cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for hospital-acquired ‘poor glycemic control’: a case–control study

Objective. To determine the patient and hospital characteristics associated with severe manifestations of ‘poor glycemic control’—a ‘no-pay’ hospital-acquired condition defined by the US Medicare program based on hospital claims related to severe complications of diabetes. Design. A nested case – control study. Setting. California acute care hospitals from 2005 to 2006. Participants. All cases (n ¼ 261) with manifestations of poor glycemic control not present on admission admitted to California acute care hospitals from 2005 to 2006 and 261 controls were matched (1:1) using administrative data for age, sex, major diagnostic category and severity of illness. Main Outcome Measure(s). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for experiencing poor glycemic control. Results. Deaths (16 vs. 9%, P ¼ 0.01) and total costs ($26 125 vs. $18 233, P ¼ 0.026) were significantly higher among poor glycemic control cases. Risk-adjusted conditional logistic regression revealed that each additional chronic condition increased the odds of poor glycemic control by 12% (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04– 1.22). The interaction of registered nurse staffing and hospital teaching status suggested that in non-teaching hospitals, each additional nursing hour per adjusted patient day significantly reduced the odds of poor glycemic control by 16% (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73– 0.96). Nurse staffing was not significant in teaching hospitals (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.88 – 1.11). Conclusions. Severe poor glycemic control complications are relatively rare but meaningful events with disproportionately high costs and mortality. Increasing nurse staffing may be an effective strategy in reducing poor glycemic control complications particularly in non-teaching hospitals.
Interdisciplinary group process in the hospital management of child abuse and neglect

The group process aspects of child protection in a children's hospital are examined. A team approach to case management enables personal support for individual members experiencing the strong emotions attached to protective service cases, eases the burden of individual decision-making, and divides the complex tasks of data gathering and analysis. Confusion is fostered by inattention to personal and group expectations, individual roles, the status structure, and the methods for maintaining social cohesion. A team handbook may help to standardize decision-making, but in such efforts to reduce conflict, group norms may be obscured. Task-oriented and social-emotional norms are discussed, and guidelines are offered to foster a more adequate approach to group problem solving.
High Frequency Inversion Capacitance Measurements for 6H-SiC n-MOS Capacitors from 450 to 600 °C

The operation of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices based on the semiconductor SiC in high temperature environments above 300 °C requires an understanding of the physical processes in these capacitor structures under operating conditions. In this study we have focused on the regime of inversion biasing, where the electrical characteristics of the device are dominated by minority carriers. We report on the direct observation of the high frequency inversion capacitance due to thermal generation of holes in 6H-SiC n-MOS capacitors between 450 and 600 °C by monitoring the 1MHz C-V characteristics of large area, 1000 μm diameter, capacitors in the dark. Our experimental results are consistent with a first order calculation based on the delta depletion approximation.
A multivariable fuzzy logic controller (MFLC) for a buck DC-DC converter

This paper describes the design and construction of a multivariable fuzzy controller (MFLC) for the control of a DC-DC buck converter. An off-the-shelf hardware-based MFLC system has been developed that is used to model the variable switching structure of the buck converter. The MFLC design criterion is based on the error in output voltage and the change of error in the output voltage as inputs of the controller, and the changes in the duty cycle ratio as output of the controller. The error and change of error are two membership functions bounded in the interval [0, 1]. The two inputs have two fuzzy subsets, negative fuzzy subset N and positive fuzzy subset P. The output is made up of fuzzy subsets of singletons. It will be shown that when the error and change of error have the same signs, the output moves away from a set point and therefore the same reasoning or rules can be used to change the output. The results will show that the MFLC technique provides robust control for nonlinear power electronics variable switching structure like the DC-DC buck converter.
Computer-aided detection of breast masses on prior mammograms

An important purpose of a CAD system is that it can serve as a second reader to alert radiologists to subtle cancers that may be overlooked. In this study, we are developing new computer vision techniques to improve the detection performance for subtle masses on prior mammograms. A data set of 159 patients containing 318 current mammograms and 402 prior mammograms was collected. A new technique combining gradient field analysis with Hessian analysis was developed to prescreen for mass candidates. A suspicious structure in each identified location was initially segmented by seed-based region growing and then refined by using an active contour method. Morphological, gray level histogram and run-length statistics features were extracted. Rule-based and LDA classifiers were trained to differentiate masses from normal tissues. We randomly divided the data set into two independent sets; one set of 78 cases for training and the other set of 81 cases for testing. With our previous CAD system, the case-based sensitivities on prior mammograms were 63%, 48% and 32% at 2, 1 and 0.5 FPs/image, respectively. With the new CAD system, the case-based sensitivities were improved to 74%, 56% and 35%, respectively, at the same FP rates. The difference in the FROC curves was statistically significant (p<0.05 by AFROC analysis). The performances of the two systems for detection of masses on current mammograms were comparable. The results indicated that the new CAD system can improve the detection performance for subtle masses without a trade-off in detection of average masses.
Risk Stratification and Prognosis: Identifying Patients Who May Benefit from Advanced Therapies

