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Electron-Ion Collider Kinematics
No full textThe study of nuclear matter and its emergence from the partonic structure of quarks and gluons represents a fundamental challenge in modern nuclear and particle physics. The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a next-generation facility expected to begin construction in 2025 with an estimated cost of nearly 3 billion dollars, is designed to address this challenge by enabling high-precision electron-proton (ep) and electron-ion (eA) collisions. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and endorsed by the National Academies of Sciences, the EIC will build upon the existing RHIC infrastructure and utilize advanced accelerator technologies to achieve high luminosity and broad kinematic coverage. Through these collisions, the EIC will provide tomographic imaging of quarks and gluons within nucleons and nuclei, probing phenomena such as gluon saturation and seeking answers to key questions about the role of gluons in nucleon mass, spin, and high-density systems. At the heart of this effort is the accurate reconstruction of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) kinematic variables—namely the Bjorken scaling variable x, inelasticity y, and squared four-momentum transfer Q^2 from measurable detector observables. This research project focuses on developing and evaluating several methods for reconstructing these kinematic variables, ultimately contributing to improved resolution and precision, which are essential for maximizing the scientific potential of the EIC.Physic
Mathematical Dynamic Modeling (MADYMO) of the Maternal Pelvis and Neonate for Studying the Effects of McRoberts and Neonate-focused Maneuvers During Shoulder Dystocia and Delivery
No full textDuring childbirth, the anterior fetal shoulder can get caught behind the maternal pelvis, resulting in shoulder dystocia (SD). The most common injury associated with SD is brachial plexus (BP) injury. Such birthing scenarios can also lead to neonatal hypoxia. The BP is a network of nerves located bilaterally from the C5 to T1 vertebrae and provides innervation to the upper extremity (shoulders, arms, and hands). During delivery, maternal forces contribute to the pushing of the neonate out of the birth canal. However, during shoulder dystocia the constant push forces increase the angle between the shoulder and the axis of the neck, leading to BP stretch injury or Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy (NBPP). NBPP is usually temporary but can be permanent in rare instances. Computational modeling can be used to investigate the effects of birthing maneuvers and delivery forces on BP stretch, as studying BP injury in a clinical setting has ethical limitations. Trials were conducted using normal and hypoxic BP stretch data (in vivo and in vitro) to investigate differences in strain. Results from such modeling can help provide the data needed to provide clinicians with clinical training tools in the future.Bioengineerin
DISPARITIES BETWEEN QUALIFICATION AND FUNDING OF MEDICAID-COVERED ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
No full textObjectives: Medicaid coverage of orthodontic treatment in Pennsylvania, is granted for patients with a Salzmann Index (SI) score >25 and/or those with one of the automatic qualifiers (AQ) listed by the insurance company. Inconsistencies often exist between the clinical assessment of the patient’s qualification and the insurance’s funding decision. This study aimed to evaluate the predictability of the insurance’s funding decision using SI scores and AQs, compare clinical and insurance-based SI scores and investigate the contribution of different groups of AQs to funding approval.
Methods: 298 patients were included in this study. SI scores, presence and type of AQs, and the insurance’s funding decision were collected retrospectively. The level of agreement between the SI score, AQs and the insurance funding decision was compared. AQs were further grouped into 6 categories (Transverse, Vertical, Sagittal, Impaction, Multiple, Other) and the approval rates of each group were compared.
Results: The overall insurance approval rate for the 12-month study period was 46.3%. A discrepancy between the SI and AQs existed in 34.3% of the cases. In these cases, the AQs were more likely to correctly predict the insurance’s decision than the SI (63.1% vs 36.9% agreement). The insurance provider scored the SI on average, 1.79 points lower than clinicians (p= 0.002). Among the different categories of AQs, impaction was the most consistently approved (90.9%) followed by vertical at 82.9% while patients with AQs under “sagittal” were amongst the least likely to get approved at 57.9%.
