cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation of Cerebral Metabolites with Functional Outcome in Experimental Primate Stroke Using in Vivo 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ensuring the translatability of primate stroke models is critical for preclinical testing of cerebroprotective strategies, and such models would benefit from further characterization of the experimental ischemic tissue. Our purpose was to examine the cerebral metabolic response to stroke in baboons with MR spectroscopy and to correlate metabolite levels with functional neurologic outcomes. METHODS: Seven baboons underwent 1 hour of middle cerebral artery occlusion. At 3 and 10 days, each animal was imaged with traditional MR imaging and multivoxel proton 1H-MR spectroscopy, and a neurologic examination was performed. Spectra obtained from the infarcted hemisphere of each animal were compared with the contralateral hemisphere, and metabolite levels were correlated with neurologic outcome scores. RESULTS: Spectra obtained at 3 days postischemia revealed prominent lactate (LAC) resonances and attenuated N-acetylaspartate (NAA) peaks in infarcted hemispheres. Ten-day spectra showed persistence of these findings in animals with large strokes (>30% of the hemisphere), with partial normalization of the spectra in animals with small strokes ( CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic alterations observed in our primate model of reperfused ischemia by 1H-MR spectroscopy recapitulate those seen in clinical stroke. Furthermore, correlations between LAC and NAA peaks with functional outcome further suggest that MR spectroscopy may play a role in outcome prediction following cerebral infarction in higher primates.
Drinking Water Hygiene in Deyang City,2011

Objective To understand the hygiene status of drinking water in both urban and rural areas in Deyang city,and thus to provide technical support for sanitary water supplying.Methods By investigating a number of 252 water quality monitoring stations with aspects of basic situation,water quality of dry and wet seasons,to compare corresponding data with that of 3 years before the survey.Results A portion of 35.32% monitoring samples were fully processed and 27.78% with no procession;the overall qualified rate was 71.83%.Conclusion The water quality is relatively poor in 2011 and further pertinent measures are to be taken to ensure the safety of drinking water.
Fusobacterium necrophorum in North American Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Pneumonia

Fusobacterium necrophorum has been detected in pneumonic bighorn sheep (BHS; Ovis canadensis ) lungs, in addition to the aerobic respiratory pathogens Mannheimia haemolytica , Bibersteinia trehalosi , Pasteurella multocida , and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae . Similar to M. haemolytica , F. necrophorum produces a leukotoxin. Leukotoxin-induced lysis and degranulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and macrophages are responsible for acute inflammation and lung tissue damage characteristic of M. haemolytica -caused pneumonia. As one approach in elucidating the role of F. necrophorum in BHS pneumonia, we determined the frequency of the presence of F. necrophorum in archived pneumonic BHS lung tissues, and susceptibility of BHS leukocytes to F. necrophorum leukotoxin. A species-specific PCR assay detected F. necrophorum in 37% of pneumonic BHS lung tissues (total tested n=70). Sequences of PCR amplicons were similar to the less virulent F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme. Fusobacterium necrophorum leukotoxin exhibited cytotoxicity to BHS PMNs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. As with the M. haemolytica leukotoxin, F. necrophorum leukotoxin was more toxic to BHS PMNs than domestic sheep PMNs. It is likely that F. necrophorum enters the lungs after M. haemolytica and other aerobic respiratory pathogens enter the lungs and initiate tissue damage, thereby creating a microenvironment that is conducive for anaerobic bacterial growth. In summary, Fusobacterium leukotoxin is highly toxic for BHS leukocytes; however, based on the PCR findings, it is unlikely to play a direct role in the development of BHS pneumonia.
Aspects of Ageing, Growth, and Reproduction of Bobcats from Wyoming

One hundred sixty-one bobcats ( Lynx rufus pallescens ) were collected by federal and private trappers throughout Wyoming from 1970 to 1973. The age of each was established by meristic characters of the canine teeth and cementum annuli. Maximum life span was approximately 12 years and the animals remained sexually active until death. Females reached sexual maturity within a year and were polyestrus from February to June. Litters averaged 2.8 young and most were born from 15 May to 15 June. The numbers of luteal bodies in the ovaries of older females suggested they remain as separate entities for relatively long periods, possibly throughout the life of the animal. Males were seasonally fertile, but were not sexually mature until their second year.
Graduate student perceptions of a globally networked course