A subset of initially normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) may clinically deteriorate and develop systemic arterial hypotension, cardiogenic shock, and sudden death, despite prompt therapeutic-level anticoagulation. Elevated cardiac biomarkers and right ventricular (RV) enlargement on imaging studies identify such vulnerable PE patients who may benefit from more advanced therapies. Clinical examination, electrocardiography, cardiac biomarker determination, chest computed tomogram (CT), and echocardiography are key instruments in the detection of RV dysfunction and risk stratification of patients with acute PE.
Law School Lifelines: A Game Show-Themed Review Exercise as Alternative Teaching Method

In this short pedagogical article, Prof. Mulroy recommends the use of game-show-themed review exercises to engage law students. He describes one such exercise which he has used successfully for years: a “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” game. All students write Easy, Medium, and Hard review questions, and volunteers serve as Judges and Contestants, who have such “Lifelines” as a “poll the class,” “50/50 guess,” and “call on a friend” options as they try to correctly answer three Easy, three Medium, and three Hard questions. If they get a question wrong, they get a prize which varies depending on how far they advanced; if they get all correct, they become the “Millionaire” of the class and earn a semester pass from cold-calling. Both Prof. Mulroy’s experience and student surveys indicate that students find the exercise both fun and educational, prefer it to other review formats, and even enjoy writing the review questions (which often border on the humorous).
Employment Law & Ethics: 7 Things You Need to Know About: Hiring: Job Search -- Promotion (Presentation Slides)

These slides cover the basics of the law of employee hiring. They work sequentially from the job opening to the advertising process, to application, to interview, to selection to promotion. These slides cover employer requirements to treat all applicants equally to avoid discrimination. They also cover the requirements and best practices for applications, interviews, background checks, credit checks and reference checks. A few slides cover the social media presence for applicants and how far employers can go to check up on such profiles.
The role of the rhombic lip in avian cerebellum development.

We have used a combination of quail-chick fate-mapping techniques and dye labelling to investigate the development of the avian cerebellum. Using Hoxa2 as a guide for the microsurgical construction of quail-chick chimaeras, we show that the caudal boundary of the presumptive cerebellum at E6 maps to the caudal boundary of rhombomere 1. By fate mapping the dorsoventral axis of rhombomere 1, we demonstrate that granule cell precursors are generated at the rhombic lip together with neurons of the lateral pontine nucleus. DiI-labelling of cerebellum explants reveals that external germinal layer precursors have a characteristic unipolar morphology and undergo an orientated, active migration away from the rhombic lip, which is apparently independent of either glial or axon guidance or ‘chain’ formation.
Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity: Data Overview

Defined as the percent of the population of non-business-owning adults who start a business each month, the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity was introduced in 2005. This measure of the business creation rate at the individual owner level captures all new businesses. It includes both businesses with employees and those without, businesses that are incorporated and those that are not, and all industries, from construction to high-tech. Download the slides at: http://papers.ssrn.com/paper=1028002 Download the audio file at: http://papers.ssrn.com/paper=1029765
Personal Deductions - A Tax Ideal or Just Another Deal?

The allowance of many personal deductions, such as the deduction for medical expenses or charitable contributions, has been criticized on the contention that such deductions are not appropriate elements of an income tax system, but rather are merely devices by which Congress has expended federal funds to further some nontax program or other goal. The tax revenues that are not collected because of these provisions have been characterized as "subsidies" or as camouflaged direct expenditures of the government. This view has attained such prominence that Congress requires the federal government to publish annually a "budget" that lists those tax provisions that the issuing department concludes are so-called "tax expenditures." The premise of these tax expenditure budgets is that the provisions listed in them do not implement the principles that justify using income measurement as the basis for allocating the federal tax burden among the populace. This view rests on a notion that there are immutable principles that underlie the adoption of an income tax system and that some agreement can be reached as to the identification of those principles. The adoption of the tax expenditure concept has had enormous effect on the inclusion and deletion of provisions in the tax law. This article examines four personal deductions that have been characterized in the publication of "budgets" by several government agencies as tax expenditures, and therefore as not conforming to income tax principles. The four deduction are: medical expenses, theft and casualty losses, charitable contributions, and the interest deduction for mortgages on a personal residence. The thesis of this article is that all of those deductions, in fact, do conform to progressive income tax principles and therefore cannot properly by characterized as governmental expenditures. In other words, each of those deductions performs a useful task in the proper measurement of income for tax allocation purposes when the entire structure of the income tax and the principles that underlie it are taken into account. While the determination of whether the deductions discussed in this article are expenditures is not conclusive of the issue of their survival in the tax law, it can have a significant impact on their survival or on the terms on which they might survive. Moreover, the validity and usefulness of the entire tax expenditure concept is open to question, and a demonstration that a number of items have been wrongly identified as expenditures by the government agencies that list those items weakens whatever confidence one might otherwise still have in the concept.
Migration, Urbanization, and Women's Kin Networks in Tunis

