greater caregiver responsibility for medication results in better long-term AED adherence. ATR is an important construct that warrants further attention in research and clinical practice, especially in the context of transition and health outcomes in pediatric epilepsy.
The Saga of Mammalian Sperm from Ejaculation to Syngamy

Although the rather dramatic sense conveyed by the word “saga” may seem out of place in the present context, this term is perhaps not entirely inappropriate. For, it is well known that although many millions of sperm are introduced into the female at ejaculation, most perish en route to the site of fertilization and only very few ever reach the surface of the egg. Thus, after their deposition into the vagina of women, cows, ewes, and female rabbits, for instance, “successful” spermatozoa must journey past the selective barriers of the uterine cervix and utero-tubal junction. They are exposed in the uterus to phagocytes and, before they can fertilize the ovum, they must first traverse the local barriers around the egg formed by the granulosa cell mass and zona pellucida. Moreover, before these last events can be accomplished, the sperm must also complete a final phase of physiological maturation (capacitation) under the aegis of uterine and tubal secretions, which confers upon it finally the ability to undergo the acrosome reaction and to reach and penetrate the zona pellucida.
A Molecular Simulation Approach to Studying Mass Transfer Across Surface Barriers

Mass transfer in technologically important microporous materials such as zeolites and carbon molecular sieves (CMS) is currently a subject of great interest,1,2 since mass transfer properties are often determining factors in the efficiency of separation processes. The effort toward understanding these properties has largely concentrated on the mobility of molecules within the microporous regions of these materials, where the limiting resistance to mass transfer in a process is usually located. In many experimental and industrial situations, however, resistances which are external to the micropore structure are important and must be considered. A surface barrier effect has been observed for both zeolites and CMS.1 The nature of this barrier is not yet well understood, but it has been postulated that it is associated with a narrowing of the pore mouths at the boundaries between microporous and macroporous regions of adsorbent material. This narrowing is believed to cause a significant resistance to mass transfer due to the steric and energetic interactions between the diffusing molecules and those comprising the pore mouth. This is not the only possible cause of a surface barrier effect. For example, the structure of a pelletized adsorbent could be significantly different in a macroscopic region near the pellet surface. If this region is small compared to the pellet dimensions, an apparent barrier effect may arise although the resistance is not concentrated at the pore entrances but rather is distributed through an interfacial volume. Laminar boundary layer effects could also produce such a barrier under certain circumstances. It is the goal of the present work to evaluate the contribution of the pore mouth resistance to mass transfer and determine if it is sufficient to cause the surface barriers seen experimentally. In the following section, a brief review will be given of experimental observations of the surface barrier effect. Also, several previous attempts to model this behavior at a molecular level will be discussed. In subsequent sections we summarize two modeling approaches which we have used to study this phenomenon and we present ideas which we believe would profit from further study.
Maximum length sequence dielectric multilayer reflector

This paper explores the wavelength-dependent reflectivity of alternating high and low refractive index multilayers with a thickness profile defined by a pseudo-random, maximum length sequence (MLS). An MLS contains all possible combinations of a binary sequence save one; thus, a multilayer with an MLS profile contains a superposition of a broad range of periods. The range of periodicities in an MLS multilayer should make these systems more effective broad wavelength reflectors as compared to purely periodic counterparts. We compute the reflection characteristics of MLS and periodic dielectric sequences at visible wavelengths over a range of incident angles using the transfer matrix method (TMM), a recursive multilayer calculation method. The materials SiO2 and TiO2 are chosen as the low and high refractive index materials, respectively, because these materials are commonly used in optical multilayers and because their wavelength-dependent refractive index is well known. Our results show that it is possible to create an MLS structure with high average reflectivity across the entire visible spectrum (400 nm – 700 nm) at all incident angles and polarizations. Finally, we compare the reflection characteristics of dielectric multilayers with metallic reflectors whose refractive index is based on a Brendel-Bormann (BB) model. The comparison shows that a seventh order MLS aperiodic multilayer exhibits slightly higher average reflectivity over the visible spectum than silver or aluminum metallic reflectors.
Campaign Treasurers and Disclosure: Requiem for a Third-Party Gatekeeper Strategy?

Abstract This article provides the first empirical study of the work of campaign treasurers, an important part of the original design for the regulation of campaign finance. Third-party enforcers a...
Video Remote Interpreting Technology in Health Care: Cross-Sectional Study of Deaf Patients' Experiences.

