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This article examines the formation of environmental knowledge among California wildland firefighters in contexts of extreme climate change. Every year, as climate change intensifies fire conditions, wildland firefighters work along the edges of the largest blazes in California’s human history. The lives of people and forests often depend upon firefighters’ abilities to predict and manage the spread of flames, anticipating where, when, and with what intensity fires will move. Firefighters base their predictions on interacting forms of knowledge, but shifting environmental conditions are disrupting the material, sensuous baselines upon which this knowledge is built. This paper examines how wildland firefighters form environmental knowledge, predict fire behavior, and manage fire in unprecedented conditions. The formation of fire knowledge, this work will show, is a social process in which firefighters train one another to see species of vegetation based on their flammability; to feel wind, humidity, and temperature to predict how fire could behave; and to distinguish the smell of actively burning vegetation within charred forests. I argue that the formation of embodied environmental knowledge is an important tool for managing increasingly volatile fire conditions.

Coronavirus is a newly developed infectious disease that has triggered a pandemic due to its ease of transmission as of early 2020. Several groups from various countries have been working on a vaccine to prevent and avoid the spread of the virus in this outbreak. In this article, the main objective is to compare LDA against LSA to gain a better understanding of the Tweets and which Topic Modelling technique fits best for this task, additionally if the feedback of the Tweets were positive or negative sentiment. It was concluded that LDA was a better-unsupervised technique for categorizing the raw text in 12 topics.

This paper discusses the design and initial testing of a novel hydrophone array system dubbed the Underwater Inflatable Co-prime Sonar Array (UICSA). The UICSA will be a crucial component of an underwater deployable sensing network that can be rapidly deployed using compact autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The UICSA initially is packed in a compact container to fit the payload space of an AUV. After deployment, the UICSA expands to its predetermined full length to acquire sensing data for source localization. More specifically, the mechanical compression of the UICSA is achieved through a non-rigid array support structure, which consists of flexible inflatable segments between adjoining hydrophones that are folded in order to package the UICSA for deployment. The system exploits compression in hydrophone layouts by utilizing a sparse array configuration, namely the co-prime array since it requires fewer hydrophones than a uniform linear array of the same length to estimate a given number of sources. With two-way compression, the storage, handling, and transportation of the compactly designed UICSA is convenient, particularly for the AUVs with limited payload space. The deployment concept and process are discussed, as well as the various UICSA designs of different support structures are described. A comparison of the various mechanical designs is presented and a novel hybrid-based expansion prototype is documented in detail. Laboratory study results of the UICSA prototype are presented that include water-swollen material tests in a pressurized environment and water tank validation of the inflation process. The UICSA prototype also has been deployed in the Harbor Branch channel to validate the performance, the related field test details and source localization results.

Limited spatial separation within small islands suggests that observed population divergence may occur due to habitat differences without interruption to gene flow but strong evidence of this is scarce. The wall lizard Teira dugesii lives in starkly contrasting shingle beach and inland habitats on the island of Madeira. We used a matched pairs sampling design to examine morphological and genomic divergence between four beach and adjacent (

Background/Objective:Children with multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been shown to be at greater risk for chronic health conditions. Providing Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) to children with ACEs has been linked to better downstream health outcomes. Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as Boys and Girls Clubs (BGC), can play an important role in supporting children with ACEs. Currently, BGC of Tippecanoe County does not require staff or volunteers to participate in training on ACEs or TIC. This study aims to determine the number of ACEs that children at BGC experience, and subsequently if training for staff and volunteers should be required. Methods:An anonymous survey was developed using a template from ACEs Aware. The survey included ten ACEs questions and nine Related Life Events questions (considered additional ACEs in this study). An optional demographics section was also included. Caregivers of children at BGC were asked to participate. Staff and volunteers were also surveyed regarding their history of training in TIC. Results:A total of 64 surveys were distributed to parents and 52 were completed (81.3% response rate). Of the completed surveys, the mean number of ACEs experienced per child was 4.6, the median was 3, and the mode was 2. The maximum number of ACEs experienced by a child was 14. Fifty percent of the staff and volunteers surveyed (n = 18) had no formal TIC training. Further data analysis is still in progress. Conclusion and Potential Impact:Children who attend BGC may experience on average a higher number of ACEs than the general population. Requiring training on ACEs and TIC for staff and volunteers may help better identify and respond to child behaviors linked to ACEs. Helping children feel safe and empowered through TIC provided at OST programs may have a positive impact on their physical and social health.