This article relies on 3 case studies of womens lives to illustrate that the ideal extended patrilineal Arab household is no longer the norm. In Tunis men and women have reshaped their lives to accommodate changes in urban space and industrial employment. Data were obtained from ethnographies of social networks and kin relations among middle and working class women in Tunis Tunisia in 1986-87 and among 4 migrant families in 1993. Participant observations of womens social networking amounted to almost 600 hours. 20 respondents participated in unstructured interviews. In-depth interviews were conducted among 36 women from La Goulette and La Marsa suburbs. Findings refute the common Euro-American model of the isolated nuclear family in Tunisia. The case studies indicate that women (migrants or family members) tended to live next door to kin marry relatives and make frequent visits to their own and their husbands extended family in Tunis in the hometown or even abroad. Social networks included very few friends neighbors and other non-kin. Even the most educated womens networks did not reveal isolation and withdrawal from the extended family. Migrant networks were dominated by kin but included more non-kin than in non-migrant networks. Findings indicate that there was no monolithic Arab family that is unchanged and unvarying across regions social classes and time. Communities adjust a shared ideology to changing practical realities such as migration and urban living. Arab Muslim women are maintaining ideals of kinship solidarity cooperation and endogamy while adjusting to a rapidly industrialized urban state.
Auditors Academic and Firm Training Regarding Current Information Technology Issues

This study explores auditors perceptions of their college exposure to and training by their firms on the Top Ten Technology Issues for the Year 2000 as identified by the AICPA Technology Committee. Participants are staff and senior auditors currently employed by Big-5 accounting firms. The results indicate that the auditors received only limited exposure to the emerging technology issues while pursuing a college degree. Results indicate that audit staff had significantly more exposure to technology in college than audit seniors had. This finding confirms that accounting educators have included technology topics in accounting curricula. Even so, auditors appear to obtain most of their knowledge on information technology through accounting firm training. Findings of this study imply that accounting educators need to continue developing technology-relevant curriculum. Moreover, educators and practitioners should work closely in the future to enhance accounting graduates competency in information technology.
Influence of Albumin on the Hepatic Uptake of Unconjugated Bilirubin

1. The initial distribution volumes of [ 3 H]bilirubin in six adult subjects were equivalent to those of 131 I-labelled albumin following simultaneous intravenous injection of both compounds. However, the initial rate of loss of [ 3 H]bilirubin from plasma was seven to thirty times faster than that of 131 I-labelled albumin. 2. In vitro uptake of [ 3 H]bilirubin by Gunn rat liver slices occurred at a rate three times faster than could be accounted for by movement linked with albumin. 3. There was no in vitro transfer of [ 14 C]bilirubin from albumin to the organic anion-binding proteins of rat liver cytosol. Instead, albumin was shown to strip [ 14 C]bilirubin from these proteins. 4. When albumin, to which [ 14 C]bilirubin had been bound, was precipitated with anti-albumin antibody, [ 14 C]bilirubin was recovered completely in the supernatant, indicating that unconjugated bilirubin may be readily separated from albumin if albumin interacts with another macromolecule. 5. These results indicated that unconjugated bilirubin is separated from albumin prior to its uptake by the hepatic cell, rather than the entire albumin-bilirubin complex entering the hepatocyte. The data suggest that the uptake mechanism probably requires the participation of the plasma membrane.
Local plan implementation: assessing conformance and influence of local plans in the United States:

Attention to if and how plans are implemented is increasing. Among the conceptions of plan implementation used by scholars, plan conformance and plan performance are most prominent, though rarely h...
Minimizing hydraulic resistance of a plant root by shape optimization

Abstract Optimum plant root structure that minimizes a single root’s hydraulic resistance to water-uptake is studied in this paper with the constraint of constant root volume. Hydraulic resistances under the slender body approximation and without such a limitation are considered. It is found that for large stele-to-cortex permeability ratio, there exists an optimum root length-to-base-radius ratio that minimizes the hydraulic resistance. A remarkable feature of the optimum root structure is that the optimum dimensionless stele conductivity depends only on a single geometrical parameter, the stele-to-root base-radius ratio. Once the stele-to-root base-radius ratio and the stele-to-cortex permeability ratio are given, the optimum root length-to-radius ratio can be found. While these findings remain to be verified by experiments for real plant roots, they offer theoretical guidance for the design of bio-inspired structures that minimize the hydraulic resistance for fluid production from porous media.
The electronic evaluation of the fetal heart rate. V. The vagal factor in fetal bradycardia.