Background: The advent of new rehabilitation and assistive technologies has led to the creation of video remote interpreting (VRI) as an accessible communication technology for deaf patients. Although there has been a rapid growth in the use of VRI technology by health care providers, there is scant published information on VRI users and their satisfaction. Current, timely data are needed to understand deaf patients’ use and satisfaction with the quality of VRI technology in health care settings. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the national trends of deaf patients’ satisfaction with the quality of video remote interpreting (VRI) in health settings and recommend actions to improve VRI quality and deaf patients’ satisfaction with VRI in health care settings. Methods: Secondary data related to deaf adults’ experiences of using VRI service in a medical setting were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey in American Sign Language, which was administered to a US sample of deaf adults between 2016 and 2018. Results: Among our VRI users (N=555, all in the United States) who answered questions about VRI usage in health between 2016 and 2018, only 41% were satisfied with the quality of the VRI technology service. Respondents with fewer years of education or those who were male were more likely to rate the VRI quality as acceptable. After adjusting for covariates in a binary regression analysis, deaf patients’ self-reported interference (ie, VRI interpreter’s interference with disclosure of health information) increased patient dissatisfaction with the quality of VRI technology service by three-fold. Conclusions: To increase satisfaction with VRI technology service in health care and rehabilitation settings among deaf patients, special attention needs to be given to video technology, as the use of sign language requires high-fidelity video for optimal communication between the interpreter and patient. To promote the willingness to disclose medical information through VRI among deaf patients, the interpreter must be highly skilled in both expressive and receptive communication and have the requisite background in medicine and rehabilitation.
Steam Gasification of Aplha Cellulose in a Fluid Bed Reactor

Over the past decade, a number of studies have been conducted on the fluidized bed gasification of biomass materials. Several factors influence gasifier performance, the most important being temperature. Several investigators have noted that different types of feed materials produce different results when gasified under apparently similar condition.1–5 Some of these investigators have postulated that the differences observed are due to differences in the cellulose content of the feed material.
Cognition and Emotion in Development

Emotion development is best understood within the context of cognitive processes, supporting a model of cognition–emotion integration focused on the development of self-regulation. Literature on the means by which cognition affects emotion processes tends to emphasize attentional control and executive function frameworks. Research on emotion affecting cognitive processes tends to focus on negative and positive emotions, typically from a temperament framework or emotion frameworks. Cognition and emotion as interactive processes are highlighted as we describe our self-regulation model, which also includes prenatal, parenting, and larger environmental components. We end with critical questions for future research.
Mitigation of Subsynchronous Resonance Induced by a Type III Wind System

This paper proposes an adaptive supplementary controller based on the multiple-model adaptive control (MMAC) approach to mitigate subsynchronous resonance (SSR) induced by a Type III wind system connected to a series-compensated transmission line. The proposed supplementary controller has two levels; the first level is a set of controllers designed using standard linear control methods, and the second level is a supervisory controller that selects the level-one controller based on the system conditions. A systematic approach is introduced for simultaneous coordination of parameters of the proposed supplementary controllers in a nonaggregated wind system. The aim of this coordination approach is to stabilize the system by moving the unstable modes to the left-hand plane while minimizing the controller gain values to reduce the sensitivity of the wind generator to the small disturbances. To evaluate the performance of the proposed controller, small-signal stability of the test system is studied using its comprehensive dynamic model. Time-domain simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed supplementary controller to mitigate subsynchronous oscillations in a wide range of operating conditions.
Therapeutic Challenges And Advances In The Management Of Systemic Sclerosis-Related Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (SSc-PAH)

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disorder with multi-organ involvement. SSc-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SSc-PAH) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the SSc population. With advances in our understanding of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) diagnosis and treatment, outcomes for all PAH patients have significantly improved. While SSc-PAH patients have also benefited from these advances, significant challenges remain. Diagnosis of PAH is a challenging endeavor in SSc patients who often have many co-existing pulmonary and cardiac comorbidities. Given the significantly elevated prevalence and lifetime risk of PAH in the SSc population, screening for SSc-PAH is a critically useful strategy. Treatment with pulmonary arterial (PA) vasodilators has resulted in a dramatic improvement in the survival and quality of life of PAH patients. While therapy with PA vasodilators is beneficial in SSc-PAH patients, therapy effects appear to be attenuated when compared to responses in patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH). This review attempts to chronicle and summarize the advances in our understanding of the optimal screening strategies to identify PAH in patients with SSc. The article also reviews the advances in the therapeutic and risk stratification strategies for SSc-PAH patients.
Patients with anxiety disorders rely on bilateral dlPFC activation during verbal working memory