Background:The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) is a national organization that cares for diverse youths ages 6-18. At a national level, BGC states that a commitment to inclusion is a core value. This research explores the demographic makeup of BGC of Tippecanoe County’s staff/volunteer members and analyzes its impact on the Latino/a/x youth that attend the club. Methods:A 2-part anonymous survey was developed and distributed to all active staff/volunteers that work at BGC of Tippecanoe County. Part 1 consisted of basic demographic questions. Part 2 of the survey had participants answer questions about their Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and an ACEs score was calculated from their responses. Results:Data analysis found that 89% of employees identified as “White/European”. In addition, 100% of responses labeled “English” as their primary language. Data revealed that 94% of respondents listed their sexual orientation as “heterosexual”. 100% of the participants selected either “male” or “female” as their gender identity, showing no divergence from the “male/female” binary at the club. In the final two demographics questions from the survey, 56% of the respondents indicated that their childhood household had an income greater than $50,000 and another 56% stated that they had an education level at or below a high school diploma. Potential Impact/Conclusions:The demographic makeup of BGC of Tippecanoe County puts Latino/a/x youth at risk of struggling when developing their social-emotional and ethnic identities. The current staff/volunteer list does not put Latino/a/x youth in the best possible developmental environment for cultural appreciation and self-confidence. Several strategic diversity recommendations have been created and passed on to the organization. These aim to increase the engagement level and cultural appreciation of Latino/a/x culture to empower youth that identify with this group.

Wild animals are naturally infected with a range of viruses, some of which may be zoonotic for humans. During the human COIVD pandemic there was also the possibility of rodents acquiring SARS-CoV-2 from people, so-called reverse zoonoses. To investigate this we have sampled rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) from urban environments in 2020 during the human COVID-19 pandemic. We metagenomically sequenced lung and gut tissue and faeces for viruses, PCR screened for SARS-CoV-2, and serologically surveyed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibodies. We describe the range of viruses that we found in these two rodent species. We found no molecular evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, though in rats we found lung antibody responses and evidence of neutralisation ability, that are consistent with rats being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and / or exposed to other viruses that result in cross-reactive antibodies.

Post-secondary institutions are increasingly encouraging partnership engagement with the community; however, community engagement from an academic perspective does not necessarily benefit the community. This is partially due to the power differential in this relationship and the emphasis on students’ learning at the community’s expense. The content of this article is drawn from experiences gleaned from 11 students of the “Perspectives with Diverse Communities” (institute component) course at Memorial University, Canada. Of the group, eight identified as cisgender, heterosexual, white females. The professor—a Black woman—and two students deviated from this in terms of gender identity, sexual orientation, and race. During a week of on-campus education, the students participated in community engagement activities prompted by the 2017 United States ban on immigration and refugees. Through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) lens, the students acknowledged their own identities as mostly white cisgender women, given the institutional racism surrounding them. As graduate students, they are taught self-reflexive practice, but question whether this is enough to effectively work with Black, Indigenous, and racialised groups. During the course institute, they steered towards a course of action that was familiar to them instead of developing deeper levels of understanding in working with Black, Indigenous, and racialised populations. This article details one aspect and the process of community engagement undertaken by the class and provides a critical reflection on how the students could have better engaged the community and challenged power dynamics and epistemology while using CRT.

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Morphological divergence under gene flow was investigated in the wall lizard Teira dugesii from the Atlantic island of Madeira island. Lizards (n=334) were sampled using a matched pairs design at four distinct coastal localities. Matched pairs comprised adjacent (

Wildfires are growing more destructive around the world. California exemplifies this trend. Seventeen of the state’s largest recorded fires have burned since 2000; eleven since 2016; five in 2020, and three in 2021. The general global drivers of this increasingly extreme fire behavior can also be traced through California, where histories and cultures of fire suppression intersect with colonialism, corporate forest governance, and climate change to produce the industrial-scale suppression operations that meet megafires in the present. By conducting six months of ethnographic fieldwork on a “hotshot” crew, an elite branch of wildland firefighters who operate on the most extreme edges of the largest wildfires, I documented the socio-environmental interactions that occur in spaces of unprecedented fire behavior. The culture of wildland firefighting, I argue, can provide insight into the broader social imperative to suppress wildfires, as well as the current struggle to contain the megafires that have grown in their place.

