cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From Answers to Questions: Fostering Student Creativity and Engagement in Research and Writing

This article outlines concrete methods to stimulate student engagement with the research and writing process.
MIMO Broadcast Channels with Digital Channel Feedback

This paper summarizes recent results on the multiple antenna broadcast (downlink) channel in which limited- rate digital feedback is used to convey channel state information from each mobile (receiver), each of which is assumed to have perfect channel information, to the transmitter. The transmitter employs linear precoding based on this feedback, and the effect of imperfect channel state information is multi-user interference, which can significantly degrade throughput if the channel information is not sufficiently accurate. Feedback requirements are studied for systems with single antenna mobiles in both the small system regime, i.e., number of mobiles equal to the number of transmit antennas, as well as in the large system regime, where user selection is performed on the basis of digital feedback. In addition, two different methods for utilizing multiple mobile antennas are described and compared in the small system regime.
Deploying IoT devices to make buildings smart: Performance evaluation and deployment experience

This paper summarizes the authors' work of deploying Internet of Things (IoT) to build a reliable, cost effective and versatile energy management system for small- and medium-sized commercial buildings. This paper addresses critical issues related to the choices and evaluation of embedded systems and software optimization to enable the deployment on a low-cost single board computer, and experience of integrating IoT devices to enable smart building operation. It then discusses three demonstration projects located in Virginia and summarizes deployment experience.
Epidemiology of Gliomas

Gliomas are the most common type of primary intracranial tumors. Some glioma subtypes cause significant mortality and morbidity that are disproportionate to their relatively rare incidence. A very small proportion of glioma cases can be attributed to inherited genetic disorders. Many potential risk factors for glioma have been studied to date, but few provide explanation for the number of brain tumors identified. The most significant of these factors includes increased risk due to exposure to ionizing radiation, and decreased risk with history of allergy or atopic disease. The potential effect of exposure to cellular phones has been studied extensively, but the results remain inconclusive. Recent genomic analyses, using the genome-wide association study (GWAS) design, have identified several inherited risk variants that are associated with increased glioma risk. The following chapter provides an overview of the current state of research in the epidemiology of intracranial glioma.
Shared Decisionmaking in the Emergency Department: A Guiding Framework for Clinicians

Shared decisionmaking has been proposed as a method to promote active engagement of patients in emergency care decisions. Despite the recent attention shared decisionmaking has received in the emergency medicine community, including being the topic of the 2016 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference, misconceptions remain in regard to the precise meaning of the term, the process, and the conditions under which it is most likely to be valuable. With the help of a patient representative and an interaction designer, we developed a simple framework to illustrate how shared decisionmaking should be approached in clinical practice. We believe it should be the preferred or default approach to decisionmaking, except in clinical situations in which 3 factors interfere. These 3 factors are lack of clinical uncertainty or equipoise, patient decisionmaking ability, and time, all of which can render shared decisionmaking infeasible. Clinical equipoise refers to scenarios in which there are 2 or more medically reasonable management options. Patient decisionmaking ability refers to a patient's capacity and willingness to participate in his or her emergency care decisions. Time refers to the acuity of the clinical situation (which may require immediate action) and the time that the clinician has to devote to the shared decisionmaking conversation. In scenarios in which there is only one medically reasonable management option, informed consent is indicated, with compassionate persuasion used as appropriate. If time or patient capacity is lacking, physician-directed decisionmaking will occur. With this framework as the foundation, we discuss the process of shared decisionmaking and how it can be used in practice. Finally, we highlight 5 common misconceptions in regard to shared decisionmaking in the ED. With an improved understanding of shared decisionmaking, this approach should be used to facilitate the provision of high-quality, patient-centered emergency care.
Objective assessment of physical activity and sedentary time of older adults using ambient and wearable sensor technologies

This paper reports the description of a multi-sensor platform able to automatically assess the level of physical activity and sedentary time of older adults. The platform has a hierarchical network topology, compound by N detector nodes managing several ambient sensor nodes and one detector node that manages a wearable sensor node. The system provides also one coordinator node that receives high-level reports from detector nodes. The idea of using heterogeneous sensors is motivated by the fact that in this way we expands the number of end-users, as they may accept only a type of sensor technology. The objective assessment was conducted through two main algorithmic steps: (1) recognition of well-defined set of human activities, detected by a 3D vision sensor (ambient node) and a smart garment (wearable sensor node), and (2) estimation of a physiological measure, that is (MET)-minutes. Results obtained in terms of activity recognition (and subsequent physical activity/sedentary time assessment) showed that the integrated version of the platform performs better than each single sensor technology with an overall accuracy obtained using simultaneously data provided from both sensory technologies that is about 5% higher of single sub-system, thus confirming the advantage in using a coordinator node. Finally, an added value of this work is the capability of the platform in providing a sensing invariant interface (i.e., abstracted from any specific sensing technology), since the use of the activities enables the integration of a wide set of devices, providing that they are able to reproduce the same set of features.
Analyzing the Impacts of Climate Adaptation Plans in the Amazon Basin: Resilience and Vulnerability for Whom?

