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•SDoH affects disease severity in children with SCD (aged 0-6 years) despite evidence-based therapy and health care facility support.•Understanding SDoH is crucial for customizing interventions for individuals with SCD despite the limited applicability of results.

The objective of this study was to evaluate stocking success of Walleye Sander vitreusin lakes and reservoirs across the Midwestern United States to inform stocking practices for state agencies. Demand for Walleye stocking may increase if climate change limits the potential for natural recruitment in lakes. Consequently, the strategic distribution of Walleye stocking may maximize fishing opportunities. We synthesized data from 2226 Walleye fry and fingerling stocking events on 653 lakes in the Midwestern United States and used random forest algorithms and mixed‐effects linear models to identify abiotic and biotic factors related to Walleye stocking success. Latitude and year explained relatively little variation in stocking success compared to within‐lake variation. Relative abundance of Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricanswas an important indicator of Walleye stocking success for fry and fingerlings, with stocking success generally decreasing with increased bass abundance. There was an interaction between lake surface area and growing degree‐days, as large lakes (>2500 ha) seemed to be more conducive to Walleye stocking success regardless of growing degree‐days. The models that we developed did not accurately predict exact levels of Walleye stocking success but were 92–94% accurate in predicting whether the stocking success of both fry and fingerlings would be at or above the 50th percentile. These findings may help to inform the management and stocking allocation of Walleye and suggest that future increases in Largemouth Bass abundance and growing degree‐days could limit the effectiveness of stocking in some lakes. Impact statementUnderstanding factors influencing stocking success may help to inform the management and stocking allocation of Walleye in response to climate‐related changes in lake temperatures and fish communities. Understanding factors influencing stocking success may help to inform the management and stocking allocation of Walleye in response to climate‐related changes in lake temperatures and fish communities.

Supported tungsten oxides are widely used in a variety of catalytic reactions. Depending on the support, the cluster size, oxidation state, reducibility and speciation of the tungsten oxides can widely differ. When promoted with a platinum group metal, the resulting spillover of hydrogen may facilitate the reduction of supported tungsten oxide species, depending on the support. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging showed nanometer scale WOxclusters were synthesized on SiO2whereas highly dispersed species were formed on TiO2. Results from H2-temperature-programmed reduction showed the presence of Pd lowered the initial reduction temperature of SiO2-supported WOxspecies but interestingly did not affect that of TiO2-supported WOx. X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopies showed the W atoms in SiO2-supported WOxspecies reduce from a +6 oxidation state to primarily +5 after thermal treatment in 5% H2, while the fraction of W in the +5 oxidation state was relatively unaffected by reduction treatment of TiO2-supported WOx. The unusual behavior of TiO2-supported WOxwas explained by quantum chemical calculations that reveal the lack of change in the oxidation state of W is attributed to charge delocalization on the surface atoms of the titania support, which does not occur on silica. Moreover, modeling results at <600 K in the presence of H2suggest the formation of Brønsted acid sites, and the absence of Lewis acid sites, on larger aggregates of WOxon silica and all cluster sizes on titania. These results provide experimental and theoretical insights into the nature of supported tungsten oxide clusters under conditions relevant to various catalytic reactions.

DNA-templated nanofabrication presents an innovative approach to creating self-assembled nanoscale metal–semiconductor-based Schottky contacts, which can advance nanoelectronics. Herein, we report the successful fabrication of metal–semiconductor Schottky contacts using a DNA origami scaffold. The scaffold, consisting of DNA strands organized into a specific linear architecture, facilitates the competitive arrangement of Au and CdS nanorods, forming heterojunctions, and addresses previous limitations in low electrical conductance making DNA-templated electronics with semiconductor nanomaterials. Electroless gold plating extends the Au nanorods and makes the necessary electrical contacts. Tungsten electrical connection lines are further created by electron beam-induced deposition. Electrical characterization reveals nonlinear Schottky barrier behavior, with electrical conductance ranging from 0.5 × 10–4to 1.7 × 10–4S. The conductance of these DNA-templated junctions is several million times higher than with our prior Schottky contacts. Our research establishes an innovative self-assembly approach with applicable metal and semiconductor materials for making highly conductive nanoscale Schottky contacts, paving the way for the future development of DNA-based nanoscale electronics.