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ perceptions of a development course designed to increase global understanding by virtually connecting students from multiple world regions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes a graduate course that connected campuses across America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Qualitative data about students’ perceptions of the course at one participating campus were then analyzed by course component, and synchronous and asynchronous interactions. Feedback was also solicited for suggestions to improve the course. Findings – The analyzed data indicate strong positive student attitudes toward connecting with global counterparts. However, these data also imply that there are various obstacles to overcome in order to meet student expectations of increased and better quality peer interaction, and to prepare faculty across all disciplines for successful design and implementation of this type of course. Originality/value – The use of synchronous communication to facilitate the exchange of local perspectives on issues of global significance is valuable to all disciplines, and is even more critical in the area of development where understanding local context is key. This exploratory study offers recommendations for future research on courses connecting students across borders and suggestions for course activities to increase peer engagement.
Signaling Mechanisms Regulating Innate Immune Responses

Abstract The innate immune system represents a critical, first-line response to infection and injury. Innate responses are most commonly initiated through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) upon interactions with conserved components expressed by microbes. The signaling that ensues ultimately leads to various antimicrobial and inflammatory gene products. The downstream outcomes of PRR signaling can be time-, location-, and cell type-dependent. The regulation of PRR-initiated signaling pathways is particularly critical in the intestinal immune system, where innate cells are continuously interacting with the high density of resident microbiota in the intestinal lumen. Consistently, a number of the genes implicated in human inflammatory bowel disease regulate innate immune responses, and perturbations in PRR signaling pathways in mice can lead to increased susceptibility to intestinal microbes and/or intestinal inflammation. Future studies examining tissue- and context-specific features of innate immune cell signaling will provide a deeper understanding of mechanisms shaping immune function at mucosal surfaces.
MCMC Z-G: An IRT Computer Program for Forced-Choice Noncognitive Measurement.

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in measuring noncognitive constructs in educational and managerial/organizational settings. For the most part, these noncognitive constructs have been and continue to be measured using Likert-type (ordinal response) scales, which are susceptible to several types of response distortion. To deal with these response biases, researchers have proposed using forced-choice format, which requires respondents or raters to evaluate cognitive, affective, or behavioral descriptors presented in blocks of two or more. The workhorse for this measurement endeavor is the item response theory (IRT) model developed by Zinnes and Griggs (Z-G), which was first used as the basis for a computerized adaptive rating scale (CARS), and then extended by many organizational scientists. However, applications of the Z-G model outside of organizational contexts have been limited, primarily due to the lack of publicly available software for parameter estimation. This research effort add...
Identification of Missions for Potential Unmanned Untethered Submersible Systems

This paper's objective is to identify near and far-term underwater/ice missions for which potential unmanned, untethered submersible (UUS) systems may become prime candidates. Its Introduction includes a review of subjects to be considered and the rationale for procedures followed. Overviews of possible UUS systems and their general potential for serving underwater/ice missions are presented. An analysis of anticipated system capabilities, as both enhanced and limited by eliminating tethers, provides the basis for identifying the missions of interest. Concluding comments reflect on the paper's perspective.
ASSESSMENT OF RISK AND PROTECTION IN NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH: STEPS TOWARD CONDUCTING CULTURALLY RELEVANT, SUSTAINABLE PREVENTION IN INDIAN COUNTRY

This study constitutes a building block in the cultural adaptation of Communities That Care (CTC), a community-based prevention system that has been found to be effective in reducing youth problem behaviors. Using the data from the CTC normative survey dataset that comprises more than a quarter million youth nationwide, this study examines the reliability and validity of scores derived from the CTC Youth Survey (CTC-YS), one of the primary assessment tools for gathering community data on risk and protective factors related to problem behaviors including substance use. The reliability and criterion validity analyses are conducted overall for both the nationwide sample of youth and the student subsample of Native American youth. The results of this study indicate that the existing CTC-YS assessments of risk and protective factors in the domains of community, family, school, and peer groups as well as within individuals yield scores that are reliable and valid within the Native American sample of youth. This study informs the third step in the CTC prevention planning process, which involves the assessment of risk and protective factors to be targeted in preventive interventions. The question of how the assessment of risk and protective factors among Native American youth might be further improved and a description of efforts related to the cultural adaptation of the CTC program currently underway also are addressed in the discussion.
A Review of Shared Decision-Making and Patient Decision Aids in Radiation Oncology

Cancer treatment decisions are complex and may be challenging for patients, as multiple treatment options can often be reasonably considered. As a result, decisional support tools have been developed to assist patients in the decision-making process. A commonly used intervention to facilitate shared decision-making is a decision aid, which provides evidence-based outcomes information and guides patients towards choosing the treatment option that best aligns with their preferences and values. To ensure high quality, systematic frameworks and standards have been proposed for the development of an optimal aid for decision making. Studies have examined the impact of these tools on facilitating treatment decisions and improving decision-related outcomes. In radiation oncology, randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that decision aids have the potential to improve patient outcomes, including increased knowledge about treatment options and decreased decisional conflict with decision-making. This article provides an overview of the shared-decision making process and summarizes the development, validation, and implementation of decision aids as patient educational tools in radiation oncology. Finally, this article reviews the findings from decision aid studies in radiation oncology and offers various strategies to effectively implement shared decision-making into clinical practice.
Procedural Notes on an Intestinal Fat Absorption Test as Determined by the Excretion of 14CO2