Conclusions: There is a moderate level of agreement between clinical assessment of qualification and insurance approval. The study demonstrated that AQs are a stronger predictor of insurance approval compared to SI. Discrepancies between clinical and insurance-assigned SI scores suggest inconsistencies in evaluations and the need for standardization. Better assessment of AQ categories may enhance consistency in predicting insurance funding decisions.Oral Biolog
venture investment return and its influence factors analysis
No full textIn 1998, "Several Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Venture Capital in China" set off an upsurge of venture capital activities in our country. Twenty years of ups and downs have brought about a qualitative leap in China's venture capital industry in its tortuous progress. Scholars at domestic and abroad have researched China's venture capital. However, most are qualitative research, and quantitative research is less, especially for venture capital return and its influencing factors. There still needs to be more systematic theoretical and empirical research. This dissertation combines normative and empirical analysis to count the investment and financing situation of Chinese listed companies before listing and to study the factors that affect the return on investment, which makes up for the need for more research by domestic and foreign scholars in this area.
The research method of this dissertation adopts a combination of theory and demonstration: first, this dissertation reviews the previous research literature, uses information asymmetry theory and principal-agent theory to analyze, and then puts forward the relevant hypotheses of this dissertation. Secondly, this paper first analyzes the proportion of high investment returns. However, due to the small sample size of high investment return, the data results are specific and the number of financing projects at different stages is different. Therefore, we also compare and analyze the proportion of high investment return in different stages and the proportion of low investment return in different stages. From this, we can observe which categories are more likely to have high investment returns. Finally, binary logistic regression is used to analyze the factors that affect the return on investment. The sample size of the data in this paper is 1144, including seven variables including investment stage, nature of major shareholders, age and education of actual controller, industry and region to which the enterprise belongs, listed sector of the enterprise and post-investment valuation. The research finds that each variable has different impacts on investment return. Through the analysis of the factors affecting the high return on investment, we can see that the nature of major shareholders, the age and education of the real controller, the industry of the enterprise, the valuation of the investment, and the listed sector will have an impact on the return on investment. This shows that when making investment decisions, investment institutions need to comprehensively consider factors such as corporate governance, leadership quality, industry selection, valuation rationality and listed sectors, so as to comprehensively evaluate investment risks and return potential and improve the return on investment. It is found that the factors affecting the investment return of the early and middle period are quite different from those of the late period. Among them, the four variables of the actual controller's education and age, the listed sector and the post-investment valuation are still significant. However, the impact of industry and region on investment return is not significant, and early investment is more oriented to value investment. Whether it is manufacturing or service industry, it pays more attention to the differentiation and innovation of enterprises. Therefore, the impact of industry and region on investment return is not the core consideration. For the later projects, the enterprise has a stable cash flow, and its valuation is more accurate, so the impact of post-investment valuation on investment return is no longer significant. These findings highlight the different factors that affect venture capital returns and provide important recommendations for governments and investment institutions.Global Financ
OVERLOOKED BARRIERS FACED BY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS PURSUING PLASTIC SURGERY: AN URBAN BIOETHICS PERSPECTIVE
No full textDespite increasing efforts to diversify the medical profession, the field of plastic surgery remains one of the least racially representative specialties. This study investigates the persistent underrepresentation of students who are underrepresented in medicine (URM)—specifically Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Pacific Islander populations—within plastic surgery. Using an urban bioethics lens, this work explores the structural, financial, and social barriers that limit URM students’ access to this competitive specialty.
We conducted a systematic review of the literature following PRISMA guidelines and a nationwide survey of medical students, yielding 496 valid responses. Key findings reveal alarming disparities: only 3.5% of students identified plastic surgery as their top career choice, and 0% of Black students had access to a plastic surgery mentor. Just 16.7% of respondents overall reported having a mentor in the field, with only 30.4% sharing the same racial background. Financial instability was also a major concern, disproportionately affecting Hispanic (19.4%) and “Other” (25.4%) racial groups. Competitiveness and concerns about USMLE scores further deterred students, particularly those from Asian and White backgrounds, while URM students were more impacted by mentorship and financial barriers.