ABSTRACTThis paper introduces the results of an experiment on lighting perception and reading speed where data collected in a physical space is compared to that collected in representations of that space simulated through a web survey and three VR Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs). The results build on an experiment, where perceptions of electric lighting conditions in a physical space were compared to those of the same space simulated in a single VR HMD (HTC Vive Pro). This study extends the previous scope to compare three VR HMD groups (cardboard VR, Oculus Quest 2, and HTC Vive Pro) to ratings of the same lighting conditions viewed through 2D-perspective or immersive panoramic images displayed in a web survey. Past research has compared perceptions of daylight and electric lighting scenes between physical and VR environments, but there is a lack of research that compares ratings of lighting conditions betweenVR HMDs and to other conventional image formats. For the VR HMD groups, the results revealed significant differences in reading speed between the physical space and cardboard VR HMD groups. An analysis of our subjective ratings showed all three VR HMDs producing fewer significantly different ratings from the physical space than either of the web groups, but ratings in the panoramic group outperformed the 2D-perspective group. The findings suggest that the type of VR HMD impacts reading speed in virtual lighting scenes and more immersive images produce less error than 2D-perspective images when compared to ratings in a physical space.

Development of more efficacious medications with improved safety profiles to manage and treat multiple forms of pain is a critical element of healthcare. To this end, we have designed and synthesized a novel class of tetracyclic pyridopyrroloquinoxalinone derivatives with analgesic properties. The receptor binding profiles and analgesic properties of these tetracyclic compounds were studied. Systematic optimizations of this novel scaffold culminated in the discovery of the clinical candidate, (6bR,10aS)-8-[3-(4-fluorophenoxy)propyl]-6b,7,8,9,10,10a-hexahydro-1H-pyrido[3′,4′:4,5]pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]quinoxalin-2(3H)-one (compound 5, ITI-333), which exhibited potent binding affinity to serotonin 5-HT2A(Ki= 8.3 nM) and μ-opioid receptors (MOR, Ki= 11 nM) and moderate affinity to adrenergic α1A(Ki= 28 nM) and dopamine D1(Ki= 50 nM) receptors. ITI-333 acts as a 5-HT2Areceptor antagonist, a MOR partial agonist, and an adrenergic α1Areceptor antagonist. ITI-333 exhibited dose-dependent analgesic effects in rodent models of acute pain. Currently, this investigational new drug is in phase I clinical development.

The article discusses the challenges faced by newly arrived immigrants in Denver, Colorado, particularly regarding access to services and employment opportunities. Topics include overwhelmed local government and service providers, intersecting issues of immigration and homelessness, and political tensions within the community over resource allocation.

The Australian genus Isopogon(Proteaceae) consists of approximately 39 species, most of which occur in southwestern Australia, a region of considerable endemism and biodiversity. Unresolved taxonomic issues exist for two species complexes (nine suspected taxa) allied to I. spathulatusand I. polycephalus. There is uncertainty in how to delimit species in these two complexes due to unclear or overlapping morphological characters, although recognition of four phrase‐named taxa provide starting hypotheses for potential new taxa. We used a genomic approach (ddRAD) to generate SNPs for 146 samples from 32 populations across the two complexes to evaluate the genomic distinction of taxa and delimit species. We used an optimised ipyrad assembly of the sequenced libraries, followed by custom filtering of samples and SNPs for ordination, genetic structure, distance and concatenation and coalescent phylogenetic analyses. Population genetic and phylogenetic analyses consistently supported three geographically overlapping yet genomically distinct groups, two of which showed additional genomic divergence consistent with multiple distinct species. Existing morphological hypotheses were congruent with genomic groupings in some cases but discordant in others, where genomic admixture suggested existing taxa were conspecific. Evaluating morphological characters, geographic distribution and genomic distinction, we recognise five species and three subspecies from nine original taxa. We provide a key to species in the complexes and related taxa, updated descriptions for existing taxa, and describe two new species, I. elatussp. nov. and I. pallidussp. nov., and two new subspecies, I. spathulatussubsp. obovatusstat. nov. and I. spathulatussubsp. elongatussubsp. nov.