An innovative method for the measurement of intestinal fat absorption with 14C-labeled tripalmitate is being investigated. Five microcuries of glyceryl 14C-tripalmitate are administered orally. The maximum specific activity of the 14CO2 contained in the patient’s expiration at 3–5 hr is directly proportional to the intestinal absorption of fat. It is hoped that this test will provide an inexpensive, technically simple, yet sensitive, alternative to present 24- and 48-hr collected fecal fat determinations. Since nuclear medicine departments are being asked to make this test available on a routine clinical basis, this paper is intended to aid the technologist in establishing such a procedure.
Manipulation of heat flux paths in thermo-elastically damped resonators for Q optimization

We demonstrate how to identify regions of major thermo-elastic dissipation (TED) in MEMS resonators and reduce this energy loss by modifying the device geometry. To demonstrate this, various geometries of a disk resonating gyroscope (DRG) are used. Devices are fabricated and tested to show that the TED-limited quality factor (Q) can indeed be increased using geometric manipulation, as predicted by simulation.
Sediment waves in the Caroline Basin suggest evidence for Miocene shifts in bottom water flow in the western equatorial Pacific

Abstract We describe abyssal sediment waves in seismic profiles from the Caroline Basin, western Pacific Ocean, which indicate bottom currents at this location have shaped the seabed beginning in the early to mid-Miocene. Our evidence is based on 2D high-resolution multi-channel seismic data we collected in 2013 during a site survey for IODP Expedition 363. Drilling within this grid (at IODP Site U1490) was completed in late 2016 and we expect results will provide the age and composition needed to evaluate the paleoceanographic implications of the geomorphologic history we describe. Our seismic grid reveals roughly 150 ms (two-way travel time; roughly 135 m) of sediment waves with 10–40 ms wave heights (roughly 9–36 m) and 1–2 km wavelengths. These waves most likely accumulated in carbonate-rich sediments, based on DSDP Site 62 (450 km to the south but lacking evidence of bottom currents in profiles or cores). The wave-like bedforms in our survey grid are independent of underlying structures and may have developed in response to an early Neogene intensification of bottom water flow documented at ODP Site 1124 in the SW Pacific (Carter et al., 2004). Steady growth and slow NW migration of the waves in the survey grid continued for much of the Miocene. Above ~ 250 ms (roughly 212 m) below the seafloor lateral migration halted and wave growth slowed. Today waves are present on the seafloor due to vertical aggradation along the flank of a gentle ridge at the northern edge of our survey grid. We propose this evolution of wave morphology is linked to global climatic events that drove thermohaline circulation throughout the world's oceans.
Effects of Weather Conditions on Tourism Spending: Implications for Future Trends under Climate Change:

Tourism is an important industry to many regions around the world and has the potential to substantially impact local communities. Climate change is expected to influence tourism since weather patterns help determine where and when people travel. In this analysis, the effect of weather conditions on tourism-related spending at three geographically distinct locations in Maine, United States, was evaluated. A nonparametric method (boosted regression trees) was used to first identify the relative influence of twenty-two weather variables as predictors of tourism spending. Following this, a parametric model was constructed to statistically evaluate tourism spending across different measures and predict potential spending changes due to a warming climate. Results indicated that warmer temperatures increased tourism spending in the summer and fall, but had more varying results in the winter. Findings suggest tourism businesses in Maine and other relatively colder destinations could capitalize on potential gains...
Nonlinear Distribution of Sediment at River Diversions: Brief History of the Bulle Effect and Its Implications

AbstractOne of the fundamental units in fluvial systems is a bifurcation, where an existing channel splits into two. Diversions are a special class of asymmetric bifurcation, in which one of the ch...
Generation of 1 mJ, 85 fs, 2.5 µm Pulses from a Cr2+:ZnSe Chirped Pulse Amplifier

We demonstrate the generation of 1 mJ, 85 fs, 2.5 µm pulses with 300 nm of available bandwidth at 1 kHz of repetition rate from a Chirped Pulse Amplifier based on the Cr2+:ZnSe gain medium.
The Incubus of Necessity in Mill’s Autobiography

When nineteenth-century public intellectual John Stuart Mill turns his philosophical craft upon himself he encounters the immobilising weight of an ‘incubus,’ a metaphorical ogre he associates with...
A Generalized Tree Matching Algorithm Considering Nested Lists for Web Data Extraction.

