cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A methodology for determining complex permittivity of construction materials based on transmission-only coherent, wide-bandwidth free-space measurements

An integrated methodology for determining the unique combination of complex permittivity based on measured transmission coefficient and time difference of arrival (TDOA) information in free-space measurements is proposed. The methodology consists of an estimation procedure of the real part of complex permittivity based on TDOA, and a root-searching procedure based on parametric system identification (SI) together with an error sum of squares (SSE) criterion. Generally, non-unique combinations of dielectric constant and loss factor are encountered when lossy or low-loss materials are measured and the proposed methodology is aimed at the determination of unique combinations of dielectric constant and loss factor for such materials. The proposed methodology is validated by measurements of several materials with known dielectric properties. The estimated complex permittivity values for Teflon, Lexan, Bakelite, and concrete are in good agreement with those reported in the literature. The method has potential for in-situ measurement of dielectric properties for construction materials. Applicability and limitations of the methodology are discussed.
The effects of intraosseous infusion on the growth plate in a nestling rabbit model.

Study objective: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that saline or bicarbonate infusion does not damage the growth plate in a nestling rabbit model. Setting: Animal laboratory. Design: In this prospective study, 22 tibias from nestling rabbits were randomized into control, puncture-only, physiologic saline, or bicarbonate infusion groups and killed three and five days after treatment for evaluation of injury. Measurements: Bone injury was evaluated by microradiograph and by decalcified and undecalcified histology. Results: Radiographs demonstrated loss of trabecular lie, calcified) bone after infusion of both saline and bicarbonate solutions. Although no histologic damage to the cell lines of the growth plate was seen, newly formed bone trabeculae were seen in both infusion groups, suggesting injury and repair at sites of infusion. These findings were absent in control and puncture-only groups. No histologic or radiographic differences were seen between saline and bicarbonate infusions. Conclusion: The nestling rabbit provides a good animal model for evaluating the effects of intraosseous infusion on growing long bones and cartilage. Saline and bicarbonate infusions did not damage morphologically the metaphyseal growth plate but did cause loss of bone trabeculae that support the growth plate. The injury appeared to be repaired rapidly in these nestling rabbits.
The Group Matters: A Review of Processes and Outcomes in Intelligence Analysis

The work of intelligence analysts is fundamentally cognitive in nature. Intelligence analysis consists largely of identifying problems, generating and evaluating hypotheses, identifying and assessing open source and classified information, recognizing patterns in large sets of data, aggregating information, and providing results in the form of judgments, forecasts, and insights to policymakers. These activities are often conducted by individuals; however, intelligence agencies and experts have called increasingly for the use of teams in intelligence analysis. This article reviews the research literature on group-level phenomena (that is, process losses) that are most relevant to the work of intelligence analysts, including productivity losses in brainstorming, the common knowledge effect, group polarization, confirmation bias, overconfidence, and pressures toward uniformity. We describe how features of intelligence analysis teams’ tasks, context, and structure affect these processes, present methods to minimize these process losses and increase process gains, and discuss directions for future research. Although our focus is on intelligence analysis teams, these processes and interventions are relevant to a range of analytical teams that share common characteristics.
Chelsea Bank: Scans and Workplace Knowledge:

This study examines the extent to which student groups working with the Chelsea Bank computer simulation were able to use school-to-work transition skills. Chelsea Bank is a workplace simulation fo...
Accuracy and precision of computer-aided sperm analysis in multicenter studies.

Study Objectives To develop methods of instrument calibration and standardization that enable the use of computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) technology in multicenter studies of sperm motility. Setting Clinical semen evaluation for the andrology laboratory and in vitro fertilization programs. Patients Semen specimens were selected from the videotape archives of the University of California at Davis Andrology Laboratory and used to produce a videotape reference standard for CASA instrument testing and calibration. Four identical CASA instruments, two each at two sites, were used to analyze the videotape. Machine accuracy was verified by manual analysis of the videotape. Results The coefficient of variation (CV) for repeated measures was between 1% and 8% for each variable on all CASA instruments. Mean values for CASA parameters varied as a function of the digitization threshold. A minimum CV was obtained at a particular threshold setting, suggesting an optimum for each machine. Because of high within-machine precision, slight differences in mean values between machines were statistically significant for some variables and some specimens; such differences are probably not biologically significant. Conclusion Multicenter standardization of CASA instrumentation is possible, but threshold settings are one source of variation that must be controlled using CVs or another means of objective calibration. One method is to adjust the threshold of each instrument until the count obtained by CASA equals the count obtained by the manual method used to determine the dilution requirements for neat semen.
Stream PRAM