Some isolated transition metals supported on nitrogen-doped carbon (M–N–C) are effective catalysts for reactions involving O2, including low temperature CO oxidation. In this work, screening of various M–N–C materials using quantum chemical calculations showed that group 9 transition metals (Co, Rh, and Ir) in nitrogen-doped carbon have similar binding affinities for CO and O2and were able to form a stable CO–O2intermediate, which are criteria for a low-temperature CO oxidation catalyst. A Rh–N–C catalyst was therefore synthesized and evaluated for CO oxidation. The steady-state reaction at low temperature (<403 K) over Rh–N–C had positive reaction orders in both CO and O2with a very small apparent activation energy. Results from kinetic experiments and quantum chemical calculations are consistent with a reaction path involving weak adsorption of CO onto Rh ions with turnover coming from CO-assisted activation of weakly adsorbed O2. The reaction mechanism does not involve a redox cycle with Rh and appears to be general in nature for low temperature CO oxidation. These findings may be conceptually useful for the design of other catalysts for reactions involving dioxygen activation.

The text provides a historical account of the ghost town of Baltimore, Alabama. Established in 1820, the town attracted settlers from South Carolina and Tennessee but eventually declined and became abandoned. Despite its potential for growth, with fertile land and natural resources, Baltimore never reached its full potential. The article also explores the origins of the town's name, its connections to the coal trade with Baltimore, Maryland, and the challenges it faced, such as difficult river navigation and market fluctuations. Today, only remnants of Baltimore's past can be seen in the dense forest, with the town's cemetery being the only remaining evidence of its existence. [Extracted from the article]

As the field of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) continues to advance and resuscitation protocols are being refined, elderly patients previously not considered for MCS are now being supported. MCS devices can broadly be classified based on the duration of support into temporary or durable devices. Although mortality is higher in the elderly, carefully selected patients, MCS support can be valuable and lead to excellent recovery. Age itself should not preclude patients from being candidates for MCS because we must not restrict the progress of science in medicine for any age.

Colloidal chemistry holds promise to prepare uniform and size-controllable pre-catalysts; however, it remains a challenge to unveil the atomic-level transition from pre-catalysts to active catalytic surfaces under the reaction conditions to enable the mechanistic design of catalysts. Here, we report an ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study, coupled with in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations, to elucidate the surface catalytic sites of colloidal Ni nanoparticles for CO2hydrogenation. We show that Ni nanoparticles with phosphine ligands exhibit a distinct surface evolution compared with amine-capped ones, owing to the diffusion of P under oxidative (air) or reductive (CO2+ H2) gaseous environments at elevated temperatures. The resulting NiPxsurface leads to a substantially improved selectivity for CO production, in contrast to the metallic Ni, which favors CH4. The further elimination of surface metallic Ni sites by designing multi-step P incorporation achieves unit selectivity of CO in high-rate CO2hydrogenation.

The current status of mathematics education in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is reported. The perceptions of Davis and Romberg reflect their own observations and discussions with Soviet educators. Kantowski and Rachlin give their impressions resulting from reading reports on Soviet research techniques and findings. Davis and Romberg discuss common practices in present Soviet schools, difficulties in language, Soviet mathematics curricula, and mathematics education research and development in the Soviet Union. Rachlin considers Soviet approaches to the study of problem-solving processes in mathematics, while Kantowski gives another view of the value of studying mathematics education research and development in the Soviet Union. (MK)

Plastic represents an essential material in our society; however, a major imbalance between their high production and end-of-life management is leading to unrecovered energy, economic hardship, and a high carbon footprint. The adoption of plastic recycling has been limited, mainly due to the difficulty of recycling mixed plastics. Here, we report a versatile organocatalyst for selective glycolysis of diverse consumer plastics and their mixed waste streams into valuable chemicals. The developed organocatalyst selectively deconstructs condensation polymers at a specific temperature, and additives or other polymers such as polyolefin or cellulose can be readily separated from the mixed plastics, providing a chemical recycling path for many existing mixed plastics today. The Life Cycle Assessment indicates that the production of various condensation polymers from the deconstructed monomers will result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy input, opening a new paradigm of plastic circularity toward a net-zero carbon society.