This paper studies structured data extraction from Web pages. One of the effective methods is tree matching, which can detect template patterns from web pages used for extraction. However, one major limitation of existing tree matching algorithms is their inability to deal with embedded lists with repeated patterns. In the Web context, lists are everywhere, e.g., lists of products, jobs and publications. Due to the fact that lists in trees may have different lengths, the match score of the trees can be very low although they follow exactly the same template pattern. To make the matter worse, a list can have nested lists in it at any level. To solve this problem, existing research uses various heuristics to detect candidate lists first and then applies tree matching to generate data extraction patterns. This paper proposes a generalized tree matching algorithm by extending an existing tree matching algorithm with the ability to handle nested lists through a novel grammar generation algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first tree matching algorithm that is able to consider lists. In addition, it is well-known that there are two problem formulations for Web data extraction: (1) pattern generation based on multiple pages following the same template, and (2) pattern generation based on a single page containing lists of data instances following the same templates (each list may use a different template). These two problems are currently solved using different algorithms. The proposed (single) algorithm is able to solve both problems effectively. Extensive experiments show that the new algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art existing systems for both problems considerably.
Narrative Development in Aggressive Boys.

This study analyzed the oral narrative abilities of Caucasian males between the ages of 8.5 and 13 years who had been identified as aggressive. Language skills of aggressive preadolescent Caucasian...
Planetary Wave Coupling - Obervations and Theory

Research on the forcing of atmospheric planetary waves, their propagation, their interactions with the mean zonal flow, and their influence on ozone transport is reviewed. Previous GCM and idealized modeling work on the forcing mechanisms for extratropical planetary waves in the troposphere and middle atmosphere has given contradictory results. Some studies indicate that orographic forcing is dominant while others have indicated that the forcing from diabatic heating is at least of equal importance. Some analyses of observed planetary wave structures support the latter view. The evolution of planetary wave propagation from the pioneering work of Chamey and Drazin is reviewed. In particular, the question of whether zero wind lines absorb or reflect is emphasized. It is argued that observational evidence shows signatures of both behaviors. The conditions for planetary wave noninteraction are briefly discussed, and some observations are shown indicating that in the Southern Hemisphere, the relatively small size of the planetary wave forcing leads to the situation where planetary waves reach their largest amplitudes during the equinox seasons whereas in the Northern Hemisphere the planetary waves have their largest amplitudes in winter. The results of some modeling and theoretical work relevant to this interhemispheric difference in planetary waves are reviewed. Finally, it is argued that planetary wave behavior determines the difference in the ozone transport between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In particular, since planetary wavenumber 1 is dominant in this regard, the ozone transport behavior generally follows that of wavenumber 1.
Cognitive Social Simulation for Policy Making

Cognitive social simulation is at the intersection of cognitive modeling and social simulation, two forms of computer-based, quantitative modeling and understanding. Cognitive modeling centers on p...
Associations between young adult dating partners’ drinking and relationship satisfaction

Background: The link between drinking and relationship functioning is well documented among married couples, particularly by using survey methods of retrospective drinking focusing on negative rela...
Dearomatization and Functionalization of Terpyridine Ligands Leading to Unprecedented Zwitterionic Meisenheimer Aluminum Complexes and Their Use in Catalytic Hydroboration

This paper reports the first example of dearomatization of ubiquitous terpyridine (tpy) ligands via 2′/6′-, 3′/5′-, or 4′-selective alkylation of the central pyridine ring. The reaction is mediated by the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust, aluminum (Al), and depending on the conditions employed, exhibits ionic or radical character as suggested by experimental and computational analysis. In the latter case, intermediate formation of an AlIII complex supported by π-radical monoanionic ligand (tpy•)1– is apparent. The 3′/5′-alkylation leads to unprecedented zwitterionic Meisenheimer AlIII complexes, which were identified as efficient precatalysts for the selective hydroboration of C═O and C≡C functionalities. Turnover numbers (TONs) up to ∼1000 place the corresponding complexes in the category of the most efficient Al catalysts reported to date for the title reaction. The acquired data suggest that aluminum monohydrides, or more likely dihydrides, could be relevant catalytic species. Alternatively, on...
Food bank nations: poverty, corporate charity and the right to food

In Food Bank Nations: Poverty, Corporate Charity and the Right to Food Graham Riches offers an insightful polemic (his word) reflecting his thirty-five years of poverty and human rights scholarship...
Experimental validation of chip production rate as a tool wear identification in micro-endmilling