All countries who participated in the UNFCCC COP21 conference in 2015 were encouraged to submit Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). These are documents that outline how a particular country is planning to cope with climate hazards, and what measures are being taken to reduce carbon emissions. This paper analyzes the INDCs submitted by countries in the Amazon basin, in order to assess how this region perceives climate hazards and how it is coping with climate change adaptation. The analysis is informed by the concept of Human Security, a framework developed by the United Nations Development Programme in 1994. Human Security encompasses economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security, community security, and political security. This list of “securities” is used to critically analyze how governments in Latin America are planning to promote economic development and environmental protection in light of the changing scenario caused by climate change. Most importantly, the paper discusses how the INDCs of these governments will have uneven impacts on the human security of particular groups.
Violence, Power, and Ideology

This chapter introduces the concepts of blank art more thoroughly while addressing the two key themes of Violence and Power that are discussed throughout the book. The author introduces the importance of understanding how Violence functions in blank art as a form of commentary on political actions taken by the Reagan/Bush administration in the 1980s as well as by members of the powerful, capitalist elite in the United States at the same time. The author then discusses the idea of Power as a concept force in culture, in the economic, political, and philosophical sense. Encompassing both concepts in Marxist and Postmodern theoretical discourse, the author then situates them in the realm of media and art. Using blank works to identify the ways in which artists and the public can harness the influence of media for themselves, the author offers the beginnings of a powerful message for the ways in which popular art can be used as a tool for positive political control.
Prostate cancer and social media

The use of social media is increasing globally and is employed in a variety of ways in the prostate cancer community. In addition to their use in research, advocacy, and awareness campaigns, social media offer vast opportunities for education and networking for patients with prostate cancer and health-care professionals, and many educational resources and support networks are available to patients with prostate cancer and their caregivers. Despite the considerable potential for social media to be employed in the field of prostate cancer, concerns remain - particularly regarding the maintenance of patient confidentiality, variable information quality, and possible financial conflicts of interest. A number of professional societies have, therefore, issued guidance regarding social media use in medicine. Social media are used extensively in other cancer communities, particularly among patients with breast cancer, and both the quantity and type of information available are expected to grow in the future.
Executive Director Role Behavior and the Implementation of Program Change

The role of the executive director in community welfare agencies was assigned a central role in this investigation of factors affecting the implementation of program change for a number of reasons. Among the reasons for regarding the executive director as occupying an especially strategic position with regard to program change is the fact that by the very nature of the administrative process in formal organizations, the executive director possesses a great deal of legitimate power. Legitimate power is based upon internalized values by the members of an organization which dictate that one person has the right to influence another person and that the latter has an obligation to accept this influence. In formal organizations (such as community welfare agencies) such power is usually vested in the status or office, and the occupant of the status has the right to influence a range of people and activities. In general, when people accept the authority structure of an organization such as by entering into an employment contract they tend to also accept the right of their supervisors to influence them (Cartwright, 1965). Formal designation as a leader or boss is in itself a source of power (Collins & Guetzkow, 1964).
Adaptive Radiation Therapy using Megavoltage Cone-Beam CT

Recent advances in fractionated external beam radiation therapy have increased our ability to deliver radiation doses that conform more tightly to the tumour volume. The steeper dose gradients delivered in these treatments make it increasingly important to set precisely the position of the patient daily. For this reason, considerable research now focuses on in-room three-dimensional imaging to potentially adapt the plan to the dynamic nature of the radiation therapy processes. In this article, we describe a clinical mega-voltage cone-beam computed tomography (MV CBCT) system, present the image acquisition and patient setup procedure, discuss the physical performances, and illustrate its potential use for adaptive radiation therapy (ART) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) through selected examples. In our clinic, we have used the MV CBCT system to detect nonrigid spinal cord distortions, to position a patient with paraspinous tumor with metallic hardware, to monitor the dosimetric impact of weight loss and to complement the conventional CT in presence of high atomic number material. We conclude this paper by describing the work to date performed to develop dose-guided radiation therapy (DGRT), a form of ART where dose constitutes the basis for treatment adaptation.
Training in Robotic Urologic Surgery