Abstract 1. 1. Much of the fetal bradycardia associated with umbilical cord compression is probably due to vagotonia. 2. 2. The administration of atropine to the mother altered markedly the fetal heart rate patterns of 3 fetuses who at delivery had probable umbilical cord compression. (These cases were selected from a series of 31 patients who had similar responses.) 3. 3. Fetal bradycardia may be, within limits, a compensatory or adaptive mechanism and, therefore, does not indicate necessarily fetal hypoxia but may reflect increased vagal tone. 4. 4. The passage of meconium may be due not only to hypoxic stimulation of the large bowel and relaxation of the anal sphincter but may be caused by increased vagal tone. 5. 5. The usual happy outcome of clinically diagnosed fetal distress supports the idea that fetal bradycardia and the passage of meconium do not always indicate a compromised fetus.
Paecilomyces varioti endocarditis on a prosthetic aortic valve

Fungal endocarditis following prosthetic valve surgery has assumed increased importance as a cause of postoperative death. We present, to our knowledge, the first case of the fungus Paecilomyces varioti producing endocarditis on a prosthetic aortic valve. This seems to be an extremely indolent organism which exhibits an apparent response to antibiotic therapy. In vitro evidence suggests that this fungus is sensitive to attainable serum levels of both 5-fluorocytosine and amphotericin B. However, after viewing the extracted valve and the devastating embolic phenomenon in our patient, we believe that medical therapy alone would not suffice. Thus we suggest that prompt valve replacement be performed in future cases.
The patient manager system: Increasing clinical efficiency while exceeding your patient’s expectations

In an environment where orthodontic practices need to differentiate themselves, the patient manager system is an ideal strategy. It allows for very personalized customer service and a unique orthodontic experience for every patient and their family. In orthodontics, the patient manager system is an organizational strategy where each patient is paired with a clinical technician who will work with them throughout all stages of treatment. Each patient is assigned their own personal concierge, partnered with them from the beginning of treatment to the end, to ensure they achieve their treatment goals while having an exceptional experience. This system benefits not only patients, but doctors and staff as well, regardless of practice size.
Secrecy capacity of independent parallel channels

Ensuring the confidentiality of communications is fundamental to securing any network. This requirement becomes particularly important for wireless systems, where eavesdropping is facilitated by the broadcast nature of the wireless medium. Rather than physically guard the communication medium to provide confidentiality, the traditional approach is to employ cryptographic algorithms to ensure that only legitimate users can correctly interpret the messages, while all other entities fail to glean any useful information.
Functions: consensus without unity

Wright's article did not answer all the questions philosophers have asked about functions, but it did answer some of them, and it showed the way forward to answering more. Much of the literature since 1973 has, in effect, engaged in the refinement of Wright's original idea. Many writers do not think of themselves as doing this; indeed, several have actively resisted this interpretation. Nonetheless, since 1973 there has been a convergence towards a view of functions which has Wright's idea at its core. I think of this trend as an example of real progress in philosophy.
Neuroendocrine-immune circuits, phenotypes, and interactions

Multidirectional interactions among the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems have been demonstrated in humans and non-human animal models for many decades by the biomedical community, but ecological and evolutionary perspectives are lacking. Neuroendocrine-immune interactions can be conceptualized using a series of feedback loops, which culminate into distinct neuroendocrine-immune phenotypes. Behavior can exert profound influences on these phenotypes, which can in turn reciprocally modulate behavior. For example, the behavioral aspects of reproduction, including courtship, aggression, mate selection and parental behaviors can impinge upon neuroendocrine-immune interactions. One classic example is the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH), which proposes that steroid hormones act as mediators of traits important for female choice while suppressing the immune system. Reciprocally, neuroendocrine-immune pathways can promote the development of altered behavioral states, such as sickness behavior. Understanding the energetic signals that mediate neuroendocrine-immune crosstalk is an active area of research. Although the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) has begun to explore this crosstalk from a biomedical standpoint, the neuroendocrine-immune-behavior nexus has been relatively underappreciated in comparative species. The field of ecoimmunology, while traditionally emphasizing the study of non-model systems from an ecological evolutionary perspective, often under natural conditions, has focused less on the physiological mechanisms underlying behavioral responses. This review summarizes neuroendocrine-immune interactions using a comparative framework to understand the ecological and evolutionary forces that shape these complex physiological interactions.
The ETS family of oncogenic transcription factors in solid tumours