Lack of tool wear data prevents the analytical tool wear models in micro-endmilling process proposed in the past from being properly evaluated. And the methods for tool wear data collection of a micro-endmill are scarce, due to the difficulty and tedium involved in repeatedly measuring tool wear during a cutting process. Although there are many aspects to micro-endmill wear, including flank wear, crater wear, and built-up edge, the cutting edge radius wear is a particularly important measure of wear in micro-milling owing to the influence of the minimum chip thickness effect on cutting forces and stability of the cutting process. This research proposes a more efficient and labor-saving method for tool wear data collection in which the cutting edge radius of a micro-endmill is determined by monitoring the rate of chip production during a cutting process. And micro-endmilling experiments are conducted to validate our proposed tool wear data collection method. It is found that the chip production rate decreases gradually as the uncut chip thickness becomes smaller. The number of chips tends to have a larger drop when the feedrate crosses the critical feedrate which corresponds to the minimum chip thickness.
Urinary incontinence and quality of life in endometrial cancer patients after robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy with lymph node dissection.

To determine the long-term effects of lymph node dissection on lower urinary tract symptoms in patients treated for endometrial cancer. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 74 patients with...
Longterm, Real-world Safety of Adalimumab in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Analysis of a Prospective US-based Registry

Objective To assess long-term safety in a US cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with adalimumab in real-world clinical care settings. Methods This observational study analyzed the long-term incidence of safety outcomes among RA patients initiating adalimumab using data from the Corrona RA registry. Patients were adults (≥18 years) who initiated adalimumab treatment between January 2008 and June 2017, and who had at least 1 follow-up visit. Results In total, 2798 adalimumab initiators were available for analysis, with a mean age of 54.5 years, 77% female, and mean duration of disease of 8.3 years. Nearly half (48%) were biologic naive, and 9% were using prednisone ≥10 mg at adalimumab initiation. The incidence rates per 100 person-years for serious infections, congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization, malignancy (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer), and all-cause mortality were 1.86, 0.15, 0.64, and 0.33, respectively. The incidence of serious infections was higher in the first year of therapy (3.44 [95% confidence interval: 2.45–4.84]) than subsequent years, while other measured AEs did not vary substantially by duration of exposure. The median time to adalimumab discontinuation was 11 months, while the median time to first serious infection among those experiencing a serious infection event was 12 months. Conclusion Analysis of long-term data from this prospective real-world registry demonstrated a safety profile consistent with previous studies in patients with RA. This analysis did not identify any new safety signals associated with adalimumab treatment and provides valuable guidance for physicians prescribing adalimumab for extended periods of time.
To composite or replicate: how sampling method and protocol differences alter stream bioassessment metrics

Abstract Aquatic invertebrates are excellent indicators of ecosystem quality; however, choosing a sampling method can be difficult. Each method and associated protocol has advantages and disadvantages, and finding the approach that minimizes biases yet fulfills management objectives is crucial. To test the effects of both sampling methods and sample handling – i.e., to composite samples or leave them as replicates – we collected aquatic invertebrates from the Niobrara River at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska using three methods and two sample handling protocols. We compared aquatic invertebrate assemblages collected with a Hester-Dendy multi-plate sampler, Hess sampler and a D-frame dipnet. We calculated six common bioassessment metrics from composite (combined) and replicate (separate) samples. Hess samples contained the highest taxonomic richness (capturing 77% of all taxa observed) and dipnet samples the least (47%). Hester-Dendy samples had the greatest proportion of Ephemeroptera, and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT). Dipnet samples had the lowest evenness values. In terms of sample handling, composite samples had inflated richness, diversity and evenness compared to replicate samples, but bioassessment metrics calculated from proportions or averages (i.e. Hilsenhoff’s Biotic Index and the proportion of EPT taxa) did not differ between them. The proportion of invertebrate groups from composite samples were not statistically different among sampling methods, but several groups differed between replicate samples collected by different methods. Ultimately, we recommend collecting replicate samples with a Hess sampler when the goal of the study is to detect ecosystem change, among locations or differences in variables of interest.
Shape Deviation Generator—A Convolution Framework for Learning and Predicting 3-D Printing Shape Accuracy