Multiple modalities exist for training urologic surgeons in robotic surgery. These include dry and wet lab exercises, virtual reality and augmented reality simulators and animal and cadaver models. The learning curve associated with various robotic surgical procedures is variable, and training curricula aim to help novice surgeons most effectively overcome the steep part of the curve. While a standardized training protocol or credentialing process does not currently exist, multiple innovative training curricula have been developed with the intent of creating a comprehensive and effective learning environment in which to master the skills necessary for performing robotic procedures, and are explored in this chapter.
Distribution and Concentration of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on Waterfowl Production Areas in West Central Minnesota

Neonicotinoid insecticides have been reported to occur widely in surface waters, including those of wetlands within the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). In the US portion of the PPR, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has established Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) in an effort to enhance waterfowl production. Most WPAs have an area of protected upland surrounding wetlands that can act as a buffer to reduce the transport of contaminants, including pesticides. We assessed the extent that neonicotinoid insecticides occurred in the ponded water of wetlands within WPAs located along a gradient of agricultural influence throughout west-central Minnesota. Of the five neonicotinoids we tested for, two were not detected. However, at least one of the other three, imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, were detected in 29% of our wetland water samples. Additionally, both the occurrence and total concentrations of neonicotinoids were higher in sites with higher surrounding crop use. Neonicotinoid insecticides, if persistent for long periods of time, have the potential to affect aquatic-invertebrate communities within PPR wetlands. Our research indicates that areas often perceived as protected may still be at risk to neonicotinoid contamination, emphasizing the importance of maintaining effective grassland buffers around wetlands.
Perspective: Uniform switching of artificial synapses for large-scale neuromorphic arrays

Resistive random-access memories are promising analog synaptic devices for efficient bio-inspired neuromorphic computing arrays. Here we first describe working principles for phase-change random-access memory, oxide random-access memory, and conductive-bridging random-access memory for artificial synapses. These devices could allow for dense and efficient storage of analog synapse connections between CMOS neuron circuits. We also discuss challenges and opportunities for analog synaptic devices toward the goal of realizing passive neuromorphic computing arrays. Finally, we focus on reducing spatial and temporal variations, which is critical to experimentally realize powerful and efficient neuromorphic computing systems.
The elusive ground glass opacity, revealed

A ground glass opacity (GGO) is a radiographic finding that is defined as a hazy opacity that does not obscure underlying bronchial structures or pulmonary vessels on high-resolution CT. In 2013, the Fleischner Society published a set of recommendations for the classification and management of these lesions, which was updated in 2017 (1,2).
Feasibility Assessment of Long-Term Electrical Resistivity Monitoring of a Nitrate Plume.

Long-term monitoring solutions at contaminated sites are necessary to track plume migration and evaluate the performance of remediation efforts. Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) can potentially provide information about plume dynamics; however, the feasibility and likelihood of success are seldom evaluated before conducting a field study. Coupling flow and transport models with geoelectrical models provide a powerful way to assess the potential effectiveness of an actual ERI field campaign. We present a coupled approach for evaluating the feasibility of monitoring nitrate migration and remediation using 4D time-lapse ERI at a legacy nuclear waste facility. This kilometer-scale study focuses on depths below the water table (∼70 m). A flow and transport model is developed to perform simulations of nitrate migration and removal via a hypothetical pump-and-treat system. A tracer injection is also simulated at the leading edge of the nitrate plume to enhance the conductivity contrast between the native subsurface and the groundwater fluids. Images of absolute bulk conductivity provide limited information concerning plume migration while time-lapse difference images, which remove the static effects of geology, provide more useful information concerning plume dynamics over time. A spatial moment analysis performed on flow and transport and ERI models matches well during the tracer injection; however, inversion regularization smoothing otherwise limits the value in terms of locating the center of mass. We find that the addition of a tracer enables ERI to characterize plume dynamics during pump-and-treat operations, and late-time ERI monitoring provides a conservative estimate of nitrate plume boundaries in this synthetic study.
FreeHi-C: high fidelity Hi-C data simulation for benchmarking and data augmentation