Through stratified analysis, our results underscore how race and socioeconomic status significantly shape access to mentorship, professional exposure, and specialty choice. These disparities are not simply educational gaps—they reflect systemic ethical failures in the recruitment and retention of diverse talent in surgical subspecialties.
We argue that meaningful diversity in plastic surgery cannot be achieved without systemic reform. Recommendations include expanding structured mentorship and longitudinal exposure programs, increasing financial support for away rotations and conferences, implementing holistic admissions practices, and mandating implicit bias training for residency selection committees. Applying an urban bioethics framework, we assert that diversifying plastic surgery is not just a matter of fairness—it is a public health and social justice imperative.Urban Bioethic
ORAL HEALTH TRENDS PRE-AND POST-COVID-19 AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS : A STUDY AT KORNBERG SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY (2018-2023)
No full textThis study aimed to compare the prevalence of gingivitis, tobacco use, caries risk assessment (CRA), and quality of life (QOL) among dental visits before and after the COVID-19 pandemic at a dental school. The goal was to assess how key indicators of oral health were impacted by the pandemic, providing insights into dental public health strategies post-pandemic. Data were collected from the electronic health records from 10 to 25 years of age during pre-COVID-19 (605 patients) and post-COVID-19 (713 patients) periods. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to analyze the prevalence of gingivitis, tobacco use, CRA, and QOL scores. Separate multiple regression models were run for pre- and post-COVID-19 time periods to determine predictors of tobacco use. The prevalence of gingivitis increased significantly, from zero at pre-COVID-19 to 11.1% at post-COVID-19 (p 0.05), but it was not statistically significant. CRA levels at pre-COVID-19 (High = 52.1%, Moderate = 33.9%, Low = 14%) and post-COVID-19 (High = 53.7%, Moderate = 32.7%, Low = 13.6%) remained stable (p > 0.05). The multiple regression findings on tobacco use as outcome variable showed that males both at pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 time periods were 2.69 and 2.36 more likely to use tobacco, respectively (P<0.05). The findings underscore the need for continued oral health monitoring and tailored public health interventions among adolescents and young adults to address the effects of the pandemic on dental health.Oral Biolog
Laura Levitt: American Jewish loss after the Holocaust [Audio interview]
No full textOn February 4, 2008 Fred Rowland interviewed Laura Levitt about her book American Jewish Loss After the Holocaust, published by New York University Press. Her book deals with the normal everyday losses that American Jews experience and tries to situate these in the larger context of American Jewish community life and the “grand narrative” of the Holocaust which tends to overshadow so much. During the course of American Jewish Loss After the Holocaust Levitt analyzes and meditates on selected poems, photographs, and films, as well as tells personal family stories. The interview gives a nice sense of Levitt’s work and her interests. It runs about twenty-one minutes.Temple University. College of Liberal ArtsTemple University. LibrariesReligionLearning & Research ServicesAudacityAudacit
Novel, low-cost bioreactor for in vitro electrical stimulation of cardiac cells
No full textIntroduction: The successful implantation of laboratory-grown cardiac tissue requires phenotypically mature cardiomyocytes capable of electrophysiological integration with native heart tissue. Pulsed electrical stimulation (ES) has been identified as a promising strategy for enhancing cardiomyocyte maturation. However, there are discrepancies in the literature as to best practices for promoting cardiac differentiation using ES.
Methods: This study presents a novel, 3D printed bioreactor that delivers in vitro ES to human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), promoting cell maturity and functional readiness for implantation. Finite element analysis and mathematical modeling were used to model the fluid dynamics and to characterize in detail the delivery of pulsatile electrical signals, providing precise control over stimulation parameters such as voltage, current, and charge.