Following acute HCV infection, the virus establishes a chronic disease in the majority of patients whilst few individuals clear the infection spontaneously. The precise mechanisms that determine chronic HCV infection or spontaneous clearance are not completely understood but are proposed to be driven by host and viral genetic factors as well as HCV encoded immunomodulatory proteins. Using the HIV-1 LTR as a tool to measure NF-κB activity, we identified that the HCV E1E2 glycoproteins and more so the E2 protein down-modulates HIV-1 LTR activation in 293T, TZM-bl and the more physiologically relevant Huh7 liver derived cell line. We demonstrate this effect is specifically mediated through inhibiting NF-κB binding to the LTR and show that this effect was conserved for all HCV genotypes tested. Transcriptomic analysis of 293T cells expressing the HCV glycoproteins identified E1E2 mediated stimulation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathway and upregulation of stress response genes such as ATF3. Through shRNA mediated inhibition of ATF3, one of the components, we observed that E1E2 mediated inhibitory effects on HIV-1 LTR activity was alleviated. Our in vitro studies demonstrate that HCV Env glycoprotein activates host ER Stress Pathways known to inhibit NF-κB activity. This has potential implications for understanding HCV induced immune activation as well as oncogenesis.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have caused two major viral outbreaks during the last century. Two major aspects of HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection have been extensively investigated and deserve attention. First, the impact of the co-infection on the progression of disease caused by HIV-1 or SARS-CoV-2. Second, the impact of the HIV-1 anti-retroviral treatment on SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this review, we aim to summarize and discuss the works produced since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic ranging from clinical studies to in vitro experiments in the context of co-infection and drug development.

Community health worker (CHW) programs are a promising strategy to improve maternal and child health outcomes, particularly among low-resource women. Yet, little is known about which aspects of CHW-client relationships are most salient for promoting positive change. This paper examines features of the CHW-client relationship that perinatal women with chronic conditions reported as being beneficial for their experience of prenatal care and pregnancy.Focus groups and interviews were conducted with 18 CHWs and 39 clients from three Merck for Mothers-funded programs in the Eastern United States. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory-informed thematic approach.CHWs built trust-based relationships through emotional attendance, authenticity, and prioritization of clients' needs. They provided instrumental, informational, and emotional support that clients reported facilitated greater engagement with the healthcare system, improved health behaviors, and reduced stress. CHWs and clients alike viewed their relationships as having long-lasting impacts, made possible by the trust-based bond between them.Strong, trusting relationships with CHWs may be one avenue through which to improve maternal and infant health for vulnerable perinatal women. Community health care programs should promote trust-building as an explicit program goal. Trust-based CHW-client relationships may serve as an exemplar for transforming traditional care relationships between providers and clients, leading to greater client engagement in care and improved health.

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Large variation exists for out-of-hospital-cardiac-arrest (OHCA) prehospital care, but less is known about variations in post-arrest care. We sought to evaluate variation in post-arrest care in Texas as well as factors associated with higher performing hospitals.We analyzed data in Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (TX-CARES), including all adult, non-traumatic OHCAs from 1/1/2014 through 12/31/ 2020 that survived to hospital admission. We first evaluated variability in provisions of post-arrest care and outcomes. We then stratified hospitals into quartiles based on their rate of survival and evaluated the association between improving quartiles and care. Lastly, we evaluated for outliers in post-arrest care and outcomes using a mixed-effect regression model.We analyzed 7,842 OHCAs admitted to 146 hospitals. We identified large variations in post-arrest care, including targeted temperature management (TTM) (IQR 7.0-51.1%), left heart catheterization (LHC) (IQ 0-25%), and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (IQR 0-10.3%). Higher performing hospital quartiles were associated with higher rates of TTM (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.36-1.49), LHC (aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.92-2.23), and PCI (aOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.81-2.25); but lower rates of bystander CPR (aOR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87-0.94). We identified numerous performance outlier hospitals; 39 for TTM, 34 for PCI, 9 for survival to discharge, and 24 for survival with good neurologic function.Post-arrest care varied widely across Texas hospitals. Hospitals with higher rates of survival to discharge had increased rates of TTM, LHC, and PCI but not bystander CPR.