Abstract: Lenrispodun is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 1, which is thought to prolong intracellular second messenger signaling within cortical and subcortical dopaminergic brain regions. This is the first study of a PDE1 inhibitor in healthy volunteers using behavioral and neuroimaging approaches to examine its effects on neural targets and to provide a safety and tolerability assessment. The primary objectives were to determine whether lenrispodun induces changes in BOLD fMRI signals in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during the stop signal task, and the dorsal anterior insula (dAI) during the extinction phase of a fear conditioning/extinction task. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design, 26 healthy individuals (22 completed all fMRI sessions) received in random order a single oral dose of placebo, lenrispodun 1.0 milligram (mg) or lenrispodun 10.0 mg and completed several tasks in the scanner including the stop signal (n= 24) and fear conditioning/extinction tasks (n= 22). Prespecified region-of-interest analyses for the IFG and dAI were computed using linear mixed models. Lenrispodun induced increases in IFG activity during the stop signal task at 1.0 mg (Cohen’s d= 0.63) but not 10.0 mg (Cohen’s d= 0.07) vs. placebo. Lenrispodun did not induce changes in dAI activity during fear extinction at either dose. Exploratory outcomes revealed changes in cardiac interoception. Lenrispodun administration was well-tolerated. These results provide evidence that 1.0 mg lenrispodun selectively improved neural inhibitory control without altering fear extinction processing. Future investigations should determine whether lenrispodun improves inhibitory control in target populations such as individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03489772.

THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS DEFINING WHEN A WHITE-collar employee does not need to receive overtime pay have remained mostly unchanged for more than 50 years. Recognizing that many of the provisions [...]

The contribution of aquatic animal protein to the global, animal-source protein supply and the relative importance of aquaculture to capture fisheries in supplying this protein is relevant in assessments and decisions related to the future of aquatic food production and its security. Meat of terrestrial animals, milk, and eggs resulted in 76,966 Kt crude protein compared with 13,950 Kt or 15.3% from aquatic animals in 2018.While aquaculture produced a greater tonnage of aquatic animals, capture fisheries resulted in 7,135 Kt crude protein while aquaculture yielded 6,815 Kt. Capture fisheries production has not increased in the past two decades, and aquaculture production must increase to assure the growing demand for fisheries products by a larger and more affluent population. We estimated based on status quoconsumption, that aquaculture production would need to increase from 82,087 Kt in 2018 to 129,000 Kt by 2050 to meet the demand of the greater population. About two-thirds of finfish and crustacean production by aquaculture is feed-based, and feeds for these species include fishmeal and fish oil as ingredients. Aquaculture feeds require a major portion of the global supply of fishmeal and fish oil. An estimated 71.0% of fishmeal and 73.9% of fish oil are made from the catch with the rest coming from aquatic animal processing waste. The catch of small, pelagic fish from the ocean is not predicted to increase in the future. Aquaculture should reduce its fishmeal and oil use to lessen its dependency on small wild fish important to the integrity of marine food webs and food security for the poor in many coastal areas. Fishmeal and fish oil shortages for use in aquaculture feed will result in a limit on production in the future if goals to lessen their use in feeds are not met.

Issues concerning ways in which employers and managers can prevent lawsuits being filed on the basis of minimum wage requirements and legislation regarding compensatory time are discussed. It is emphasized that compliance with the Fair Labor standards Act can avoid lawsuits.