Parallel random access memory, or PRAM, is a now venerable model of parallel computation that that still retains its usefulness for the design and analysis of parallel algorithms. Parallel computational models proposed after PRAM address short comings of PRAM in terms of modeling realism of actual machines. In this work, we propose a multiple instruction stream partitioned PRAM, or "stream PRAM." This model embodies the reality of a small number of parallel processors, each with local memory (which could also be small), where a problem is generally evenly distributed among all processing elements. Actual hardware configurations limit the number of shared memories which can be efficiently implemented. By allowing each shared memory to also act as an independent instruction stream, more functionality is possible with a small extra cost. The additional instruction streams provide limited asynchronous abilities and offer the flexibility of a reconfigurable network as well as allowing the processing elements to perform independent actions. Because the proposed stream PRAM allows variable sizes for processors, memory, and problem sizes, it is valuable for present as well as future parallelism.
Multiscale Model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Maps Metabolite and Gene Perturbations to Granuloma Sterilization Predictions

Granulomas are a hallmark of tuberculosis. Inside granulomas, the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis may enter a metabolically inactive state that is less susceptible to antibiotics. Understanding M. tuberculosis metabolism within granulomas could contribute to reducing the lengthy treatment required for tuberculosis and provide additional targets for new drugs. Two key adaptations of M. tuberculosis are a nonreplicating phenotype and accumulation of lipid inclusions in response to hypoxic conditions. To explore how these adaptations influence granuloma-scale outcomes in vivo, we present a multiscale in silico model of granuloma formation in tuberculosis. The model comprises host immunity, M. tuberculosis metabolism, M. tuberculosis growth adaptation to hypoxia, and nutrient diffusion. We calibrated our model to in vivo data from nonhuman primates and rabbits and apply the model to predict M. tuberculosis population dynamics and heterogeneity within granulomas. We found that bacterial populations are highly dynamic throughout infection in response to changing oxygen levels and host immunity pressures. Our results indicate that a nonreplicating phenotype, but not lipid inclusion formation, is important for long-term M. tuberculosis survival in granulomas. We used virtual M. tuberculosis knockouts to predict the impact of both metabolic enzyme inhibitors and metabolic pathways exploited to overcome inhibition. Results indicate that knockouts whose growth rates are below ∼66% of the wild-type growth rate in a culture medium featuring lipid as the only carbon source are unable to sustain infections in granulomas. By mapping metabolite- and gene-scale perturbations to granuloma-scale outcomes and predicting mechanisms of sterilization, our method provides a powerful tool for hypothesis testing and guiding experimental searches for novel antituberculosis interventions.
Rare case of sarcoidosis presenting with pancytopenia, acute renal failure and hypercalcaemia.

A 72-year-old Caucasian woman presented to the emergency department with a 1-day history of dizziness. Review of systems was significant for progressive fatigue, exercise intolerance, intermittent chills and anorexia over the preceding few weeks. She had a medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and chronic kidney disease (stage IV; baseline creatinine 2.30 mg/dL). Medications included cholecalciferol (2000 units by mouth daily). The patient had never smoked, did not consume alcohol and did not use illicit drugs. On physical examination, she was haemodynamically stable and had …
A new method to increase the sensitivity of photoelasticity: A new method using the continuous relationship between fringe order and fringe density as recorded on film is proposed for whole-field interpolation of isochromatic-fringe patterns

A method is proposed to read the isochromatic-fringe order continuously as a function of position. It utilizes the fact that the fringe order is a continuous function of the light intensity, which is converted into the density of a photographic negative and then traced out either by a microdensitometer or isodensitracer. Explicit relationship between the fringe order and the film density is obtained. Hundreds of points can be read between a half and an adjacent integral order. The method is whole field in nature and offers the possiblity of direct computer processing of photoelastic information.
Internal gravity waves in the atmosphere

One of the shortcomings of at least those lee-wave theories which are mathematically tractable with relative ease, is that they do not satisfy the perturbation energy equation. In this report we started from a simplified energy equation and by parameterizing certain terms using plausible assumptions, we arrived at a solution of the primitive equations for internal gravity waves. Several cases of lee waves near Boulder were compared with this solution and results are encouraging. The proposed internal gravity wave solution suggests that wave formations observed in the noctilucent cloud region are most likely generatedin situ and not propagated upward from the troposphere.
Attitude Theory and Decision Theory: Where is the Common Ground?