Rationale: The impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) has not been established. Objectives: To assess outcomes in patients with ILD hospitalized for COVID-19 versus those without ILD in a contemporaneous age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched population. Methods: An international multicenter audit of patients with a prior diagnosis of ILD admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 between March 1 and May 1, 2020, was undertaken and compared with patients without ILD, obtained from the ISARIC4C (International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium) cohort, admitted with COVID-19 over the same period. The primary outcome was survival. Secondary analysis distinguished idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from non–idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ILD and used lung function to determine the greatest risks of death. Measurements and Main Results: Data from 349 patients with ILD across Europe were included, of whom 161 were admitted to the hospital with laboratory or clinical evidence of COVID-19 and eligible for propensity score matching. Overall mortality was 49% (79/161) in patients with ILD with COVID-19. After matching, patients with ILD with COVID-19 had significantly poorer survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.60; confidence interval, 1.17–2.18; P = 0.003) than age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched controls without ILD. Patients with an FVC of Conclusions: Patients with ILD are at increased risk of death from COVID-19, particularly those with poor lung function and obesity. Stringent precautions should be taken to avoid COVID-19 in patients with ILD.

Underwater Inflatable Co-Prime Sonar Array (UICSA) is a compact sonar array assembly that can be deployed in the ocean then morph into a predetermined length to work. As a sonar array, it is critical to reduce the structural deflection and maintain sensor spacing under external forces like ocean currents. The array, like the mooring system, is affected by ocean currents. In this paper, we conduct the numerical study of the morphed UICSA made of different materials in different current conditions using OrcaFlex. The results can evaluate the performance of different UICSA systems and determine the optimal UICSA design.

Research indicates an increased enrolment of students in Australian universities who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, research relating to these students’ professional practicum experiences in...

Probabilistic forecasting of earthquake‐producing fault ruptures informs all major decisions aimed at reducing seismic risk and improving earthquake resilience. Earthquake forecasting models rely on two scales of hazard evolution: long‐term (decades to centuries) probabilities of fault rupture, constrained by stress renewal statistics, and short‐term (hours to years) probabilities of distributed seismicity, constrained by earthquake‐clustering statistics. Comprehensive datasets on both hazard scales have been integrated into the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, Version 3 (UCERF3). UCERF3 is the first model to provide self‐consistent rupture probabilities over forecasting intervals from less than an hour to more than a century, and it is the first capable of evaluating the short‐term hazards that result from multievent sequences of complex faulting. This article gives an overview of UCERF3, illustrates the short‐term probabilities with aftershock scenarios, and draws some valuable scientific conclusions from the modeling results. In particular, seismic, geologic, and geodetic data, when combined in the UCERF3 framework, reject two types of fault‐based models: long‐term forecasts constrained to have local Gutenberg–Richter scaling, and short‐term forecasts that lack stress relaxation by elastic rebound.

Underwater Inflatable Co-prime Sonar Array (UICSA) is a compact array assembly, which upon deployment in the ocean expands to its predetermined length and acquires sensing data. The UICSA employs an inflatable array support structure, which can be compressed into a compact package. The employed the sparse array configuration – co-prime array also reduces the number of sensors typically required for a uniform linear configuration. With the “two-way compression”, storing, handling, and transporting the compactly designed UICSA system is convenient, particularly for the autonomous vehicles with limited payload space. In this paper, we propose four designs of UICSA based on different support structure constructions. We fabricated the prototypes and deployed them in an acoustic test tank. The experimental data were analyzed to evaluate the system performance. The results validate the capability of the UICSA for direction finding and also reveal that the underwater inflatable structure as a platform can have broad prospects in the ocean-related applications.

We consider underwater target detection by using a novel active, self-contained and rapidly deployable underwater inflatable co-prime sonar array (UICSA). In particular, we measure the received signal strength (RSS) and angle-of-arrival (AoA) of acoustic signals reflected by an underwater target. Measurements from different positions of the transmitter with respect to the UICSA are organized in a three mode real-valued tensor. Then, the conformity of each entry with respect to all other data points in the tensor is calculated based on recursively refined calculations of $L_{1}$ -norm tensor subspaces. Conformity values are then used for the detection of an underwater target. We evaluate the data conformity of RSS and AoA recordings acquired from the testbed deployment of a seven-element UICSA prototype and three underwater acoustic transmitters at Florida Atlantic University. We show for the first time that conformity evaluation over multi-modal data measurements can accurately detect the presence of an underwater target.

The provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada, has provided numerous incentives for developing in-stream tidal energy projects since 2009. These incentives include co-operatively funding the development of the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy with the Canadian federal government and industry partners, extensive funding of environmental impacts monitoring research for tidal energy projects, and offering direct financial incentives for tidal power produced and sold to the grid via feed-in tariffs. However, the provincial government has not treated all scales and types of tidal energy projects equally. Until recently, ambitious targets for hundreds of MW of tidal development by 2020–2025 led to tidal support policies focusing on large, utility-scale projects, with little evidence the tidal energy sector was prepared to pursue such projects in Nova Scotia or elsewhere. Some support was offered to smaller-scale, community-oriented tidal energy projects, but the rules and regulations for such projects were repeatedly changed (and sometimes revoked) between 2012 and 2018. Since the provincial legislature passed the revised Marine Renewable-electricity Act of 2018, a potentially more coherent and consistent tidal energy policy consensus appears to be forming in the province. This paper provides a review of the policies introduced, projects approved and canceled, and sectoral outlook for tidal energy development in Nova Scotia for the period 2009–2018.

Introduction: The lumbar artery perforator (LAP) flap takes an important place in lumbosacral reconstruction and in breast reconstruction. Although studies on the location of lumbar perforators in women are common, no anatomical study has focused solely on male subjects. Our objective is to facilitate the surgical approach to the LAP flap in male subjects by precisely ascertaining the characteristics of the perforators. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of computed tomographic angiography images of a cohort of 30 patients evaluating the perforator position from the 4 lumbar arteries. In addition, 4 characteristics were studied: the length, the diameter, the path of the lumbar pedicle, and the thickness of tissues available for transfer. Results: One hundred five lumbar perforating vessels were analyzed on 60 posterior hemi-bodies, of which 86% came from the third and fourth lumbar arteries. The average location was situated 7.4 cm from the midline and in a 6-cm vertical wide area. The position of the lumbar perforator was independent of body mass index, abdominal circumference, and subject size. Our results, compared to previous studies, show no difference in this position between men and women. Conclusions: The LAP flap is useful for regional reconstructions and as a free flap for both women and men. We provide male-specific tracking values for the dissection of lumbar perforating vessels. Dominant perforators were found to be situated in a wide region of 4 cm × 6 cm in the lumbosacral region at 7.4 cm from the midline.

Inflatable structures offer advantages such as lightweight, compact, and cost-efficient. As such, underwater inflatable structures (UISs) can be advantageous in many marine applications. The UISs are initially folded into a compact package which is dropped from the surface of the ocean to reach an underwater destination and morph into its inflated form. Relying on UISs, we've designed an Underwater Inflatable Co-prime Sonar Array (UICSA) prototype. In this paper, we investigate the physical design of the UISs to support the UICSA. A UICSA prototype is constructed to evaluate the morphing performance and deployment procedures. The experiments results and the design considerations are presented.

This paper describes an approach to address the challenges currently found in the management, provisioning, and troubleshooting of deployed SATCOM Terminals. We believe the proposed solution will address a major capabilities gap in the DOD's ability to maintain reliable and resilient network communications flows required for mission success in a dynamic net-centric battlefield. The proposed solution when fully implemented, will strengthen communications reliability, flexibility, and performance, while decreasing the support and logistics burden on the Warfighter in the field, resulting in increased mission effectiveness and resiliency. This paper outlines the problems we address, the high-level technology solution, and a brief description of an implementation of the proposed architecture which we believe implements most if not all the key requirements of the USAF SMC Pathfinder Flexible Modem Interface (FMI).

Thin film solar cells have gained popularity in recent years because of their flexibility, low relative cost, and scalability. Cu-As-Se films have the potential to be used as effective solar cell absorber layers due to theoretical estimates of their absorption coefficients and band gaps being similar to materials used in successful solar cells. While some thin films comprised of annealed and sintered Cu-As-Se nanoparticles have been created in the past, none have been designed for solar energy conversion applications. The development of these thin films will allow for further improvements in solar cell design and performance as well as in their use in possible thermoelectric applications. Cu-As-Se thin films were developed through the alteration of preceding Cu-As-Se nanoparticle synthesis procedures in order to produce nanoparticles for use in denser and more uniform thin films. The synthesized nanoparticles were coated onto substrates and underwent heat treatment experiments to determine the best conditions for uniform grain growth. To characterize the nanoparticles and thin films after heat treatment, techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used. The results of the experiments allowed us to create and characterize Cu-As-Se thin films, and the characterization of these thin films will expand this research area and contribute to the growing solar cell research field, as well as help illuminate the applications of Cu-As-Se based materials.