This paper investigates the solution of manufacturing scheduling problems using different distributed computing schemes. The focus of this paper is on determining the statistically significant effects of a distributed computer model with respect to elapsed solution time and the amount of problem space investigated. Statistical inferences are drawn with respect to the number of processors and how the problem is partitioned. The best combinations of the number of processors and partitioning schemes are presented with respect to problem scenario and size. Additionally, comparisons are made with respect to the performance of different configurations of the distributed computer model.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, disabling neurodegenerative disorder. To predict a future diagnosis of PD using questionnaires and simple non-invasive clinical tests. Participants in the prospective Kuakini Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HAAS) were evaluated biannually between 1995–2017 by PD experts using standard diagnostic criteria. Autopsies were sought on all deaths. We input simple clinical and risk factor variables into an ensemble-tree based machine learning algorithm and derived models to predict the probability of developing PD. We also investigated relationships of predictive models and neuropathologic features such as nigral neuron density. The study sample included 292 subjects, 25 of whom developed PD within 3 years and 41 by 5 years. 116 (46%) of 251 subjects not diagnosed with PD underwent autopsy. Light Gradient Boosting Machine modeling of 12 predictors correctly classified a high proportion of individuals who developed PD within 3 years (area under the curve (AUC) 0.82, 95%CI 0.76–0.89) or 5 years (AUC 0.77, 95%CI 0.71–0.84). A large proportion of controls who were misclassified as PD had Lewy pathology at autopsy, including 79%of those who died within 3 years. PD probability estimates correlated inversely with nigral neuron density and were strongest in autopsies conducted within 3 years of index date (r = –0.57, p < 0.01). Machine learning can identify persons likely to develop PD during the prodromal period using questionnaires and simple non-invasive tests. Correlation with neuropathology suggests that true model accuracy may be considerably higher than estimates based solely on clinical diagnosis.

Basic ecological knowledge on African small carnivores and how they interact with the wider carnivore guild are lacking for many species. The caracal (Caracal caracal) has a widespread distribution across Africa, yet there is a paucity of information on this species outside of savannah and agricultural landscapes. Using camera trap data from Kasungu National Park, Malawi, we provide novel information on caracal habitat use in a miombo woodland and compare the spatiotemporal dynamics between caracal and members of the large carnivore guild (leopard, Panthera pardusand spotted hyaena, Crocuta crocuta). We found that caracal were more likely to use sites with higher grass cover and further away from permanent water sources. Caracal site use increased in areas with lower spotted hyaena abundance and caracal exhibited different temporal activity patterns to spotted hyaena. In contrast, caracal did not exhibit spatial or temporal avoidance of leopard at the scale investigated here. However, the probability of detecting caracal at sites of higher leopard abundance was significantly lower, suggesting possible behavioural mechanisms to avoid interaction. Our study provides an insight into caracal ecology in a miombo woodland and improves our understanding of community dynamics between a lesser-studied small carnivore and the large carnivore guild.

Monocrystalline GaN and AlxGa1–xN films have been grown via the pendeo-epitaxy (PE) [1] technique with and without Si3N4masks on GaN/AlN/6H–SiC(0001) and GaN(0001)/AlN(0001)/3C–SiC(111)/Si(111) substrates using organometallic vapor phase deposition. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies were used to evaluate the external microstructures and the distribution of dislocations, respectively. The dislocation densities in the PE grown films were reduced at least five orders of magnitude relative to the initial GaN seed layers. Tilting to 0.2° in the portion of the coalesced GaN epilayers grown over the silicon nitride masks was observed via X-ray diffraction. Neither tilting nor low angle boundaries were observed within areas of coalescence in the material grown on substrates without the masks.

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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text

ABSTRACTCompared to the use of conventional spot luminance meters, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) offers significant advantages for luminance measurements in lighting research. Consequently, the reporting of absolute luminance data based on HDRI measurements has rapidly increased in technical lighting literature, with researchers using HDRI to address topics such as daylight distribution and discomfort glare. However, questions remain about the accuracy of luminance data derived from HDRI. This article reviewed published papers that reported potential sources of error in deriving absolute luminance values from high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) using a consumer grade digital camera, along with application papers that included an analysis of errors in HDRI-derived luminance values. Four sources of significant error emerged from the literature review: lens vignetting, lens flare, luminous overflow, and sensor spectral responsivity. The cause and magnitude for each source of error is discussed using the relevant findings from previous research and any available correction methods are presented. Based on the review, a set of recommendations was developed for minimizing the possible errors in HDRI luminance measurements as well as recommendations for future research using HDRI.