This article is primarily concerned with the interface between attitude theory and decision theory. l Other authLors have suggested a relationship [2, 7, 14], but to our knowledge no one has attempted to spell out in any precise way the nature of this relationship as we attempt to do here. First, we examine the relationship between Fishbein's attitude model and decision theory models. Next, the basic attitude model frequently used to investigate the relative predictive effectiveness of weighted and unweighted attitude models and its relationship to the Fishbein model and decision theory models is considered. Our comments are confined to the area of choice or preference behavior.
The Meaning of Republicanism in The Federalist

There are few themes of the American Founding with the enduring importance of republicanism. Unfortunately scholarly consideration of the theme of republicanism was seriously led astray for much of this century by the great influence of those historians that Tocqueville would have called democratic and that we call Progressive. During the last two decades the restrictions of the Progressive historians have been shaken off by historians such as Bernard Bailyn and Gordon Wood and political scientists such as Martin Diamond and Paul Eidelberg and we have been provided with some of the richest and most insightful writing on the nature of American republicanism and the political institutions spawned by that republicanism since the Founding itself. While the thoughtful will applaud this development, there are still two problems. First, the political science profession as a whole, suffering from a kind of cultural lag, seems unaware of this development. Most American government textbooks and other publications that deal in some way with the institutional features of American government are sadly bound by the cliches of thirty years ago. Second, the writings of those who have transcended the limitations of the Progressive dogma, although rich and insightful, have not spoken with a unified voice as to the nature of American republicanism or American institutions. We need to go further than Eidelberg's critique of Diamond to see the lack of unity that has emerged from recent serious scholarly considerations of the republicanism of the Founding.'
Correlates of Never Testing for HIV Among Non-Hispanic Black Men in the United States: National Survey of Family Growth, 2011–2013

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that persons between 15 and 64 years get tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at least once in their lifetime and persons with HIV risk factors get tested more frequently. There is limited research examining factors associated with never testing for HIV among non-Hispanic Black men in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of never testing for HIV, reasons for never testing for HIV, and correlates of never testing for HIV. We analyzed 2011–2013 National Survey of Family Growth data and restricted analyses to male respondents aged 15–44 years who self-identified as being non-Hispanic Black. Logistic regression models estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) assessing the association between socio-demographic and behavioral factors and never testing for HIV. An estimated 31.2 % of non-Hispanic Black males aged 15–44 years have never been tested for HIV. Non-Hispanic Black men aged 15–17 years (APR 4.45; 95 % CI 2.88–6.87) or 18–24 years (APR 1.94; 95 % CI 1.21–3.13), who did not visit a doctor or healthcare provider (APR 1.43; 95 % CI 1.10–1.86), or did not report any sexual risk behaviors in the past 12 months (APR 1.83; 95 % CI 1.34–2.51) were more likely to never test for HIV compared to their respective counterparts. Continued expansion of HIV testing initiatives and prevention programs that focus on non-Hispanic Black men is critical to addressing HIV-related health disparities and the public health burden of HIV in this population.
The definition of Iberian autonomy: 1157–1295

The death of Alfonso VII, el Emperador , of Leon–Castile in 1157 marked the end of four decades of triumphant progress on the part of the Christian principalities of the north of Iberia and the beginning of another six decades of the painstaking consolidation of prior gains in the face of considerable adversity. All things considered, the pause in that expansion was beneficial. The resources then to hand long proved barely adequate to maintain stability in the northern principalities, already swollen beyond all recognition from their shape and size even at the beginning of the twelfth century. That is not to suggest that fellows of our species were any more inclined than we to recognize the merits of moderation or the foolishness of the gambler's throw. Rather, this fortunate restraint was forced upon them by the new strength of their enemies and the crippling contradictions inherent in their own constructions. The newfound vigor of the most obvious enemy, Islam, came from a familiar source. For the prior seventy years the military and political potency of al-Andalus had resided in the Moroccan empire of the Murābit of which it had become a part. For most of that time, the reigns of Yūsuf ibn Tāshufīn (1070–1106) and of his son Alī ibn Yūsuf (1106–1143), the Murābit emirs had ruled strongly but had been unable either to define the religious mission of their movement once it had become victorious or, alternatively, to construct a frankly political structure that could capture the consent of those beyond the family and tribal complex that was the government.
Factors associated with acute postoperative pain following breast reconstruction

Abstract Introduction Postmastectomy breast reconstruction has become an increasingly important component of breast cancer treatment. Unfortunately, some patients experience severe postoperative pain, placing them at risk for increased clinical morbidity and the development of disabling chronic pain. To identify patients at risk, we prospectively evaluated patient characteristics and medical/surgical variables associated with more severe acute post-reconstruction pain. Methods Women (N = 2207; 1-week 82.8% response rate) undergoing breast reconstruction were assessed for pain experience, anxiety, depression, and sociodemographic characteristics before surgery. Pain assessments were made preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 week using validated survey instruments including the McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (MPQ-SF), Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and BREAST-Q Chest and Upper Body scale. Depressive symptoms and anxiety severity were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorders Scale, respectively. Mixed-effects regression modeling was used to examine the relationships between patient characteristics and medical/surgical variables and 1-week postoperative pain. Results Younger age; bilateral reconstruction; and severity of preoperative pain, anxiety, and depression were associated with more severe acute postoperative pain on all the pain measures and BREAST-Q. Surgical procedure type indicated less severe postoperative pain for PTRAM, DIEP, and SIEA reconstructive surgery when compared with tissue expander/implant reconstruction. Conclusions This study identifies patients at risk for severe acute postoperative pain following breast reconstruction. These findings will allow plastic surgeons to better tailor postoperative care to improve patient comfort, reduce clinical morbidity, and enhance patient satisfaction with their surgical outcome.
Tetrahydrobiopterin rescues impaired responses of cerebral resistance arterioles during type 1 diabetes.