Rapid transcription of the survival transcript, inducible heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), is critical for mounting cytoprotection against severe cellular stress, like elevated temperature. Previous investigations have demonstrated that exercise-induced expression of Hsp70 protein occurs in a fiber-specific pattern; however, the activation pattern of hsp70 mRNA expression remains unclear in skeletal muscle. Consequentially, the temporal localization of hsp70 mRNA was characterized via in situ hybridization (ISH) experiments examining fast-muscle, white vastus: 1, 3, 10, and 24 h after a single bout of intense treadmill running (1 h, 30 m/min, 6% grade) in rats. The role that the physiologic temperature stress associated with exercise (raising core body temperature to 40.0°C for 15 min (HS-40.0°C)) might play in inducing hsp70 mRNA expression was also explored. In skeletal muscle myofibers (SkM), hsp70 mRNA ISH signal was observed to be concentrated in a punctate manner that was associated with nuclei post-exercise. HS-40°C treatment produced minimal detectable hsp70 mRNA ISH signal in SkM. In large intermyofibrillar blood vessels (BV), peak hsp70 mRNA signal, distributed throughout the vessel wall, was observed 1 h post-exercise. In BV, no differences in hsp70 mRNA signal were observed between HS-40°C and EX-1 h. Results indicate that the majority of hsp70 mRNA is retained in a perinuclear localization in SkM post-exercise. They further suggest a muscle-type specific time course for peak hsp70 mRNA expression. This investigation suggests that the physiologic rise in core temperature associated with exercise per se is not the key stimulus responsible for inducing hsp70 mRNA transcription in SkM.

The surface ligand composition of CdSe nanoparticles prepared using technical grade tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) was investigated using a nucleophilic ligand displacement methodology and (31)P {(1)H} NMR spectroscopy. 4-(N,N-Dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) and benzyltrimethylammonium propionate were added to tetrahydrofuran solutions of CdSe nanoparticles prepared in technical grade TOPO. DMAP was shown to be a sufficiently strong nucleophile to displace the more weakly coordinating ligands, TOPO, TOPSe, di-n-octylphosphinate, and n-octylphosphonate (OPA). Benzyltrimethylammonium propionate was shown to be a stronger nucleophile than DMAP in that it could displace all the aforementioned surface-bound ligands as well as a previously unidentified surface-bound phosphorus species. Independent synthesis and (31)P {(1)H} NMR spectral matching confirmed that the new species was P,P'-(di-n-octyl) dihydrogen pyrophosphonic acid (PPA). The PPA was shown to form during the nanoparticle synthesis via the dehydrative condensation of OPA. CdSe nanoparticle syntheses were performed using pure TOPO and added OPA, and subsequent displacement experiments showed that OPA and PPA were the predominant surface-bound ligands. CdSe nanoparticle syntheses were performed using pure TOPO and added PPA, and subsequent displacement experiments showed that PPA was the predominant surface-bound ligand. PPA was also shown to have the greatest affinity for the nanoparticle surface of all the ligands investigated. Thus, a model for the surface ligand composition could be developed for nanoparticles prepared using technical grade TOPO or other high-boiling solvents with added acidic phosphorus compounds.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is developing the parallel computational fluid dynamics code GASFLOW-MPI as a best-estimate tool for predicting transport, mixing, and combustion of hydrogen and other gases in nuclear reactor containments and other facility buildings. GASFLOW-MPI is a finite-volume code based on proven computational fluid dynamics methodology that solves the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for three-dimensional volumes in Cartesian or cylindrical coordinates.

The children of NYCHA are those living in homes where the air is killing them. Many New York kids being raised by low income parents are living in housing properties that are privately managed by the New York City Housing Authority “NYCHA.” A boy named Christian lives there. He is a bustling three-year-old who loves sports and trains. He wakes at sunrise and dashes through his living room like a free mustang with wide eyes and a horizon sized smile. Sadly, the water leaking from above the ceiling in Christian’s bathroom is steadily making him sick. The water soaked paint and plaster is increasingly creating a super toxic mold. As you read, Blackmold is diffusing spores throughout Christian’s home. While he roars in joyful play, this little boy is taking great breaths of poison into his three-year-old lungs. In the same building, Christian’s seven-year-old neighbor has visited the emergency room twice from asthma attacks brought on by the mold in her apartment. Crucially, she and many other NYCHA children suffer brain injuries thus learning disabilities from mold poison. Fairly stated, the children of NYCHA do not have adequate housing. Whereby many nations declare adequate housing for children as law: The Children of NYCHA Crisis now serves as an international law study calling State Parties to ensure tens of thousands of New York City kids — their human rights.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is developing the parallel computational fluid dynamics code GASFLOW-MPI as a best-estimate tool for predicting transport, mixing, and combustion of hydrogen and other gases in nuclear reactor containments and other facility buildings. GASFLOW-MPI is a finite-volume code based on proven computational fluid dynamics methodology that solves the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for three-dimensional volumes in Cartesian or cylindrical coordinates.