Purpose: This study explores how aspects of lighting in patient rooms are experienced and evaluated by nurses while performing simulated work under various lighting conditions. The lighting conditions studied represent design standards consistent with different environments of care—traditional, contemporary, and future.Background: Recent advances in lighting research and technology create opportunities to use lighting in hospital rooms to improve everyday experience and provide researchers with opportunities to explore a new set of research questions about the effects of lighting on patients, guests, and staff. This study focuses on the experience of nurses delivering simulated patient care.Method: Perceptions of each of the 13 lighting conditions were evaluated by nurses using rating scales for difficulty of task completion, comfort, intensity, appropriateness of the lighting color, and naturalness of the lighting during the task. The nurses’ ratings were analyzed alongside qualitative reflections to provide insight into their responses.Results: Significant differences were found for several a priori hypotheses. Interesting findings provide insight into lighting to support circadian synchronization, lighting at night, the distribution of light in the patient room and the use of multiple lighting zones, and the use of colored lighting.Conclusion: The results of this study provide insight into potential benefits and concerns of these new features for patient room lighting systems and reveal gaps in the existing evidence base that can inform future investigations.

Background Centralized care for patients with pancreatic cancer is associated with longer survival. We hypothesized that increased travel distance from home is associated with increased survival for pancreatic cancer patients.Methods The National Cancer Database user file for all pancreatic cancer patients was investigated from 2004 through 2015. Distance from the patients’ zip code to the treating facility was determined. Survival was investigated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox hazard ratios (CoxHRs) were determined based on stage of disease, distance traveled for care, and clinical factors.Results 340 780 patients were identified. In the average age of 68 ± 12 years, 51% were male and 83% were Caucasian. For all stages of cancer, longer survival was associated with traveling farther (P< .001). The survival advantage was longer for Caucasians than African Americans (3.7 months vs. 2.6 months, P< .001) Travel was associated with a 13% decrease in risk of death (P< .001). Even controlling for the pathologic stage, traveling farther was associated with decreased risk of death (CoxHR = .91, P< .001).Discussion Traveling for care is associated with improved survival for pancreatic cancer patients. While a selection bias may exist, the fact that all stages of patients investigated benefited suggests that this is a real phenomenon.

Purpose: This study differs in its methodological approach from previously published research by interpreting qualitative results against existing literature to understand how nurses conceptualize medical–surgical patient rooms as productive settings in relation to lighting, as well as the ways in which nurses believe these spaces could be enhanced for patient satisfaction.Methods: Content analysis was used to interpret themes emerging from nurses’ subjective responses to open-ended items. Three of the facilities had older, traditional lighting systems; one had a contemporary framework.Results: A theme of environmental control over both overhead and task lighting emerged from data from all items. Although controllability was among the “best” lighting attributes, more refinement is necessary for optimal staff productivity and patient satisfaction. Daylighting was also considered to be among the best attributes. Control over light level via additional dimming capability for patients, as well as additional light sources, was prominent across the four hospitals. Unique to the more modern facility, trespassing of light was problematic for nurses considering the experiences of patients—even where modern models exist, more attention can be paid to the ways in which window shades, and light sources outside of rooms, penetrate spaces and affect users.Conclusion: The finding that nurses and patients desire greater control over the lighting in patient rooms is consistent with Ulrich’s theory of supportive design for healthcare and coincides with advances in lighting technology. Despite differences in the level of sophistication in lighting among the four facilities, control continues to be a primary concern for nurses.

Mn–Cr–O spinel catalysts (MnCr2O4and Mn1.5Cr1.5O4) and single oxides of Mn and Cr are coked under ethylene and ethylene–steam mixtures to simulate reaction conditions occurring in steam cracker furnaces. The coking rates are measured using thermogravimetric analysis, and the Mn1.5Cr1.5O4catalyst displayed considerably less coke deposition (an order of magnitude) under ethylene–steam flow. Analysis of the outlet gas flow suggests the Mn1.5Cr1.5O4catalyst gasified the radically formed coke into carbon oxides without significantly affecting ethylene conversion. The anticoking performance of the Mn1.5Cr1.5O4catalyst is attributed to the presence of Mn3+species in the spinel phase structure that are active for coke gasification in the presence of steam. No significant changes in structure or performance are observed for the Mn1.5Cr1.5O4catalyst across several coking and decoking cycles. The Mn–Cr–O spinel oxide with higher Mn content is suggested to have desirable activity and stability to limit coke deposition during steam cracking.