The 3-D shape accuracy is a critical performance measure for products built via additive manufacturing (AM). With advances in computing and increased accessibility of AM product data, machine learning for AM (ML4AM) has become a viable strategy for enhancing 3-D printing performance. A proper description of the 3-D shape formation through the layer-by-layer fabrication process is critical to ML4AM, such as feature selection and AM process modeling. The physics-based modeling and simulation approaches present voxel-level description of an object formation from points to lines, lines to surfaces, and surfaces to 3-D shapes. However, this computationally intensive modeling framework does not provide a clear structure for machine learning of AM data. Significant progress has been made to model and predict the shape accuracy of planar objects under data analytical frameworks. In order to predict, learn, and compensate for 3-D shape deviations using shape measurement data, we propose a shape deviation generator (SDG) under a novel convolution formulation to facilitate the learning and prediction of 3-D printing accuracy. The shape deviation representation, individual layer input function, and layer-to-layer transfer function for the convolution modeling framework are proposed and derived. A deconvolution problem for identifying the transfer function is formulated to capture the interlayer interaction and error accumulation effects in the layer-by-layer fabrication processes. Physics-informed sequential model estimation is developed to fully establish the SDG models. The Gaussian process regression is adopted to capture spatial correlations. The printed 2-D and 3-D shapes via a stereolithography (SLA) process are used to demonstrate the proposed modeling framework and derive new process insights for AM processes. Note to Practitioners —With advances in computing and increased availability of product data, machine learning for additive manufacturing (ML4AM) has become a viable strategy for enhancing 3-D printing accuracy. This work establishes the shape deviation generator (SDG) as a novel data analytical framework through a convolution formulation to model the 3-D shape formation in the AM process. This new engineering-informed machine-learning framework will facilitate the learning of AM data to establish models for geometric shape accuracy prediction and control.
A Machine Learning Approach to the Detection of Ghosting Artifacts in Dark Energy Survey Images

Unwanted artifacts that often plague astronomical images arise from a number of sources that include imperfect optics, faulty image sensors, cosmic ray hits, and even airplanes and satellites. One major source that is dicult to avoid is known as ghosting, and is caused by the scattering and internal reflections of light o of the telescope’s mechanical and optical components. Detecting ghosting artifacts eciently in the large cosmological surveys that will acquire petabytes of data can be a daunting task. In this paper, we use data from the Dark Energy Survey to develop, train, and validate a machine learning model to detect ghosts based on convolutional neural networks. The model architecture and training procedure is discussed in detail, and the performance on the training and validation set presented. Testing is performed on data and results are compared with those from a ray-tracing algorithm. A proof-of-principle is demonstrated that shows promise for Stage IV surveys and beyond.
iDISK: the integrated DIetary Supplements Knowledge base

Objective To build a knowledge base of dietary supplement (DS) information, called the integrated DIetary Supplement Knowledge base (iDISK), which integrates and standardizes DS-related information from 4 existing resources. Materials and methods iDISK was built through an iterative process comprising 3 phases: 1) establishment of the content scope, 2) development of the data model, and 3) integration of existing resources. Four well-regarded DS resources were integrated into iDISK: The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, the "About Herbs" page on the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website, the Dietary Supplement Label Database, and the Natural Health Products Database. We evaluated the iDISK build process by manually checking that the data elements associated with 50 randomly selected ingredients were correctly extracted and integrated from their respective sources. Results iDISK encompasses a terminology of 4208 DS ingredient concepts, which are linked via 6 relationship types to 495 drugs, 776 diseases, 985 symptoms, 605 therapeutic classes, 17 system organ classes, and 137 568 DS products. iDISK also contains 7 concept attribute types and 3 relationship attribute types. Evaluation of the data extraction and integration process showed average errors of 0.3%, 2.6%, and 0.4% for concepts, relationships and attributes, respectively. Conclusion We developed iDISK, a publicly available standardized DS knowledge base that can facilitate more efficient and meaningful dissemination of DS knowledge.
Aging Detection and State of Health Estimation of Live Power Semiconductor Devices Using SSTDR Embedded PWM Sequence

Power semiconductor switches undergo degradation due to environmental and electro-thermal stresses resulting in an impedance variation within the device. This impedance variation can be characterized using reflectometry, which is a well-known technique in electromagnetics. A condition monitoring algorithm for power devices in a live power converter using spread spectrum time domain reflectometry (SSTDR) method has been introduced in this article. SSTDR has been successfully used for locating transmission line faults and detecting device degradation in power converters while running at static condition. However, the rapid variation in impedance throughout the entire live converter circuit caused by fast switching makes condition monitoring more challenging while using SSTDR. This article addresses these shortcomings by proposing a novel solution that can be successfully used to identify the aging of the power devices in a live converter. SSTDR test signal was applied at various test nodes in three different circuits: a single-phase H-bridge photovoltaic inverter, a dc–dc buck converter, and a three-phase inverter. The experimental results demonstrate that the SSTDR test data are consistent with the aging of the power devices and do not affect the switching performance of the modulation process even the test signal is applied across the gate-source interface of the power mosfet . This implies that the SSTDR technique can be integrated with the gate driver module, thereby creating a new platform for an intelligent gate-driver architecture that enables real-time health monitoring of power devices while performing features offered by a commercially available driver.
Administrative Segregation: A Review of State and Federal Policies:

The use of administrative segregation in prison is a controversial correctional policy. Proponents argue this type of housing is necessary for maintaining institutional safety and order, whereas cr...
The Art and Times of ABDIAS NASCIMENTO: QUILOMBOLA EXTRAORDINAIRE:

This paper explores the aesthetic trajectory of Abdias Nascimento in the context of his life’s work, arguing that he has to be apprehended as a Quilombola warrior figure, through his entwinement of...
Time to Head Computed Tomography Protocol in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Quality Improvement Metric.