Our goal was to test the hypothesis that administration of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) would improve impaired endothelial nitric oxide synthase–dependent dilation of cerebral arterioles during type 1...
Multiscale habitat relationships of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the mixed conifer landscape of the Northern Rockies, USA: Cross-scale effects of horizontal cover with implications for forest management.

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are an ecologically important herbivore because they modify vegetation through browsing and serve as a prey resource for multiple predators. We implemented a multiscale approach to characterize habitat relationships for snowshoe hares across the mixed conifer landscape of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. Our objectives were to (1) assess the relationship between horizontal cover and snowshoe hares, (2) estimate how forest metrics vary across the gradient of snowshoe hare use and horizontal cover, and (3) model and map snowshoe hare occupancy and intensity of use. Results indicated that both occupancy and intensity of use by snowshoe hares increased with horizontal cover and that the effect became stronger as intensity of use increased. This underscores the importance of dense horizontal cover to achieve high use, and likely density, of snowshoe hares. Forest structure in areas with high snowshoe hare use and horizontal cover was characterized as multistoried with dense canopy cover and medium- sized trees (e.g., 12.7–24.4 cm). The abundance of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) was associated with snowshoe hare use within a mixed conifer context, and the only species to increase in abundance with horizontal cover was Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Our landscape- level modeling produced similar patterns in that we observed a positive effect of lodgepole pine and horizontal cover on both occupancy and use by snowshoe hares, but we also observed a positive yet parabolic effect of snow depth on snowshoe hare occupancy. This work is among the first to characterize the multiscale habitat relationships of snowshoe hares across a mixed conifer landscape as well as to map their occupancy and intensity of use. Moreover, our results provide standand landscape- level insights that directly relate to management agencies, which aids in conservation efforts of snowshoe hares and their associated predators.
Islamism and Post-Islamism: “Non-Muslim” in Socio-Political Discourse of Pakistan, the United States, and Indonesia

Islamism is defined by Asef Bayat as ideologies and movements that strive to establish some kind of an ‘Islamic order,’ in the form of a religious state, sharia law, or moral codes. However, Bayat and other scholars have found that nowadays Islamism is changing and many countries share the traits of post-Islamism instead of Islamism. According to Bayat, post-Islamism is both condition and project to “conceptualize and strategize the rationale and modalities of transcending Islam in social, political, and intellectual domains.” In short, it has a hybrid tendency to combine Islam and democracy. This paper will discuss how the category of “non-Muslim” is taken place in the socio-political discourse of Islamism and post-Islamism. To limit the discussion, there are only three examples from Pakistan, the United States, and Indonesia. [Islamisme menurut Asef Bayat adalah ideologi dan gerakan yang berjuang untuk membentuk semacam “tatanan Islam” dalam bentuk negara Islam, hukum syariat, atau pun hukum etis. Saat ini, islamisme telah berubah. Di beberapa negara muncul gejala post-islamisme yang khas. Bayat mendefinisikan post-islamisme sebagai kondisi dan keinginan untuk mengkonsep alasan dan modalitas untuk mengusung Islam ke ranah sosial, politik, dan keilmuan. Sehingga, muncul pula kecenderungan untuk menggabungkan Islam dan demokrasi. Tulisan ini mendiskusikan konsep “non-muslim” dalam wacana sosial politik terkait dengan Islamisme dan post-Islamisme. Pembahasan dibatasi pada tiga contoh dari Pakistan, Amerika Serikat, dan Indonesia.]
Surgical Treatment for Epilepsy

Intractable epilepsy can be treated with surgery, and multiple studies have shown that surgery can be more effective than prolonged medical therapy for carefully chosen patients with intractable epilepsy. Surgical options fall into three broad categories: resection techniques, disconnection surgeries, and neuromodulation involving electrical stimulation. Patients who have concordant findings on EEG and imaging (e.g., a lesion that coincides with a seizure focus in a noneloquent area) are candidates for surgical resection. Patients without concordant findings can undergo palliative surgeries such as disconnection surgeries, or they could be candidates for neuromodulation.
Ultralong-range optical coherence tomography-based angiography by akinetic swept source