This article reads the Proslogion of the medieval theologian Anselm of Canterbury as a drama of seeking and finding God. It guides the reader through a process of rhetorical inventio, with all of its attendant risks, pleasures, and discontents. The text opens a space or gap of desire, speaking in the voice of the soul who seeks anxiously to find (invenire) God but turns up only absence. The “I” who speaks and addresses itself to itself and to God learns not to close that gap but to inhabit it, affectively and intellectually, just as the monastic rhetor must, when he directs his inventive activity to God.

Victim compensation programs seek to alleviate adverse effects of victimization and repay victim losses. A few studies have concluded that US compensation programs are under-utilized because victims are unaware of such programs and police officers overlook sharing the information. The present study sought to further explore this issue from the perspective of state compensation directors and police executives. Survey respondents were asked their opinions about police officers’ basic knowledge of victims’ compensation programs, reasons for under-utilization of the programs, and the most effective ways to inform victims of their right to compensation. Surveys were administered to 38 state compensation directors and 23 law enforcement executives from across the US. Survey results confirmed the belief that many eligible victims are not receiving compensation and that better training of patrol officers on compensation eligibility and benefits was needed. However, just one in 10 of the state directors implicated police failure to notify victims as a major reason for victims not filing claims. The consensus of both police administrators and state compensation directors was that, while patrol officers should be tasked with providing basic notification of compensation availability, it is important that victim advocates and police detectives follow up with more detailed information in the days following victimization. Policy implications and future directions for research are discussed in light of the findings.

AbstractEarly researchers suggested that virtual humans (animated pedagogical agents) required a persona if they were to be anthropomorphized by the user. Over the past two decades, research has focused on design features that target the perception of persona in order to increase the anthropomorphization of the agent toward the end of increased learning outcomes. This systematic narrative review analyzes studies that have measured agent persona using the Agent Persona Instrument to assess whether there is evidence that persona increases learning outcomes. Our findings suggest that significantly higher persona ratings have little effect on learning outcomes. However, design features such as facial expressions and gestures were more important moderators of agent persona than voice and agent type, and environmental details such as study domain or student population suggested no clear direction in the perception of persona. The article concludes with a discussion of future directions for study designs and potential frontiers.

AbstractInteger compositions, integer partitions, Fibonacci numbers, and generalizations of these have recently been shown to be interconnected via two-toned tilings of horizontal grids. In this article, we present refinements of two-toned tilings, describe functions that analyze them, and apply these to generalizations of integer compositions and partitions that interpolate between the two.

Centrosomes catalyse the formation of microtubules needed to assemble the mitotic spindle apparatus1. Centrosomes themselves duplicate once per cell cycle, in a process that is controlled by the serine/threonine protein kinase PLK4 (refs. 2,3). When PLK4 is chemically inhibited, cell division proceeds without centrosome duplication, generating centrosome-less cells that exhibit delayed, acentrosomal spindle assembly4. Whether PLK4 inhibitors can be leveraged as a treatment for cancer is not yet clear. Here we show that acentrosomal spindle assembly following PLK4 inhibition depends on levels of the centrosomal ubiquitin ligase TRIM37. Low TRIM37 levels accelerate acentrosomal spindle assembly and improve proliferation following PLK4 inhibition, whereas high TRIM37 levels inhibit acentrosomal spindle assembly, leading to mitotic failure and cessation of proliferation. The Chr17q region containing the TRIM37gene is frequently amplified in neuroblastoma and in breast cancer5–8, rendering these cancer types highly sensitive to PLK4 inhibition. We find that inactivating TRIM37 improves acentrosomal mitosis because TRIM37 prevents PLK4 from self-assembling into centrosome-independent condensates that serve as ectopic microtubule-organizing centres. By contrast, elevated TRIM37 expression inhibits acentrosomal spindle assembly through a distinct mechanism that involves degradation of the centrosomal component CEP192. Thus, TRIM37 is an essential determinant of mitotic vulnerability to PLK4 inhibition. Linkage of TRIM37to prevalent cancer-associated genomic changes—including 17q gain in neuroblastoma and 17q23 amplification in breast cancer—may offer an opportunity to use PLK4 inhibition to trigger selective mitotic failure and provide new avenues to treatments for these cancers.