Results: The bioreactor developed here provides an easy-to-use, inexpensive platform for culturing hiPSC-CMs under the influence of ES and low-shear fluid flow for enhanced nutrient availability, while its “drop-in” design facilitates realtime observation of cultured cells. The electrical stimulation provided is controlled, modeled, and predictable, enabling reproducible experimental conditions and promoting comparability across future studies. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) grown in the bioreactor with ES showed improved differentiation and an enhanced ability to respond to external electrical pacing signals.
Discussion: By offering a standardized platform for ES-based cardiomyocyte maturation, this bioreactor aims to accelerate advancements in cardiac tissue engineering. Future research will explore how variations in ES parameters influence cardiomyocyte phenotype and maturation, contributing to a deeper understanding of cardiac cell development and optimization for therapeutic applications.Temple University. College of EngineeringBioengineeringTemple University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund, 2024-2025 (Philadelphia, Pa.
Digital (Dis)connection, Agency, and Imagination in a French Rural Community
No full textCommon to scholarly analyses of the “digital revolution” is their inclination to deploy technology—the platforms, their affordances, the virtual spaces they create—as the main entry into evaluations of digital media’s impact on socio-cultural organization. While certainly useful in helping us understand the dynamics of digital practices and spaces, these narratives often fail to provide a fuller portrait of individuals’ broader relationship to the technological world shaped not (only) by their digital media use (or lack thereof) but also by their mere awareness of the existence of digital tools. Drawing from 14 months of ethnographic fieldwork in as small rural community in France, this project starts sketching such a portrait. Inspired by theories of mediation that encourage us to “rediscover” people as a methodological starting point by moving our focus from object (media) to process (mediation), it explores how residents experience, enjoy, resist, and negotiate the impact of digital and social media on the community’s culture, identity, and social organization.Klein College of Media and CommunicationJournalismTemple University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund, 2024-2025 (Philadelphia, Pa.
Experience as an Orthopaedic Patient as a Motivating Factor for Pursuing a Career in Orthopaedic Surgery
No full textIntroduction:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence a personal experience with an orthopaedic injury or condition has on applicants' decisions to pursue orthopaedic surgery and to investigate current applicant motivations for pursuing orthopaedic surgery.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional survey study of orthopaedic surgery applicants during the 2023 to 2024 application cycle who applied to the residency program at a single academic institution.
Results:
Of the 290 respondents (38.5% response rate), approximately two-fifths (37.6%) reported experiencing a musculoskeletal injury/condition that influenced their decision to pursue orthopaedic surgery, with 64.2% requiring surgical intervention. Injuries were most commonly sustained while playing soccer (21.0%), American football (19.0%), and basketball (10.0%). The most common injuries reported included anterior cruciate ligament rupture (14.1%), ankle fracture (9.4%), and meniscus tear (6.3%). Applicants with a history of an anterior cruciate ligament rupture represented 6.2% (18/290) of the entire applicant cohort. Approximately one-fifth (21.7%, 63/290) of applicants reported that a musculoskeletal injury or condition experienced by a family member or friend had influenced their decision to pursue orthopaedic surgery. The most commonly selected motivating factor for deciding to pursue orthopaedic surgery was intellectual curiosity (86.6%), followed by clinical rotation experience (84.8%), mentor/faculty interactions (75.9%), personal experience with a musculoskeletal injury/condition (60.0%), and academic opportunities (51.7%).
Conclusion:
A large portion of current orthopaedic surgery applicants were motivated to pursue orthopaedic surgery by a personal experience with an orthopaedic injury or condition. This study revealed many novel findings related to current orthopaedic applicant motivations for pursuing orthopaedic surgery as a career.Lewis Katz School of MedicineOrthopaedic Surgery and Sports MedicineTemple University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund, 2024-2025 (Philadelphia, Pa.