BACKGROUND Early identification of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with head CT HCT should expedite operative decision-making and improve outcome. We aimed to determine whether an early HCT protocol in TBI patients would improve outcome. METHODS A multidisciplinary protocol to obtain an HCT within 30 minutes from arrival for patients with GCS ≤ 13 was instituted on 1/1/2015. Our trauma registry was queried for patients evaluated between 3/2012 and 12/2015. Outcomes included compliance with protocol and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS 346 patients presented with GCS ≤ 13. Patients PRE- (n=264) and POST-protocol (n=82) were similar in demographic and physiologic characteristics. Time to HCT was lower (35 vs. 77 min; p<0.001). POST-protocol had lower odds of mortality (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.99) adjusting for age, gender, ISS and GCS. CONCLUSION Implementing a protocol of early HCT for TBI optimized performance of the trauma team. Time to HCT could serve as a quality metric in TBI.
Remarks to ASIL Annual Meeting, April 4, 2018, on ‘ISDS at a Crossroads: How the Settlement of Investor-State Disputes Is Being Transformed’

In evaluating the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system, and the numerous reform proposals circulating, it is worth remembering that the entire history of ISDS is quite recent. Almost all concluded cases have been decided in the last fifteen years. And even within the last ten years, there have been notable changes in the types of cases that are brought, the size of damages both claimed and awarded, and tribunals’ interpretations of key provisions. So current discussions about reform are a timely and appropriate stocktaking of the ISDS mechanism, and whether its use has met the aims and objectives of the system, and with which outcomes and impacts.
Memory Technologies for Neural Networks

Synapses, the most numerous elements of neural networks, are memory devices. Similarly to traditional memory applications, device density is one of the most essential metrics for large-scale artificial neural networks. This application, however, imposes a number of additional requirements, such as the continuous change of the memory state, so that novel engineering approaches are required. In this paper, we briefly review our recent efforts at addressing these needs. We start by reviewing the CrossNet concept, which was conceived to address major challenges of artificial neural networks. We then discuss the recent progress toward CrossNet implementation, in particular the experimental results for simple networks with crossbar-integrated resistive switching (memristive) metal oxide devices. Finally, we review preliminary results on redesigning commercial-grade embedded NOR flash memories to enable individual cell tuning. While NOR flash memories are less dense then memristor crossbars, their technology is much more mature and ready for the development of large-scale neural networks.
Does Treatment Respond to Reimbursement Rates? Evidence from Trauma Care

Some models of provider behavior predict that physicians, like other experts, may respond dysfunctionally to financial incentives by recommending unnecessary treatment. We empirically test this relationship using data from inpatient hospitalizations surrounding a 2003 Colorado auto insurance reform. The reform shifted a large fraction of auto injury patients from coverage through auto insurers to less generous sources of reimbursement, such as health insurance and self-pay. Despite negligible changes in auto injury characteristics during this period, treatment supply increased following the reform. Procedure use rose by 5-10% and billed charges rose by 5%, and these increases are specific to auto but not other types of traumatic injury. These changes appear to reflect an increase in real resources devoted to treatment, but do not improve mortality outcomes. Our findings are consistent with models of physician-induced demand.
Comparative effects of lactulose and magnesium sulfate on urea metabolism and nitrogen excretion in cirrhotic subjects.

Abstract In previous studies with cirrhotic subjects administration of oral lactulose caused a reduction in the urea production rate associated with an increase in fecal nitrogen excretion. The change in the urea production rate in response to lactulose therapy was an indirect measure of a reduction in total gut ammonia production. In this study, the effect of magnesium sulfate administration was compared with lactulose therapy in 5 cirrhotic subjects to determine whether the effects of lactulose on nitrogen metabolism might be attributed to a nonspecific, cathartic effect. Both magnesium sulfate (5–15 g/day) and lactulose (40–80 g/day) caused significant and comparable increases in stool weight, solids, and total nitrogen. Only lactulose caused a reduction in fecal pH. Magnesium sulfate had no significant effect on the urea production rate or urinary nitrogen excretion, whereas lactulose caused a 25% reduction in the urea production rate and an 18% reduction in urinary nitrogen excretion. The latter was accounted for by a fall in urinary urea. Nitrogen balance was more negative during magnesium sulfate than during control or lactulose periods since magnesium sulfate increased fecal nitrogen without altering urinary nitrogen excretion. These data demonstrated that the effects of lactulose on nitrogen excretion and urea metabolism were not duplicated by equivalent cathartic doses of magnesium sulfate.
Computational aerodynamics on large computers