Findings over the past decade have identified aberrant activation of the ETS transcription factor family throughout all stages of tumorigenesis. Specifically in solid tumours, gene rearrangement and amplification, feed-forward growth factor signalling loops, formation of gain-of-function co-regulatory complexes and novel cis-acting mutations in ETS target gene promoters can result in increased ETS activity. In turn, pro-oncogenic ETS signalling enhances tumorigenesis through a broad mechanistic toolbox that includes lineage specification and self-renewal, DNA damage and genome instability, epigenetics and metabolism. This Review discusses these different mechanisms of ETS activation and subsequent oncogenic implications, as well as the clinical utility of ETS factors.
Process design and control optimization: A simultaneous approach by multi-parametric programming

We present a framework for the application of design and control optimization via multiparametric programming through four case studies. We develop design dependent multi-parametric model predictive controllers that are able to provide the optimal control actions as functions of the system state and the design of the process at hand, via our recently introduced PAROC framework1. The process and the design dependent explicit controllers undergo a Mixed Integer Dynamic Optimization (MIDO) step for the determination of the optimal design. The result of the MIDO is the optimal design of the process under optimal operation. We demonstrate the framework through case studies of a tank, a continuously stirred tank reactor, a binary distillation column and a residential cogeneration unit. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Community, commons, and degrowth at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

Abstract For centuries, intentional communities of various sorts have been formed to experiment with alternative socio-cultural and economic models. As we enter the Anthropocene and find ourselves in a world challenged to create a post-carbon economy that is no longer reliant on endless growth, such models are in greater demand than ever. Since the mid-1990s, hundreds of ecovillages around the world have been experimenting with ways to achieve prosperity without growth. Linking to three transition discourses, this article uses ongoing ethnographic research to describe how one intentional community – Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in northeast Missouri, USA – is forging such models by cultivating cooperative cultural values and behaviors, recreating the commons, and sharing their experiences and lessons with broader publics through media, research, and educational programs. Based on ongoing participatory action research, I present data on areas such as energy use, water use, solid waste production, and perceived happiness to illustrate that the community is achieving the decreased consumption patterns required for degrowth while maintaining a high quality of life for its members. Finally, the paper reflects on the role of the activist-researcher facing the dual tasks of helping the community move toward its goals while simultaneously translating the particular to more broadly applicable theory and practice. Key words: commons, degrowth, ecovillages, intentional communities, participatory action research, transition discourses
An Updated Scheme for Categorizing Foods Implicated in Foodborne Disease Outbreaks: A Tri-Agency Collaboration

Abstract Background: Foodborne disease data collected during outbreak investigations are used to estimate the percentage of foodborne illnesses attributable to specific food categories. Current food categories do not reflect whether or how the food has been processed and exclude many multiple-ingredient foods. Materials and Methods: Representatives from three federal agencies worked collaboratively in the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) to develop a hierarchical scheme for categorizing foods implicated in outbreaks, which accounts for the type of processing and provides more specific food categories for regulatory purposes. IFSAC also developed standard assumptions for assigning foods to specific food categories, including some multiple-ingredient foods. The number and percentage of outbreaks assignable to each level of the hierarchy were summarized. Results: The IFSAC scheme is a five-level hierarchy for categorizing implicated foods with increasingly specific subcategories at eac...
The effect of sleep pattern changes on postpartum depressive symptoms.

Research indicates that poor sleep is associated with postpartum depression; however, little is known regarding this relationship among postpartum women who are at high for postpartum depression. This study examined the relationship between changes in self-reported sleep patterns (from six weeks to seven months postpartum) and depressive symptoms at seven months postpartum among women who were at high risk for postpartum depression. Participants (n = 122) were postpartum women who were at an increased risk for postpartum depression (personal or maternal history of depression) and had participated in a randomized exercise intervention trial. For the current trial, participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; assessed depression) at six weeks and seven months postpartum. Overall, sleep problems significantly improved from six weeks to seven months postpartum. However, linear regression analyses indicated that worsening or minimal improvement of sleep problems were associated with higher depressive symptoms at seven month postpartum. Regarding the specific types of sleep problems, self-reported changes in sleep latency (i.e., how long it takes to fall asleep at night), daytime dysfunction (i.e., difficulty staying awake during the day), and sleep quality (i.e., subjective rating of sleep quality) were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. Sleep problems typically improve during the postpartum phase. However, postpartum women who are at high risk for postpartum depression are at an increased risk for depressive symptoms later in the postpartum phase if sleep problems worsen or show only minimal improvement over time. Therefore, at the six-week postpartum clinic visit, women should receive education regarding potential worsening of sleep patterns and strategies for preventing sleep-related problems. Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT00961402 ) on August 18, 2009 prior to the start of the trial.
Multi-Input Multi-Output control of a utility scale, shaft-less energy storage flywheel with a 5-DOF combination magnetic bearing