Abstract Ability to simulate realistic high-throughput chromatin conformation (Hi-C) data is foundational for developing and benchmarking statistical and computational methods for Hi-C data analysis. We propose FreeHi-C, a data-driven Hi-C simulator for simulating and augmenting Hi-C datasets. FreeHi-C employs a non-parametric strategy for estimating interaction distribution of genome fragments from a given sample and simulates Hi-C reads from interacting fragments. Data from FreeHi-C exhibit higher fidelity to the biological Hi-C data compared with other tools in its class. FreeHi-C not only enables benchmarking a wide range of Hi-C analysis methods but also boosts the precision and power of differential chromatin interaction detection methods while preserving false discovery rate control through data augmentation.
Synthesis, stereochemistry and anti-tetrabenazine activity of bicyclo analogues of 2-phenylmorpholines

A series of bicyclo analogues of several 2-phenylmorpholines were synthesized and tested for anti-tetrabenazine activity in mice. Most of the target compounds were prepared by reaction of 2-bromopropio-phenone (22) with the appropriate amino alcohol to form 2-phenylmorpholinols. Reduction of the 2-phenyl-morpholinols with sodium borohydride gave amino diols, which were cyclized to morpholines with acid. Alternatively, oxazines 17 and 18 were synthesized by alkylation of phenyl-(2-pyrrolo)carbinol (32a) and phenyl-(2-piperidyl)carbinol (32b) with 2-bromoethanol, followed by cyclization of the resulting amino diols with acid. Only the spirocyclic compounds 8 and 9 had i.p. anti-tetrabenazine activity comparable to the non-cyclic compounds 2a-3b, but 8 and 9 were less active by the oral route of administration.
Implementing Quality Colon Cancer Survivorship Care: A Practical Proposal for a Path Forward

There are currently close to 17 million survivors of cancer in the United States. This number is expected to grow as both an aging population and improved treatment increase the number of survivors. Consequently, the importance of quality survivorship care has been recognized, but implementing, measuring, and paying for this care in a highly fragmented health care system, across a broad spectrum of diseases, is difficult. Quality measurement tied to payment is one approach that has commonly been used to improve the quality of care in the US health care system, but the complexity of applying quality measurement metrics across the spectrum of cancer survivorship care had led to stalemate. In this article, we draw on prior work to develop a quality cancer survivorship framework and propose a practical path forward with a focus on the provision of colon cancer survivorship care within integrated health care delivery networks. With this narrowly defined approach, we hope that we can promote a practical solution that can be extended to other diseases and payment systems over time.
Change in Life's Simple 7 Measure of Cardiovascular Health After Incident Stroke: The REGARDS Study.

Background and Purpose: Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) is a metric for cardiovascular health based on the 7 domains of smoking, diet, physical activity, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, a...
Enhancing Techniques for Radioiodine Imaging of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

1193 Background: Multiple reasons have been proposed for not performing diagnostic radioiodine scans for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), and one of those reasons is that the scan is frequently not informative. However, we submit that these scans are not always informative because of sub-optimal imaging techniques. Objectives: The objective of this educational exhibit is to review seven techniques of radioiodine imaging to enhance the information obtained. Methods: We present seven techniques that can enhance the information obtained from diagnostic radioiodine scans. For each technique, we demonstrate two sets of imaging to visually demonstrate the additional information obtained. The first of the techniques is spotimaging of anatomical areas of interest using a gamma camera with a parallel-hole collimator relative to a whole body scan. The second technique is spotimaging of the thyroid bed and neck with a “pin-hole” collimator relative to a parallel-hole collimator. Two other techniques, delayed image acquisition and longer acquisition, may clarify the nature of indeterminate foci of uptake or areas with negative initial findings. The fifth technique, “focus-specific” history, comprises additional patient information specific to a focus of uptake with potentially additional spot camera images to help determine if the focus represents a metastasis or an artifact. The latter in turn decreases false positives and increases specificity. The sixth technique, adjustment of image brightness/contrast on film or computer screen, may reveal previously unobserved subtle differences in counts. The seventh technique, single photon computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), improves contrast resolution and helps localize foci of uptake to anatomic structures. Results: N/A Conclusions: Technique is important to maximize information obtained from radioiodine diagnostic scans in patients with DTC. Mastering certain techniques for enhancing radioiodine scanning will maximize the information obtained from radioiodine diagnostic scan, image quality, and interpretation, which in turn may alter management and outcomes.
Venous thromboembolism in a patient with an uncommon etiology of May-Thurner syndrome

Abstract May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) consists of common iliac vein compression from an extrinsic source. Patients with MTS can present with a variety of symptoms, potentially making the diagnosis difficult. Classically, MTS will result in left iliac vein compression from the right iliac artery. In rare cases, it can be secondarily caused by compression from other anatomic structures in the pelvis. We present the case of a 43-year-old woman with MTS with iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism caused by a large uterine leiomyoma. Our findings underscore the need to consider various etiologies of venous compression in patients with extensive unilateral venous thromboembolism.
CNN models for eye state classification using EEG with temporal ordering