The effect of adult thymectomy on the immunosuppressive action of antilymphocyte serum was evaluated. Antilymphocyte serum suppressed the immune rejection of a tumor xenograft growing in the hamster cheek pouch. The degree and duration of this immunosuppression was studied in thymectomized and intact animals. Tumor growth was evaluated by comparing tumor incidence and tumor volume in groups of animals bearing tumor implants. Thymectomy at 28 days of age significantly enhances the immunosuppressive effect of antilymphocyte serum and delays recovery from this suppression.

Purpose: The present study aims to contribute to current knowledge about nurses’ perceived importance of lighting in patient rooms and to compare these perceptions across different ages, work shifts, (day and night), and environments of care (traditional and contemporary).Background: Creating an environment of care in patient rooms that successfully balances energy efficiency concerns with the holistic needs of patients, families, and caregivers poses a major challenge for future lighting systems. This study adds to a growing evidence base on the effects of lighting on nurses’ job performance, job satisfaction, and overall perceptions of the environment.Method: Survey responses from 138 participants working in medical–surgical units in four hospitals were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach, with three of the hospitals having lighting systems characterized as providing a traditional environment of care (TEC) and the other hospital having lighting systems characterized as providing a contemporary environment of care (CEC).Results: No significant differences were found based on age or work shift, but several significant differences were found between participants working in the hospital with a CEC and those working in hospitals with a TEC. Participants from the hospital with a CEC lighting system consistently reported higher lighting quality, fewer patient complaints, and less need for supplemental lighting than the participants from the three hospitals with TEC lighting systems.Conclusion: The results of this study provide evidence that innovative lighting approaches and technologies are worth considering as an investment by hospital administrators looking to improve perceptions of the patient room environment.

DNA origami-templated fabrication enables bottom-up fabrication of nanoscale structures from a variety of functional materials, including metal nanowires. We studied the impact of low-temperature annealing on the morphology and conductance of DNA-templated nanowires. Nanowires were formed by selective seeding of gold nanorods on DNA origami and gold electroless plating of the seeded structures. At low annealing temperatures (160 °C for seeded-only and 180 °C for plated), the wires broke up and separated into multiple, isolated islands. Through the use of polymer-constrained annealing, the island formation in plated wires was suppressed up to annealing temperatures of 210 °C. Four-point electrical measurements showed that the wires remained conductive after a polymer-constrained annealing at 200 °C.

The coke gasification performance of synthesized Mn–Cr–O catalysts, as well as MnOx, Cr2O3, and α-Al2O3, is evaluated in the presence of steam and steam–hydrogen mixtures. Radical coke is deposited in situonto the catalysts via ethylene pyrolysis at an elevated temperature. Raman spectroscopy analysis reveals that the coke deposited on the various catalysts is similar in nature across all catalysts. Rates of coke gasification are determined from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) using different gas/vapor feeds including inert/steam and steam/hydrogen mixtures. Addition of hydrogen to a steam feed results in a considerable reduction in reaction rates, suggesting that hydrogen inhibits the production of surface oxygen that is needed for coke gasification. Active Mn3+species on the surface of Mn-rich spinel (Mn1.5Cr1.5O4) and MnO catalysts are hypothesized to be responsible for the significantly higher reaction rates and lower apparent activation barriers for coke gasification under mixed steam–hydrogen conditions.

Atopic dermatitis is a common childhood disease, potentially influenced by prenatal nutritional exposures such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).