The modeling and control of a recently developed utility-scale, shaftless, high strength steel energy storage flywheel system (SHFES) are presented. The novel flywheel is designed with an energy/power capability of 100 kWh/100kW and has the potential of a doubled energy density when compared to conventional technologies. In addition, it includes a unique combination magnetic bearing (CAMB) capable of providing 5-degrees-of- freedom (5-DOF) magnetic levitation. Initial test results show that the CAMB, which weighs 544 kg, can provide a stable lift-up and levitation control for the 5543Kg flywheel. The object of this paper is to formulate and synthesize a detailed model as well as to design and simulate a closed-loop control system for the proposed flywheel system. To this end, the CAMB supporting structures are considered flexible and modeled by finite element modeling. The magnetic bearing is characterized experimentally by static and frequency-dependent coefficients, the latter of which are caused by eddy current effects and presents a challenge to the levitation control. Sensor-runout disturbances are also measured and included. System nonlinearities in power amplifiers and the controller are considered as well. Even though the flywheel has a large ratio of the primary-to-transversal moment of inertias, Multi-Input-Multi-Output (MIMO) feedback control demonstrates its effectiveness in canceling gyroscopic toques at the designed operational spinning speed. Various stages of PD controllers, lead/lag compensators, and notch filters are implemented to suppress the high-frequency sensor disturbances, structural vibrations, and rotor imbalance effects.
Antiretroviral treatment among commercially insured persons living with HIV in an era of universal treatment in the United States - 2012-2014.

In 2012, antiretroviral (ARV) treatment guidelines expanded indications and recommended antiretroviral treatment for all HIV-infected persons in the United States, regardless of CD4 cell count. Thi...
Mental Representations and Their Analysis: An Epistemological Perspective

It is widely accepted that mental representations (e.g., mental models and other internal cognitive structures) play a key role in the development of knowledge and expertise. This is especially true in problem-solving domains that involve many interacting components (e.g., complex dynamic systems). However, mental representations are not directly observable. In order to help improve understanding (knowledge and performance) in these domains, it is useful to have a good sense of how an individual is thinking about the problem situation. More specifically, understanding mental model development and formation can improve learning and instruction. Meaningful formative feedback often depends on the ability to identify faulty or incomplete or inappropriate internal representations of one or more aspects of the problem situation. In order to provide such feedback in a timely manner, it is necessary to have methods and tools that reliably reveal a learner’s relevant mental representations. Such methods and tools used to assess mental models are the primary focus in this volume. In this chapter, the focus is on the epistemological status of mental models and their analysis. The specific questions addressed herein are as follows: (a) What can we know about mental representations? (b) Can mental models be reliably assessed? and, (c) How useful are mental model measures in facilitating the development of knowledge and expertise? These are large questions that are not likely to have complete and definitive answers in the near future. The discussion in this chapter should be regarded only as a modest attempt to encourage further dialogue and investigation.
The Diamond Structure

The total energy plots generated by the LAPW method show for carbon the diamond and graphite structures as almost indistinguishable ground states. For silicon and germanium the diamond structure is clearly the ground state. However, for tin our total energy calculations show the diamond, beta-tin and simple hexagonal (shex) structures very close in energy. The LDA gives the shex as the ground state and the GGA gives the diamond as the lowest energy. In the diamond structure, unlike the other structures, the d states were omitted in the tight-binding Hamiltonian. For this reason the conduction bands should not be considered very reliable. Also the reader is reminded that units of eV are used for the SK parameters and not Ry as in the rest of this handbook. The SK parameters of Si, Ge, and Sn were derived from fitting to empirical pseudopotential calculations and, for C, to an APW calculation using overlapping spheres, unlike the first-principles APW touching muffin tin calculations used in the rest of this book. These calculations reproduce band gaps that are close to experiment and should be considered accurate for the four valence bands and first two conduction bands.
Reconfigurable soft body trajectories using unidirectionally stretchable composite laminae.