Most studies on eye states (open or closed) detection apply machine learning techniques on subject dependent eye state datasets, but subject independent data with large physiological variation between individuals has not been well explored. Temporal ordering information is important to predict eye state because EEG is a time sequence dataset. In this research, we keep the temporal ordering of the data in place. We create multiple CNN network models and select optimal filters and depth. Our CNN feature models are effective on both subject dependent and subject independent eye state EEG classifications. We got the best subject dependent result with 4 layers of CNNs with an accuracy rate of 96.51% on dataset I and 100% on dataset II. For subject's independent studies, we got the best classification accuracy of 80.47% on dataset I and we got 90.15% on dataset II.
COVID-19 Vaccination Rates and Attitudes Among Young Adults With Recent Experiences of Homelessness

Abstract Purpose This study provides information on COVID-19 vaccination and attitudes among young adults with recent experiences of homelessness. Methods Participants (n=134) from a clinical trial of a risk reduction program for youth experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles completed survey items about COVID-19 vaccinations between March-October, 2021. Results 29% of respondents were vaccinated and 50% were not interested in getting vaccinated. Among the unvaccinated, 58% had not been offered the vaccine; further, 38%-45% had strong distrust of the vaccine and worry about its harmfulness. Vaccination status was generally unrelated with demographics, housing instability, service use, substance use, or mental health. Conclusions Our data suggest that vaccination rates are lower among young adults with recent experiences of homelessness than those in the general U.S. population. Results suggest a need for greater direct outreach that includes both offering the vaccine and addressing misconceptions about its safety to increase vaccination rates in this population.
Simultaneous Relaxation in Structural Dynamics

The applicability of relaxation methods to implicit integration of structural dynamics problems is investigated. It is shown that although Jacabi interation is not competitive with explicit methods, conjugate gradient second order acceleration leads to schemes which are quite efficient, and its effectiveness is uneffected by the use of a consistent mass. For methods that require eigenvalue estimates, bounds are obtained by examining a single element and use of a theorem proved herein that the spectra of assembled positive definite matrices are always bounded by the unassembled element matrix. An energy based error criterion is developed for those methods.
Atmospheric Surveillance--Past, Present and Future

Atmospheric surveillance is defined as the systematic collection and evaluation of aerometric data, which includes information on pollutant emissions, pollutant concentrations and meteorological parameters.
Book Review. Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela, 310 pp. Grove Press. ISBN: 978-0-8021-1951-3. 2010.

This is a book review of Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela. The novel tells the story of a Sudanese family in the fifties when Sudan was on the verge of independence from the Anglo-Egyptian mandate.
Midterm results after the arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum: clinical, hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and electrophysiologic data