Most of current OCT-based angiography suffers from small FOV with short imaging range. Here we implement an ultralong-range OCT system for vascular imaging based on an akinetic swept source. This swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) system enables us to achieve up to 46 mm long imaging range with unprecedented roll-off performance. To compare with traditional spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) system, we demonstrated the vascular imaging of the entire mice brain with wide FOV by this ultralong-range SS-OCT system and captured the blood flow images at different depth position, which shows the great advantages and bright future of this ultralong-range SS-OCT in vascular imaging.
In-Hospital Mortality and Post-Transplantation Complications in Elderly Multiple Myeloma Patients Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Population-Based Study

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) has improved survival in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and is increasingly used in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare in-hospital complications and mortality after auto-HSCT in younger ( age 65) MM patients utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Over a 3-year period (2008 to 2010), 2209 patients with MM were admitted to US hospitals for auto-HSCT. The median age was 59 years, with 1650 patients (74.7%) younger than age 65 and 559 patients (25.3%) 65 or older. Overall, in-hospital mortality in MM patients after auto-HSCT was rare (1.5%) and there was no significant difference in mortality between elderly and younger patients. Elderly patients did have a significantly increased mean length of stay (18.6 days + 10.8 days [SD] versus 16.8 days + 7.2 days [SD], P < .001) and mean total hospital charges ($161,117 + $105,008 [SD] versus $151,192 + $78,342 [SD] , P = .018) compared with younger patients. Elderly patients were significantly more likely than younger patients to develop major in-hospital post-transplantation complications such as severe sepsis (odds ratio [OR], 2.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40 to 5.21; P = .003), septic shock (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.43 to 6.71; P = .004), pneumonia (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.46; P = .024), acute respiratory failure (OR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.70 to 6.96; P = .001), endotracheal intubation requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.06 to 4.55; P = .035), acute renal failure (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.38 to 3.33; P = .001), and cardiac arrhythmias (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.52 to 2.79; P <.001). These data may help guide informed consent discussions and provide a focus for future studies to reduce treatment-related morbidity in elderly MM patients undergoing auto-HSCT.
CAG Polymorphisms in androgen signaling genes predict aggressive epithelial ovarian cancer biology

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 1852 Purpose: The androgen receptor (AR) harbors a polymorphic CAG repeat sequence in exon 1, coding for a polyglutamine tract whose length inversely correlates with AR transactivation function. AIB1, an steroid receptor co-activator, expresses a similar polymorphic glutamine sequence within the carboxy-terminal coding region. We hypothesize that genotypic variations in the androgen signaling pathway promote aggressive epithelial ovarian cancer biology, and sought to examine AR-AIB1 interactions in malignant ovarian epithelial cells and to determine the impact of AR and AIB1 genotype on clinical outcome. Experimental Design. AR-null SKOV-3 cells were stably transfected with AR and subjected to confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) after treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Cells were labeled with monoclonal anti-AR and anti-AIB1 antibodies. Genotype analysis of the AR and AIB1 CAG repeat regions was performed on 89 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Medical records were reviewed for clinico-pathologic factors and survival. Data were examined using the Chi-squared test and Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox Regression analyses. Results: Nuclear translocation of AIB1 was identified on CLSM with expression of AR. Co-localization studies also suggested direct interaction between AR and AIB1. Patients with short AR and AIB1 genotype ( 62 months, p = 0.01). After controlling for age, stage, grade, and suboptimal cytoreduction, multivariate analysis identified the presence of short AR - AIB1 genotype as an independent poor prognostic factor for overall survival ( p = 0.05). Conclusions: These data suggest AR and AIB1 directly interact in malignant epithelial ovarian cells, and that this combination of short genotypes in key proteins of the androgen signaling pathway may promote an aggressive phenotype of epithelial ovarian cancer.
On Pruning of Data in a Sliding Window for Computing a Rank-Order Element

In a window of $\boldsymbol{N}$ elements, if $\boldsymbol{k}$ old elements are replaced by $\boldsymbol{k}$ new elements during a step, then $({\boldsymbol{N} - \boldsymbol{k}})$ old elements are still maintained in the new instance of the window. In this work, we show that not all such elements need to be maintained in the future instances of the sliding window for exact computation of a rank-order element. It is shown that depending on the value and the time order, an element of the current window may never become the intended rank-order element in any future instances of the window. Theoretical as well as simulation results show that significant reduction in the size of a window can be achieved by pruning or removing such elements or data samples from the window.
A Sequential Discontinuous Galerkin Method for the Coupling of Flow and Geomechanics

A decoupled and sequential numerical method is proposed and analyzed for solving the linear poroelasticity equations. Unlike other splitting approaches, this method is not iterative, which results in a speed-up of the computational time. The interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin method is employed for the spatial discretization and is combined with the backward Euler method for the time discretization. We provide a convergence analysis of the scheme along with numerical results that confirm the theoretical results.
Using iPad Tablets for Self-modeling with Preschoolers: Videos versus Photos.