Compliant, continuum structures allow living creatures to perform complex tasks inaccessible to artificial rigid systems. Although advancements in hyper-elastic materials have spurred the development of synthetic soft structures (i.e., artificial muscles), these structures have yet to match the precise control and diversity of motions witnessed in living creatures. Cephalopods tentacles, for example, can undergo multiple trajectories using muscular hydrostat, a structure consisting of aggregated laminae of unidirectional muscle fibers. Here, we present a self-adhesive composite lamina inspired by the structural morphology of the muscular hydrostat, which adheres to any volumetrically expanding soft body to govern its motion trajectory. The composite lamina is stretchable only in one direction due to inextensible continuous fibers unidirectionally embedded within its hyper-elastic matrix. We showcase reconfiguration of inflation trajectories of two- and three-dimensional soft bodies by simply adhering laminae to their surfaces. Soft actuators are typically confined to a single, predetermined deformation trajectory. Here, the authors report on a bioinspired self-adhesive material which can be attached, detached, and re-attached to expanding soft bodies to render reconfigurable and controllable deformation trajectories.
Select Turbulence Modeling Method

Turbulence is a phenomenon of immense practical importance in nature and has therefore been extensively studied in the context of its applications, by both engineers and applied scientists.
An SDE model for surface roughness progression

AbstractA stochastic differential equation (SDE) is derived for modeling the evolution of root mean square surface roughness, Rq(t), for various deterioration, deposition, or smoothing processes. T...
Active Learning with Code Writing in Large Lectures

Studies have found that many CS students perform poorly on basic programming tasks, and interviewers in industry complain that CS graduates cannot write code. Learning gains have been shown from active learning techniques such as Peer Instruction, but only for multiple-choice questions, not for writing code. Studies of multiple choice questions such as code tracing have shown weak correlations to code writing, and extremely small improvements in syntax in only one third of students. These results are consistent with a century of research showing limited transfer of knowledge, and skill acquisition literature showing that skill is developed only with many hours of practice. We developed an active learning activity called LiveQuiz for large university courses, enabling every student to write specific small functions during lecture, using an online community tool on their own devices. Anonymous responses can be seen on the lecture hall screen in a single conversation thread, which the instructor scrolls. Both students and the instructor analyze and discuss the correctness of different solutions. LiveQuiz was effective in helping students to write correct code: e.g, the percentage of correct sequential search functions rose from 36% to 96%. LiveQuiz is a promising active learning technique using existing tools, giving students practice and prompt feedback in a high-level skill. It is fast and easy to implement, and it provides the instructor first drafts of students' problem solving, which can yield insights for future teaching.
Adjusting to the new reality: Evaluation of early practice pattern adaptations to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Objective We aim to define national practice patterns to assess current clinical practice, anticipated delays and areas of concern that potentially could lead to deviations from the normal standard of care. Methods Anonymous surveys were emailed to members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO). The spread of COVID-19 and its impact on gynecologic oncology care in terms of alterations to normal treatment patterns and anticipated challenges were assessed. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to determine risk factors for COVID-19 infection. Results We analyzed the responses of 331 gynecologic oncology providers. COVID-19 is present in 99.1% of surveyed communities with 99.7% reporting mitigation efforts in effect. The infection rate differs significantly between regions (p≪0.001) with the Northeast reporting the highest number of COVID-19 cases. Practice volume has dropped by 61.6% since the start of the pandemic with most cancellations being provider initiated. A majority of responders (52.8%) believed that ovarian cancer will be the most affected cancer by COVID-19. >94% of responders are proceeding with gynecologic cancer surgeries with exception of grade 1, endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (36.3%). Surgical backlog (58.6%), delayed cancer diagnosis (43.2%) and re-establishing normal care with delayed patient (37.8%) were identified as the top 3 challenges after COVID-19 has abated. Conclusions COVID-19 is widespread and has radically altered normal practice patterns. Despite COVID-19 related concerns, most gynecologic oncology care is proceeding. However, the steep decline in clinical volume shows there is a large group of patients who are not being diagnosed or are deferring care.
Towards Perovskite LED Displays

We present a perovskite LED array fabricated by photolithography. The LED pixels in this array can be independently driven. The work demonstrates the potential of perovskite devices for next-generation displays.
Biomimetic six-axis robots replicate human cardiac papillary muscle motion: pioneering the next generation of biomechanical heart simulator technology