Although the short-term results of atrial level repair of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) are satisfactory, longer follow-up has disclosed a significant incidence of systemic right ventricular dysfunction and rhythm disturbances. The arterial switch operation (ASO) may represent a major improvement by restoring the left ventricle as the systemic ventricle and avoiding extensive atrial surgery. We have prospectively evaluated 49 consecutive survivors of ASO for TGA with intact ventricular septum (IVS) by clinical examination, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, and invasive electrophysiologic studies. The mean length of follow-up has been 29 +/- 14 (SD) months after surgery. All children are currently asymptomatic and on no medications. Severe supravalvular pulmonary stenosis (greater than 60 mm Hg) was present in five children, all of whom have undergone reoperation. No patient has severe supravalvular aortic obstruction. Mild degrees of supravalvular pulmonary or aortic obstruction have not progressed. Seven children (14%) have trivial or mild aortic regurgitation. Two children have proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery with adequate retrograde collateral perfusion. One child had an electrocardiographic pattern of inferior myocardial infarction without evidence of ventricular dysfunction. Systemic (left) ventricular function is normal as measured by end-diastolic pressure (mean 7 +/- 6 mm Hg), ejection fraction (mean 68 +/- 6%), end-diastolic volume (mean 101 +/- 22% of predicted normal), and cardiac index (mean 4.7 +/- 1.3 liters/min/m2). Only one patient has sinus node dysfunction. There have been no late deaths. These early results are encouraging. We conclude that the arterial switch operation is currently the procedure of choice for neonates with TGA and IVS.
Pilot study of the effects of bariatric surgery and continuous positive airway pressure treatment on vascular function in obese subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by intermittent hypoxemia, recurrent arousals, and intra-thoracic pressure swings, all of which can contribute to sympathetic activation and/or cardiovascular risk. The intermittent hypoxemia can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, while pressure swings can place shear stress on the myocardium and intrathoracic vessel walls.1 Taken together, these pathways can result in endothelial dysfunction, a recognized early marker of cardiovascular disease.2 At the macrovascular level, cross-sectional studies have reported impaired brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), increased carotid intima-media thickness, and arterial stiffness quantified by the augmentation index (AIx) in OSA subjects compared with controls.3-8 This association is strengthened by reports of a dose-response relationship between these outcomes and OSA severity and duration.3,8,10 Microvascular reactivity has been less studied in OSA; an association between OSA and reduced capillary density has been demonstrated,11 and two small studies have reported differences between OSA subjects and controls in microcirculatory flow following administration of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (ACh) delivered either non-invasively12 or via intra-arterial infusion.13 Two studies conducted in our laboratories, however, have not replicated these findings in the microvasculature.4,14 In addition to this observational evidence, a number of randomized controlled trials have found improvements in FMD and the AIx with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP),15-18 while CPAP-withdrawal studies have demonstrated a deterioration.15,19,20 Again, the effects of CPAP on endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity have not been widely studied. Only one study has reported a significant improvement with CPAP in microvascular reactivity measured non-invasively;12 this trial was of a short duration (two months) and the average BMI was <30kg/m2. The association between OSA and endothelial dysfunction is complicated by the presence of obesity as a potential confounder;1 thus, the independent contributions of OSA and obesity on vascular functioning – at the cellular, microvascular, and macrovascular levels – are as yet unclear. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanisms by which obesity and OSA may contribute to endothelial dysfunction, we sought to follow-up a sample of obese subjects who, since completing our aforementioned cross-sectional study,14 have undergone either bariatric surgery resulting in substantial weight-loss, or begun CPAP treatment to eliminate obstructive respiratory events. We hypothesized improved vascular function with both therapeutic approaches, consistent with a reversible OSA effect on the circulation. Such pilot data would be critical to the design of subsequent randomized comparative effectiveness trials.
In Vitro Susceptibility of Brucella to Various Antibiotics

A series of 27 strains of six species of Brucella was tested for susceptibility in vitro to a representative cross section of antibiotics in current use. The activity against each species was plotted, with the cumulative per cent of strains inhibited indicated for each concentration. As a class, the tetracycline antibiotics were the most effective. Erythromycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, and kanamycin, as well as rifampin, were quite active. The penicillin-cephalosporin group, with the exception of ampicillin, was comparatively ineffective, as were the polypeptides and the miscellaneous group of chloramphenicol, lincomycin, cycloserine, and sulfadiazine. Species differences were noticeable, with some strains of B. canis being considerably more resistant to streptomycin and the tetracyclines than B. suis and B. abortus. B. melitensis, B. ovis, and B. neotomae were intermediate in antibiotic susceptibility.
The Proper Preclusion Standard: Why the ADEA is Not the Exclusive Remedy for Age Discrimination in Employment

In 1989, in Zombro v. Baltimore City Police Department, the Fourth Circuit held that the ADEA precludes Constitution based § 1983 age discrimination claims. The Court incorrectly applied a preclusion analysis reserved for statute based § 1983 claims. Since that time, most circuits have relied on the Fourth Circuit's incorrect analysis and holding. What resulted was the elimination of a federal remedy for state employees suffering from age discrimination in employment. Dependence on Zombro suggests that the Courts do not understand the applicable preclusion analysis. In 2012, the Seventh Circuit decided Levin v. Madigan, and became the first circuit to hold that the ADEA does not preclude § 1983 equal protection claims. Although the Seventh Circuit also applied an improper analysis, it is the only circuit to engage in a comparative evaluation. The Seventh Circuit's decision diminishes the precedential value of Zombro and its progeny. This comment evaluates circuit court decisions regarding the ADEA's preclusion of § 1983 equal protection, and demonstrates how the courts have improperly analyzed the issue. Furthermore, this comment interprets Supreme Court precedent to promulgate the “proper preclusion standard.”
Ice Cover Effects on Stream Flows and Mixing