As technology becomes more accessible and acceptable in the preschool setting, teachers need effective strategies of incorporating it to address challenging behaviors. A nonconcurrent delayed multiple baseline design in combination with an alternating treatment design was utilized to investigate the effects of using iPad tablets to display video self-modeling and activity photos for three preschoolers during circle time. During baseline, all three children demonstrated low levels of engagement and high levels of off-task behavior compared to peers. The intervention phase consisted of alternating between showing the child the self-video and photos prior to circle time. A child preference phase was conducted whereby each child self-selected the video or photo prior to circle time. For all three children both videos and photos led to increased engagement and decreased off-task behaviors. During the child preference phase, all three children selected the video most frequently. Social validity data demonstrated teacher and child preference for the video self-modeling condition.
Prognostic indicators and survival in salvage surgery for laryngeal cancer.

Background Perineural invasion (PNI) and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) are known to be poor prognostic indicators in primary surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine their impact on survival in the setting of salvage laryngectomy. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent salvage laryngectomy between 2006 and 2014. Results Seventy-eight patients were included in this study; PNI was diagnosed in 48 patients (61.54%) and LVI in 25 patients (32.05%). Median overall survival was 32 months; PNI was associated with decreased survival; and the unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 2.69 (P = .006). Cases of LVI trended toward a decreased survival; with an unadjusted HR of 1.74 (P = .076). On multivariate analysis, PNI, LVI, or both conferred decreased survival compared to having neither (P = .01). Extracapsular spread and nodal metastases significantly impacted survival, and positive margins trended toward significance. Conclusion The presence of PNI, LVI, nodal disease, and extracapsular spread significantly affected survival in this cohort of patients with laryngeal cancer.
Consequences of high-frequency operation on EUV source efficiency

A potential problem of future extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources, required for high volume manufacture regimes, can be related to the contamination of the chamber environment by products of preceding laser pulse/droplet interactions. Implementation of high, 100 kHz and higher, repetition rate of EUV sources using Sn droplets ignited with laser pulses can cause high accumulation of tin in the chamber in the form of vapor, fine mist, or fragmented clusters. In this work, the effects of the residual tin accumulation in the EUV chamber in dependence on laser parameters and mitigation system efficiency were studied. The effect of various pressures of tin vapor on the CO2 and Nd:YAG laser beam propagation and on the size, the intensity, and the resulting efficiency of the EUV sources was analyzed. The HEIGHTS 3D package was used for this analysis to study the effect of residual background pressure and spatial distribution on EUV photon emission and collection. It was found that background pressure in the range o...
Cardiovascular disease: The rise of the genetic risk score.

In a Perspective, Joshua Knowles and Euan Ashley discuss the potential for use of genetic risk scores in clinical practice
Drunk User Interfaces: Determining Blood Alcohol Level through Everyday Smartphone Tasks

Breathalyzers, the standard quantitative method for assessing inebriation, are primarily owned by law enforcement and used only after a potentially inebriated individual is caught driving. However, not everyone has access to such specialized hardware. We present drunk user interfaces: smartphone user interfaces that measure how alcohol affects a person's motor coordination and cognition using performance metrics and sensor data. We examine five drunk user interfaces and combine them to form the "DUI app". DUI uses machine learning models trained on human performance metrics and sensor data to estimate a person's blood alcohol level (BAL). We evaluated DUI on 14 individuals in a week-long longitudinal study wherein each participant used DUI at various BALs. We found that with a global model that accounts for user-specific learning, DUI can estimate a person's BAL with an absolute mean error of 0.005% ± 0.007% and a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.96 with breathalyzer measurements.
Jump Linear Quadratic Control for Energy Management of a Nanogrid

Energy security and the aging grid infrastructure in the United States are two important subjects at the crossroads between politics and technology. One proposed solution to these two issues revolves around the concept of an islanded microgrid. Microgrids are becoming increasingly popular, combining multiple energy generation and storage systems to diversify and secure their private energy portfolios. The work presented in this paper is the application of jump linear quadratic (JLQ) control to the energy management of an islanded microgrid operating with a solar generation, fuel cell, and battery energy storage system. A continuous finite state Markov chain is used to model the intermittent generation of the solar array. The microgrid's energy management model is formulated, stochastic optimal feedback control is obtained, and results from an example illustrate the validity of the proposed approach.
Factors influencing successful net promoter score adoption by a nonprofit organization: a case study of the Boy Scouts of America

To better manage a far-flung, volunteer-dominated workforce, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) incorporated a customer feedback metric, the Net Promoter Score (NPS), into its performance management measures in 2012. The customer feedback program collected, analyzed and disseminated NPS scores, loyalty driver question scores and text comments from seven constituency segments throughout the organization. The data and feedback, along with the ability to identify relationships between drivers and constituency NPS ratings, changed the focus of BSA executives and positively influenced organizational practices. However, many of the potential benefits of an NPS program were not realized. This case study identifies factors that facilitated and impeded the BSA’s achieving the full benefits of an NPS program and provides recommendations for nonprofits considering adopting a customer feedback performance metric.
Strength training attenuates post-infarct cardiac dysfunction and remodeling.