Three examples of advances in computational aerodynamics; (1) three-dimensional inviscid transonic analysis, (2) design calculations for wings, and (3) the computation of viscous-induced aileron buzz, are reviewed. Attention is given to wing surface pressures, design optimization, computer memory, speed and advanced solution methods on parallel computer architecture. It is determined that many implicit approximate-factorization schemes, that have been developed for Navier-Stokes equations, can be coded to run efficiently on microprocessors.
Analysis and convergence of a covolume method for the generalized Stokes problem

We introduce a covolume or MAC-like method for approximating the generalized Stokes problem. Two grids are needed in the discretization; a triangular one for the contimlity equation and a quadrilateral one for the momentum equation. The velocity is approximated using nonconforming piecewise linears and the pressure piecewise constants. Error in the L 2 norm for the pressure and error in a mesh dependent H 1 norm as well as in the L 2 norm for the velocity are shown to be of first order, provided that the exact velocity is in H 2 and the true pressure in H I . We also introduce the concept of a network model into the discretized linear system so that an efficient pressure-recovering technique can be used to simplify a great deal the computational work involved in the augmented Lagrangian method. Given is a very general decomposition condition under which this technique is applicable to other fluid problems that can be formulated as a saddle-point problem.
Smoking-related activities in prenatal care programs.

Abstract Background Convincing pregnant women who smoke to give up this behavior is one of the few universally agreed upon methods for improving pregnancy outcomes. An exploratory study was conducted to determine what public and quasi-public facilities serving pregnant women were doing to assist pregnant smokers in quitting, the reasons why more was not being done, and what could be done to increase smoking-cessation services. Methods Questionnaires eliciting information about pregnancy-related smoking prevention activities were mailed to home visitation projects, federally funded Healthy Start programs, CityMatCH members, and maternal and child health units in state health departments with a subsample of local health units. Responses were obtained from 354 programs. Results Only about a quarter of the respondents thought they were doing enough to help pregnant smokers stop or reduce smoking, and most thought that the inadequacy was due to insufficient funds. Only about a quarter offered smoking-cessation classes or clinics. Almost all programs had policies restricting smoking in their offices. The nationally sponsored activity that the respondents felt might be most helpful in increasing their efforts was the provision of materials. Among the 313 programs that included home visits, 86% required the home visitors to conduct a needs assessment, and 97% of those expected the woman’s smoking status to be recorded. Smoking status prior to pregnancy or by other household members was required less often. Less than half of the programs provided training on smoking-cessation/reduction methods to home visitors. Only 28% said smoking-cessation/reduction had a very high priority in comparison to other home visit objectives. Conclusions Programs for pregnant women, including those with a home visit component, do not pay sufficient attention to the problem of smoking among their clients. Programs should make greater use of the evidence-based interventions now available.
People occupancy detection and profiling with 3D depth sensors for building energy management

Abstract In this paper, a computational framework for occupancy detection and profiling based exclusively on depth data is presented. 3D depth sensors offer many advantages against traditional video cameras. Occupants’ privacy can be assured more effectively because depth information is unsuitable to reveal the person's identity. Notable low-level computer vision tasks can be simplified, thus lightening the computational load. The presented framework is suitable for wall-mounting setups as well as for ceiling-mounting setups, and scales well with the number of people. To take full advantage of depth data and to accommodate specificities of crowded environments, several improvements to the standard computer vision pipeline are suggested. Firstly, the running Gaussian average background model is adapted to work with depth distances in crowded scenes. Secondly, the classical complete linkage agglomerative clustering is boosted by adding edge-based constraints specifically designed for people segmentation in depth data. Thirdly, to reliable discriminate people, specific depth-based features are defined to be used with a Real AdaBoost classifier. The preliminary results achieved by using two different depth sensors and synthetic data are very promising, outperforming existing approaches. Relevant applications for building energy management, such as occupancy profiling and construction of trajectories and density maps, have been also demonstrated.
A Hardware Scatter Detector

We have constructed a fast analog processor for use in a high energy small angle scattering experiment. The processor uses data from high resolution multiwire proportional chambers to select beam tracks inside "good" phase space and measures the scattering angle. The result of the calculations is available within 5?s.