Synthesis of a thiol-reactive telechelic polystyrene and conjugation of cysteine is reported. A dimethylfulvene-protected maleimide-functionalized atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator (3) was synthesized, and the thermostability was compared to the analogous furan-protected initiator (1) by thermogravometric analysis (TGA). The former protecting group was stable to a higher temperature than the latter in the bulk phase (143 °C vs 125 °C) and thus was investigated as an initiator for the ATRP of styrene. Kinetic studies of the polymerization of styrene mediated by copper(I)/N,N,N‘,N‘ ‘,N‘ ‘-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) indicated that the reaction proceeded in a controlled manner with high initiator efficiency (92%). Polystyrene with a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 2530 Da and a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.15 was then synthesized and subjected to atom transfer radical (ATR) coupling to form the bis-functionalized polymer. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) an...

Aminooxy α- and α,ω-end-functionalized polystyrene were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and atom transfer radical (ATR) coupling. A 1-bromoethylphenyl initiator possessing an N-hydroxyphthalimide group was used for copper-mediated ATRP of styrene. The polymerization kinetics indicated good control with high initiator efficiency, and the resulting polymers had polydispersity indices (PDIs) as low as 1.12. N-Hydroxyphthalimide−polystyrene was then dimerized using Cu(0)-mediated ATR coupling, and GPC results indicated high coupling efficiency. Hydrazine deprotection of both the α and α,ω-end-functionalized polystyrene to the aminooxy groups was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy. End-group reactivity was verified by reaction with 4-bromobenzaldehyde to form the oxime linkages.

Background: Readmission rates after placement of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) remain high and are generally attributed to arrhythmia, bleeding, heart failure (HF), infection, and thrombosis. Readmission and mortality risks have not been clearly assessed after adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES). We hypothesized that etiologies unrelated to medication adherence and nutrition would contribute to worse outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 101 patients who underwent HeartMate II LVAD between January 2006- December 2010 at our facility. All patients were followed until December 2011 for readmission and death. Multivariable analysis with adjustment for median household income, insurance status, age, gender, and race was performed. Results: The main causes of initial readmission and death respectively were arrhythmia (n=5, 5.4%; n=1, 3%), bleeding (n=13, 14.0%; n=9, 30%), device issue (n=20, 21.5%; n=6, 20%), HF (n=8, 8.6%; n=2, 7%), and infection (n=6, 6.5%; n=0, 0%). After adjusting for SES, bleeding alone remained a significant independent predictor for readmission [Hazard Ratio (HR) 2.57, p=0.003] and mortality (HR 4.73, p Conclusions: Bleeding was associated with significant increased risk of readmission and mortality after LVAD even after adjusting for SES. This suggests that income levels and perhaps education do not provide protection from readmission and mortality after LVAD.

Cities are increasingly considered important places for biodiversity conservation because they can harbor threatened species and because conservation in cities represents an opportunity to reconnect people with nature and the range of health and well-being benefits it provides. However, urbanization can be catastrophic for native species, and is a well-known threat to biodiversity worldwide. Urbanization impacts can be mitigated by urban design and development improvements, but take-up of these practices has been slow. There is an urgent need to incorporate existing ecological knowledge into a framework that can be used by planners and developers to ensure that biodiversity conservation is considered in decision-making processes. Here, we distill the urban biodiversity literature into five principles for biodiversity sensitive urban design (BSUD), ranging from creating habitat and promoting dispersal to facilitating community stewardship. We then present a framework for implementing BSUD aimed at delivering onsite benefits to biodiversity, and that is applicable across a range of urban development types and densities. We illustrate the application of the BSUD framework in two case studies focusing on the: (1) protection of an endangered vegetation remnant in a new low-density subdivision; and (2) persistence of an endangered reptile in an established suburban environment.