One of the hallmarks of anxiety disorders is impaired cognitive control, affecting working memory (WM). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is critical for WM; however, it is still unclear how dlPFC activity relates to WM impairments in patients. Forty-one healthy volunteers and 32 anxiety (general and/or social anxiety disorder) patients completed the Sternberg WM paradigm during safety and unpredictable shock threat. On each trial, a series of letters was presented, followed by brief retention and response intervals. On low- and high-load trials, subjects retained the series (five and eight letters, respectively) in the original order, while on sort trials, subjects rearranged the series (five letters) in alphabetical order. We sampled the blood oxygenation level-dependent activity during retention using a bilateral anatomical dlPFC mask. Compared to controls, patients showed increased reaction time during high-load trials, greater right dlPFC activity and reduced dlPFC activity during threat. These results suggest that WM performance for patients and controls may rely on distinct patterns of dlPFC activity with patients requiring bilateral dlPFC activity. These results are consistent with reduced efficiency of WM in anxiety patients. This reduced efficiency may be due to an inefficient allocation of dlPFC resources across hemispheres or a decreased overall dlPFC capacity.
COVID-19 and Youth in Detention

The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled behavior changes in numerous areas at a breathtaking pace, and in ways that are having immediate and perhaps more long-term consequences. Two public health messages...
Radiological Evaluation of Cystic Lung Disease

The diffuse cystic lung diseases (DCLDs) are characterized by the presence of multiple, thin-walled, air-filled spaces in the pulmonary parenchyma. The differential diagnosis for DCLDs is broad and includes congenital, inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic etiologies as well as cyst mimics such as emphysema and bronchiectasis. The most commonly encountered DCLDs include lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH), and lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP). Computed tomography (CT) is recommended to evaluate suspected or known DCLD. Helpful clues for diagnosis include cyst distribution and shape. In addition, ancillary lung and extrapulmonary findings can suggest the diagnosis. Chest CT in conjunction with clinical and laboratory information often allow establishment of the diagnosis without further invasive testing.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Increases Risk of Medical Complications Following Posterior Lumbar Fusion.

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease with prominent musculoskeletal manifestations that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery; however, few studies have specifically examined postoperative outcomes in patients with RA following lumbar surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with RA who underwent posterior lumbar fusion experienced increased postoperative complications and economic burden compared with patients without RA. Methods Patients Results RA patients had significantly higher risk of 90-day readmission (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, P Conclusions Preexisting RA may increase risk for short-term postoperative medical complications following posterior lumbar fusion, specifically infectious events. In addition, patients with RA have higher rates of subsequent reoperation following index surgery. Patients with RA be should counseled regarding these risks.
A Paradigm Shift from DSM-5 to Research Domain Criteria: Application to Translational CNS Drug Development

The development of new therapeutics for mental disorders has lagged for a decade or more, associated with a marked decrease in the number of large companies working in this space. This lag reflects the difficulty of identifying new targets that have a likelihood of leading to marketable treatments, especially for broadly defined syndromes that are characterized by extensive heterogeneity and co-morbidity. Further, disorders are defined by presenting symptoms and signs rather than specific biological or behavioral tests. To address these obstacles, the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) instituted two related programs. The first is the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative. RDoC is a research framework intended to focus on fundamental behavioral dimensions such as reward-related activity or cognitive control, studied in tandem with their implementing neural circuitry. The second is the implementation of precision-medicine approaches that employ fast-fail, target-engagement trial designs; these focus on demonstrations that compounds engage their hypothesized targets and result in predicted, specific change in CNS activity and/or behavior, thus optimizing translation from animal models of function. This chapter summarizes these two initiatives and provides two case-study examples that illustrate the issues involved with these new strategies. While many specific elements need to be further developed, such as more informative biomarkers and outcome measures, the focus on functions that are closer to the neural circuitry and cut across current disorders offers many advantages for the next generation of translational research and drug develop ment.
Suboptimal nutrient balancing despite dietary choice in glucose-averse German cockroaches, Blattella germanica