Post-myocardial infarction (MI) exercise has been employed to improve cardiac function. However, most studies have focused on endurance training (Et). Although Et has been reported to preserve cardiac function, evidence suggests that Et increases left ventricle (LV) interior dimensions as a result of albumin-induced plasma expansion. In contrast, strength training (St) induces concentric cardiac hypertrophy and improved cardiac function without causing ventricular dilation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of St on cardiac function and remodeling in rats with MI. MI was surgically induced in 7-week-old rats via ligation of the coronary artery. Survivors were assigned to two experimental groups, MI-Sed (No exercise; n = 9), MI-St (St; n = 10), with a Sham group (no MI, no St; n = 9). MI-St rats began training 1-week post-MI by climbing a ladder with weights for 10 weeks. Echocardiographic measurements were performed prior to, and following exercise training, while in vivo LV hemodynamic analysis was conducted at the end of the experimental period. Our data revealed that St induced shortening of the LV end-diastolic dimension in the MI-St group compared with the MI-Sed group (P < 0.05). The peak velocities of contraction (+ dP/dt max) and relaxation (− dP/dt max) were significantly greater in the MI-St group than the MI-Sed group (P < 0.05). These training effects contributed to the improved fractional shortening (%FS). Our results demonstrate that St may be beneficial for post-MI by attenuating LV dilation and concomitant cardiac dysfunction associated with MI.
Winning Models for Grade Point Average, Grit, and Layoff in the Fragile Families Challenge:

In this article, the authors discuss and analyze their approach to the Fragile Families Challenge. The data consisted of more than 12,000 features (covariates) about the children and their parents,...
Electrodeposition of Sb/CNT composite films as anodes for Li- and Na-ion batteries

Abstract Antimony is a known high capacity anode material for both Li- and Na-ion batteries that has the potential to improve the energy storage density over commercial graphite anode-based Li-ion batteries. As with other high capacity anode materials (such as silicon), the large storage capacity of antimony results in large volume changes of the anode during discharge/recharge cycles. This results in the formation of significant cracking of the anode, causing active material to lose electrical connection to the current collector which, ultimately, causes the cell to fail. To address this type of failure, we incorporate carbon nanotubes into antimony carbon nanotube composite electrodes (Sb/CNT) using a one-step electrodeposition procedure. The advantage of directly depositing functional anodes from solution is that no binders are used and there is no post-processing required. This means that the electrical and mechanical behavior of these materials can be probed directly in functioning battery cells, without the convolution of other materials. The Sb/CNT composite films cycle with higher reversible capacities and for longer than Sb films electrodeposited without CNT’s in both the Li-ion and Na-ion cells. Post-cycling characterization of the anodes confirms the ability of the CNT’s to keep the anode film more mechanically and electrically connected, despite large volume changes and significant solid-electrolyte-interface layer formation.
Biochemical Reconstitution of HIV-1 Assembly and Maturation

The assembly of an orthoretrovirus such as HIV-1 requires the coordinated functioning of multiple biochemical activities of the viral Gag protein. These activities include membrane targeting, lattice formation, packaging of the RNA genome, and recruitment of cellular cofactors that modulate assembly. In most previous studies, these Gag activities have been investigated individually, which provided somewhat limited insight into how they functionally integrate during the assembly process. Here, we report the development of a biochemical reconstitution system that allowed us to investigate how Gag lattice formation, RNA binding, and the assembly cofactor inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) synergize to generate immature virus particles in vitro The results identify an important rate-limiting step in assembly and reveal new insights into how RNA and IP6 promote immature Gag lattice formation. The immature virus-like particles can be converted into mature capsid-like particles by the simple addition of viral protease, suggesting that it is possible in principle to fully biochemically reconstitute the sequential processes of HIV-1 assembly and maturation from purified components.IMPORTANCE Assembly and maturation are essential steps in the replication of orthoretroviruses such as HIV-1 and are proven therapeutic targets. These processes require the coordinated functioning of the viral Gag protein's multiple biochemical activities. We describe here the development of an experimental system that allows an integrative analysis of how Gag's multiple functionalities cooperate to generate a retrovirus particle. Our current studies help to illuminate how Gag synergizes the formation of the virus compartment with RNA binding and how these activities are modulated by the small molecule IP6. Further development and use of this system should lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 assembly and maturation and may provide new insights for the development of antiretroviral drugs.
Non-targeted discovery-based analysis for gas chromatography with mass spectrometry: A comparison of peak table, tile, and pixel-based Fisher ratio analysis.