Papillary muscles serve as attachment points for chordae tendineae which anchor and position mitral valve leaflets for proper coaptation. As the ventricle contracts, the papillary muscles translate and rotate, impacting chordae and leaflet kinematics; this motion can be significantly affected in a diseased heart. In ex vivo heart simulation, an explanted valve is subjected to physiologic conditions and can be adapted to mimic a disease state, thus providing a valuable tool to quantitatively analyse biomechanics and optimize surgical valve repair. However, without the inclusion of papillary muscle motion, current simulators are limited in their ability to accurately replicate cardiac biomechanics. We developed and implemented image-guided papillary muscle (IPM) robots to mimic the precise motion of papillary muscles. The IPM robotic system was designed with six degrees of freedom to fully capture the native motion. Mathematical analysis was used to avoid singularity conditions, and a supercomputing cluster enabled the calculation of the system's reachable workspace. The IPM robots were implemented in our heart simulator with motion prescribed by high-resolution human computed tomography images, revealing that papillary muscle motion significantly impacts the chordae force profile. Our IPM robotic system represents a significant advancement for ex vivo simulation, enabling more reliable cardiac simulations and repair optimizations.
Association Between Cortical Thickness and Childhood Body Mass Index: Role of Race and Income

Background: There is mixed literature on the association between cerebral cortex morphometry and body mass index (BMI), with only some but not all studies documenting an inverse association between cortical thickness (CT) and BMI. As the association between CT and BMI is inconsistent in the literature, we propose that racial and socioeconomic status (SES) differences may exist in this regard. Objectives: We borrowed the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) data to investigate racial and SES differences in CT and childhood BMI associations. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 10,185 children between ages 9 and 10. Mixed-effects regression was used to analyze the data. The independent variable was CT measured using structural MRI. The dependent variable was BMI treated as a continuous variable. Covariates included ethnicity, sex, age, family structure, parental education, and intracranial volume. Race (White, Black, Asian, and Other/mixed) and household income levels (< 50 k, 50 - 100 k, and 100 + k) were the effect modifiers. Results: High CT was predictive of lower BMI (b for main effect of CT on BMI = -3.134; P < 0.001). However, the inverse association between CT and BMI was stronger in Black than White (b for interaction between race and CT = -2.39; P = 0.01255), and low-income than high-income children (b for interaction between income 50 - 100 k = 1.86; P = 0.02906; for interaction between income 100 + k b = 3.77; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that although high CT is associated with lower BMI in children, this association varies across racial and SES groups. More research is needed on obesogenic environments’ role in altering the salience of cerebral cortex morphometry as a risk factor for high BMI.
The Indiana O’Brien Center for Advanced Renal Microscopic Analysis

The Indiana O'Brien Center for Advanced Microscopic Analysis is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) P30-funded research center dedicated to the development and dissemination of advanced methods of optical microscopy to support renal researchers throughout the world. The Indiana O'Brien Center was founded in 2002 as an NIH P-50 project with the original goal of helping researchers realize the potential of intravital multiphoton microscopy as a tool for understanding renal physiology and pathophysiology. The center has since expanded into the development and implementation of large-scale, high-content tissue cytometry. The advanced imaging capabilities of the center are made available to renal researchers worldwide via collaborations and a unique fellowship program. Center outreach is accomplished through an enrichment core that oversees a seminar series, an informational website, and a biennial workshop featuring hands-on training from members of the Indiana O'Brien Center and imaging experts from around the world.
Michigan Local Governments Report Fewer Economic Challenges One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Describe Efforts to Support Local Businesses (preprint)

This report presents local government leaders’ views on COVID-19’s impact on local economic conditions, as well as reports of whether or not their local governments took action to help local businesses during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and assessments of any actions taken. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2021 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), conducted between April 5 and June 7, 2021.
Defensins and Cathelicidins: Antimicrobial Peptide Effectors of Mammalian Innate Immunity

This chapter centers on antimicrobial peptides, effector molecules that generally act by disrupting microbial membranes. When human neutrophils ingest Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in the presence of radioactive iodide, defensins are the most abundant radioiodinated polypeptides in phagocytic vacuoles. Since iodination is produced by the neutrophil’s myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide system, iodinated defensins provide evidence that the neutrophil’s oxidative and nonoxidative systems operate concurrently within the phagosome. Presumably, adverse consequences from the lack of neutrophil defensins in these species are mitigated by the presence of other antimicrobial effector mechanisms, such as NADPH oxidase, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cathelicidins, serprocidins, and other antimicrobial polypeptides. The only known human cathelicidin has been designated hCAP18 or FALL39/LL-37 by the three groups that described its cDNA, gene and peptide forms. Unlike defensins, which are stored in their mature form in the granules of neutrophils, hCAP18/LL-37 is stored as a 16-kDa (140-aminoacid) proform. Individual peptides differ in their antimicrobial spectrum, and early evidence suggests that they sometimes act synergistically with each other or with larger antimicrobial polypeptides. At sites that are more distant from the infected or inflamed locus, lower concentrations of defensins may act as signaling molecules, similarly to chemokines.