The distributions of velocity, turbulent eddy, and mass diffusivities were computed for three pairs of free-surface and ice-covered flows using the k-ϵ\N turbulence model. The flow rate, channel slope, and bottom roughness values were kept the same for each pair of flows and the flow depths were computed. The resulting flow depths for ice-covered flows were 15 to 30 percent higher than the depths for free-surface flows. The computed velocity and eddy viscosity distributions do not follow the conventional logarithmic and parabolic distributions for the whole depth of flow. Concentration distributions resulting from the introduction of a neutrally buoyant tracer were computed for all the flows.
OPTIMIZATION-BASED DESIGN OF PLANT-FRIENDLY MULTISINE SIGNALS USING GEOMETRIC DISCREPANCY CRITERIA

Abstract The design of constrained, “plant-friendly„ multisine input signals that optimize a geometric discrepancy criterion arising from Weyl's Theorem is examined in this paper. Such signals are meaningful for data-centric estimation methods, where uniform coverage of the output state-space is critical. The usefulness of this problem formulation is demonstrated by applying it to a linear example and to the nonlinear, highly interactive distillation column model developed by Weischedel and McAvoy (1980). The optimization problem includes a search for both the Fourier coefficients and phases in the multisine signal, resulting in an uniformly distributed output signal displaying a desirable balance between high and low gain directions. The solution involves very little user intervention (which enhances its practical usefulness) and has significant benefits compared to multisine signals that minimize crest factor.
Interpersonal Responses and Pain Management Within the US Military

Purpose Chronic pain poses a significant problem for the US military. The benefits of self-management treatments for chronic pain are well-documented, but interpersonal responses also influence physical and psychological health and may not be addressed through self-management treatments alone. The current study examines whether perceived interpersonal responses to pain, as measured by the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), change as a result of participation in an intensive pain management program. It was hypothesized that interpersonal responses to pain would be significantly correlated to psychosocial and physical pain outcomes and that interpersonal responses to pain would change significantly for completers of a functional restoration (FR) program compared to those who were randomized to treatment-as-usual in the military medical system. Methods Forty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One treatment group received FR (n = 26) and the other group received treatment-as-usual (n = 18). Significant other responses to chronic pain were measured by the MPI (Pain 23(4):345-356, 1985). Participants also completed measures of impacted quality of life, reported disability, psychological distress, fear avoidance, pain interference, and physical activity. Results Perceived higher punishing responses from a significant other were significantly related to worse physical health-related quality of life (p = .037), work-related fear avoidance (p = .008), pain interference (p = .026), affective distress (p = .039), and pain while lifting (p = .017). Perceived higher solicitous responses from significant others were significantly associated with lower mental health-related quality of life (p = .011), household activity (p = 017), general activity (p = .042), self-reported disability (p = .030), lifting capacity (p = .005), and aerobic capacity (p = .009). Conclusions While findings are preliminary and of limited scope, it appears that the perception of significant others' responses may be impacted by psychosocial and physical pain outcomes and may change after treatment. More work in this area is needed to uncover the benefits one might achieve when a significant other is included within the FR treatment framework.
Human Factors: The Diffusion of a Profession

“Human factors” and “user experience (UX)”: one may be part of the other, but they are not synonymous. What do we mean when we say “human factors?”
Soluble canonical ensemble models of fragmentation processes

Abstract Soluble models of fragmentation are developed. These models give closed form expressions for the distribution of fragment sizes and for correlations and fluctuations. Simple equations are found which show modes of fragmentation from evaporation to total fragmentation.
Reforming Credit Reform

The Federal Credit Reform Act (FCRA) improved the treatment of credit in the federal budget, but failed to make the budget cost of credit and noncredit programs fully comparable. Inconsistencies and downwardly biased credit costs arise from the restriction under FCRA that cash flows be discounted at Treasury rates, and from the omission of certain administrative costs. We describe the shortcomings of FCRA and policy distortions that may occur, and propose modifications to the Act that would more closely align budget costs of credit and noncredit programs.
A Three-dimensional Polymer Scaffolding Material Exhibiting a Zero Poisson’s Ratio