Abstract The ability to discover minute differences between samples or sample classes for gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) can be a challenging endeavor, especially when those differences are not a priori. Fisher ratio (F-ratio) analysis is an apt technique to probe the differences between GC-MS chromatograms. F-ratio analysis is a supervised, non-targeted, discovery-based method that compares two different samples (or sample classes) to reduce the GC-MS dataset into a hit list composed of class distinguishing compounds. Three different F-ratio techniques, peak table, tile, and pixel-based were used to “discover” nine non-native analytes that were spiked into gasoline at four different nominal concentrations of 250, 85, 25, 5 parts-per-million (ppm). For the tile and pixel-based F-ratio calculations, a novel methodology is introduced to improve the sensitivity of the F-ratio calculations while reducing false positives. Furthermore, we use a combinatorial technique using null class comparisons, termed null distribution analysis, to determine a statistical F-ratio cutoff for analysis of the hit lists. The pixel-based algorithm was the most sensitive method and was able to “discover” all nine spiked analytes at a nominal concentration of 250 ppm albeit with one false positive interspersed towards the bottom of the hit list. The pixel-based software was also able to “discover” more of the spiked analytes at the lower concentrations with seven of the spiked analytes “discovered” at 85 ppm, four of the spiked analytes “discovered” at 25 ppm, and one analyte “discovered” at 5 ppm.
Machine Learning for Crack Detection: Review and Model Performance Comparison

AbstractWith the advancement of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), there is a great opportunity to enhance the development of automatic crack detection algorithms. In this paper, the aut...
Beyond biology: The importance of cultural factors in explaining gender disparities in STEM preferences:

Gender disparities in participation in many STEM fields, particularly computer science, engineering, and physics, remain prevalent in Western societies. Stewart-Williams and Halsey contend that an ...
A database of global storm surge reconstructions.

Storm surges are among the deadliest coastal hazards and understanding how they have been affected by climate change and variability in the past is crucial to prepare for the future. However, tide gauge records are often too short to assess trends and perform robust statistical analyses. Here we use a data-driven modeling framework to simulate daily maximum surge values at 882 tide gauge locations across the globe. We use five different atmospheric reanalysis products for the storm surge reconstruction, the longest one going as far back as 1836. The data that we generate can be used, for example, for long-term trend analyses of the storm surge climate and identification of regions where changes in the intensity and/or frequency of storms surges have occurred in the past. It also provides a better basis for robust extreme value analysis, especially for tide gauges where observational records are short. The data are made available for public use through an interactive web-map as well as a public data repository. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13296035
Decoding Imagined Sound

The experience of hearing sounds not present in the air around us has been explored by composers, artists, and researchers for decades. Understanding and communicating the experience of these imagined sounds is often at the core of these explorations. This chapter presents guidelines and best practices for designing frameworks to decode imagined sound. The guidelines explore various design considerations and provide a detailed taxonomy of imagined sound for additional clarity. The second-half of the chapter details the design and results of a contemporary example of the decoding of imagined sound through a brain imaging study where decoding involves machine learning of the pattern of brain activity associated with specific properties imagining of sound, such as pitch-class and timbre, and then estimating those properties from novel data. The discussion of the study outlines the successful decoding of pitch-class and timbral information from brain scans of trained musicians imagining individual musical notes.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic populations using the DiaSorin molecular Simplexa and Roche Cobas EUA assays.

Abstract Identification of asymptomatic patients is necessary to control the COVID-19 pandemic and testing is one of the measures to detect this population. We evaluated the clinical correlation of the DiaSorin Molecular Simplexa COVID-19 Direct (DiaSorin Molecular) and Roche Cobas 6800 SARS-CoV-2 (Roche) assays using 253 oropharyngeal (OP) swab specimens collected from asymptomatic patients. Agreement between DiaSorin Molecular and Roche was 97% (95% CI, 0.94 to 0.99), with a κ statistic of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83 to 0.97) and a PPA of 89% (95% CI, 0.76 to 0.96) and NPA of 99% (95% CI, 0.97 to 0.99). Simple regression analysis of Ct values revealed a regression line of y = 1.065*X - 5.537 with a Pearson's r of 0.8542, indicating a good correlation between both platforms. The DiaSorin Molecular assay demonstrates clinical performance comparable to that of Roche in this population.