Insects have evolved fine-tuned gustatory and post-ingestive physiological mechanisms that enable them to self-select an optimal composition of macronutrients. Their ability to forage optimally among multiple food sources and maximize fitness parameters depends on their ability not only to taste and perceive the nutritional value of potential foods but also to avoid deleterious components; the strength of such avoidance should reflect the severity of the perceived hazard. In German cockroaches (Blattella germanica), glucose aversion has evolved in some populations in response to anthropogenic selection with glucose-containing insecticidal baits. In four feeding treatments, we gave newly eclosed glucose-averse female cockroaches free choice to feed from two artificial, nutritionally complementary foods varying in protein and carbohydrate composition, with glucose or fructose as the sole carbohydrate source in either food. After 6days of feeding, we measured diet consumption and the length of basal oocytes as an estimate of sexual maturation. The females did not compromise on their aversion to glucose in order to balance their protein and carbohydrate intake, and experienced lower sexual maturation rates as a consequence. Nutrient specific hunger via feedback mechanisms, and adjustments to gustatory sensitivity thus do not override the deterrence of glucose, likely due to strong selection against ingesting even small amounts of toxin associated with glucose in baits. In the absence of baits, glucose aversion would be expected to incur a fitness cost compared to wild-type individuals due to lower overall food availability but also to larger difficulty in attaining a nutritionally balanced diet.
Kinetics of the electron transfer cross-reaction between Os(bpy)33+ incorporated in Nafion® coatings on electrodes and IrCl63− dissolved in solution

Abstract The kinetics of electron transfer between OS(bpy)33+ incorporated in Nafion® coatings on electrodes and IrCl63− anions in solution were examined by means of rotating disk voltammetry. The cation permselectivity of the Nafion confined the reaction zone to the coating-solution interface. As a result, reverse cation exchange, which causes small quantities of Os(bpy)3 3+ 2+ to be lost from the outermost portions of the coatings, results in large decreases in the rate of the electron transfer reaction. Low concentrations of Os(bpy)32+ were therefore added to the solutions in order to avoid significant losses from reverse ion exchange. Changes in the Donnan potential produced by changes in the concentration of supporting electrolyte were not reflected in the rates of the electron transfer reaction. The rates appeared to be sensitive only to changes in the formal potential of the IrCl6 2− 3− couple in solution. It is speculated that the potential experienced by the two reactants when they are close enough together for electron transfer to occur is not altered significantly by changes in the concentration of supporting electrolyte.
Forewarned Is Fore-Armed: Dynamic Digraph Connectivity with Lookahead Speeds Up a Static Clustering Algorithm

Dynamic data structures are presented for directed graphs that maintain (a) Transitive Closure and (b) Decomposition into Strongly Connected Components in a "semi-online" situation which improve the static algorithms for minimum sum-of-diameters clustering are improved by a O(log n) factor.
Handling Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Specimens

Abstract This article reviews the “state of practice” with regard to sentinel lymph node biopsy, a new and evolving technique currently used most commonly for staging of malignant melanoma and adenocarcinoma of the breast. Sentinel lymph node biopsy has the potential to both increase the accuracy of lymph node sampling as a prognostic tool and to decrease the need for unnecessary and morbid extensive lymph node dissection in such patients. The need for close cooperation and planning involving the surgeon and pathologist is stressed, and gross room tissue handling, radiation safety, microscopic examination, and the use of ancillary diagnostic techniques are discussed.
Applying variations of the quantitative feedback technique (QFT) to unstable, non-minimum phase aircraft dynamics models

Variations of the quantitative feedback technique (QFT) are applied to a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) flight control problem with unstable, nonminimum phase plants. The authors present specialized techniques that enable the designer to achieve acceptable results for effective plants which are both unstable and non-minimum phase. The weighting matrix function is discussed, and a method of developing frequency dependent compensation is presented. The longitudinal control system, defined as a single-input-single-output (SISO) system, is designed using the loop transmission function. The limitations imposed by right-half-plane poles and zeros are discussed as the design is presented. A straightforward approach to designing a prefilter is also presented. Singular-G and optimal blending methods are used to improve the achievable stability characteristics of the lateral-directional (MIMO) effective plant. A brief discussion of the design of prefilters for a MIMO system is included. >