Poisson's ratio describes the degree to which a material contracts (expands) transversally when axially strained. A material with a zero Poisson's ratio does not transversally deform in response to an axial strain (stretching). In tissue engineering applications, scaffolding having a zero Poisson's ratio (ZPR) may be more suitable for emulating the behavior of native tissues and accommodating and transmitting forces to the host tissue site during wound healing (or tissue regrowth). For example, scaffolding with a zero Poisson's ratio may be beneficial in the engineering of cartilage, ligament, corneal, and brain tissues, which are known to possess Poisson's ratios of nearly zero. Here, we report a 3D biomaterial constructed from polyethylene glycol (PEG) exhibiting in-plane Poisson's ratios of zero for large values of axial strain. We use digital micro-mirror device projection printing (DMD-PP) to create single- and double-layer scaffolds composed of semi-re-entrant pores whose arrangement and deformation mechanisms contribute to the zero Poisson's ratio. Strain experiments prove the zero Poisson's behavior of the scaffolds and that the addition of layers does not change the Poisson's ratio. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on biomaterials with zero Poisson's ratio demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing these novel materials for biological applications which require little to no transverse deformations resulting from axial strains. Techniques used in this work allow Poisson's ratio to be both scale-independent and independent of the choice of strut material for strains in the elastic regime, and therefore ZPR behavior can be imparted to a variety of photocurable biomaterials.
Interactions between forage and wet corn gluten feed as sources of fiber in diets for lactating dairy cows.

Twelve early lactation Holstein cows (4 fistulated) were used in replicated 4 × 4 Latin squares with 4-wk periods to determine the effective neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of wet corn gluten feed and to measure the effect of forage particle size on ruminal mat consistency and passage rate of wet corn gluten feed. Diets were 1) 23.3% NDF (17.4 percentage units of NDF from alfalfa silage), 2) diet 1 plus 11.1 additional percentage units of NDF from alfalfa silage, 3) diet 1 plus 10.7 percentage units of NDF from wet corn gluten feed, and 4) 8.6 percentage units of NDF from alfalfa silage plus 8.9 percentage units of NDF from coarsely chopped alfalfa hay and 10.7 percentage units of NDF from wet corn gluten feed. The calculated effective NDF factor for wet corn gluten feed, using change in milk fat concentration per unit change in NDF, was 0.74 compared with an assumed 1.0 for alfalfa silage. Rumination activity was measured to calculate a physically effective NDF factor for wet corn gluten feed, which was only 0.11 compared with 1.0 for alfalfa silage. Physically effective NDF also was determined for wet corn gluten feed by wet sieving; 22% of the particles were retained on the 3.35-mm screen or greater. Ruminal mat consistency increased and passage rate of wet corn gluten feed decreased with added hay. The inclusion of chopped alfalfa hay to a diet containing wet corn gluten feed increased ruminal mat consistency, rumination activity, and slowed passage rate, resulting in greater ruminal digestion of NDF from wet corn gluten feed. Depending on the response variable, the effectiveness of NDF from wet corn gluten feed varied from 0.11
Statistical analysis of malformed packets and their origins in the modern internet

In this work, we collect and analyze all of the IP and TCP headers of packets seen on a network that either violate existing standards or should not appear in modern internets. Our goal is to determine the reason that these packets appear on the network and evaluate what proportion of such packets could cause actual damage. Thus, we examine and divide the unusual packets obtained during our experiments into several categories based on their type and possible cause and show the results.
Role of the exchange–correlation energy: Nature's glue

In the Kohn-Sham density functional theory of ground-state electronic structure, only the exchange-correlation energy Exc must be approximated. Although Exc is not typically a large component of the total energy, it is the principal ingredient of the glue that binds atoms together to form molecules and solids. To illustrate this fact, we present self-consistent results for atomization energies of molecules and for surface energies and work functions of jellium, calculated within the "Hartree" approximation, which neglects Exc. The Hartree world displays weak bonding between atoms, low or negative surface energies, and work functions that are close to zero. Other aspects of the Hartree world can be deduced from known size-effect relationships. The mechanism behind the glue role of exchange and correlation is the suppression of Hartree charge fluctuations. c 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 77: 814-818, 2000
Outcome of intensive oral motor and behavioural interventions for feeding difficulties in three children with Goldenhar Syndrome.

Objective: The facial anomalies and surgeries associated with Goldenhar Syndrome often lead to feeding problems. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the outcome of Goldenhar Syndrome children admitted to the day patient paediatric feeding programme.Subjects: Three children with Goldenhar Syndrome and feeding difficulties participated, mean age 3 years. Average length of stay was 8 weeks. Upon admission all were dependent on tube feedings.Methods: The children received four therapeutic sessions daily. The sessions included oral motor interventions, behavioural techniques and a structured meal. Data regarding children's feeding were collected at admission and discharge.Results: The patients had 52% acceptance of food/drink at admission and 88.7% at discharge. Expels were 30% at admission and 14% at discharge. Mouth clean was 9.3% at admission and 97% at discharge. Total inappropriate feeding behaviours averaged 83% at admission and 27.3% at discharge. Children averaged 3.4 g per meal at admission a...