cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning from Errors: Identifying Strategies in a Math Tutoring System

This study attempts to investigate how students gain knowledge by utilizing help and practice after making errors. We define three types of strategies used by students after errors: help-seeking (requesting two worked examples in the next attempts after an error), practice (solving the problems in the next two attempts after an error), and mixed (first requesting a worked example or first solving a problem in the next two attempts after an error). Our results indicate that the most frequently used strategies are help and mixed strategies. However, the practice strategy and mixed strategies facilitate immediate performance improvement. Additionally, the help strategy was found to interfere with delayed performance.
Advances in the diagnosis and management of neck pain

Neck pain imposes a considerable personal and socioeconomic burden—it is one of the top five chronic pain conditions in terms of prevalence and years lost to disability—yet it receives a fraction of the research funding given to low back pain. Although most acute episodes resolve spontaneously, more than a third of affected people still have low grade symptoms or recurrences more than one year later, with genetics and psychosocial factors being risk factors for persistence. Nearly half of people with chronic neck pain have mixed neuropathic-nociceptive symptoms or predominantly neuropathic symptoms. Few clinical trials are dedicated solely to neck pain. Muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are effective for acute neck pain, and clinical practice is mostly guided by the results of studies performed for other chronic pain conditions. Among complementary and alternative treatments, the strongest evidence is for exercise, with weaker evidence supporting massage, acupuncture, yoga, and spinal manipulation in different contexts. For cervical radiculopathy and facet arthropathy, weak evidence supports epidural steroid injections and radiofrequency denervation, respectively. Surgery is more effective than conservative treatment in the short term but not in the long term for most of these patients, and clinical observation is a reasonable strategy before surgery.
Exploring Factors Related to Completion of an Online Undergraduate-Level Introductory Statistics Course.

Data were collected from 353 online undergraduate introductory statistics students at the beginning of a semester using the Goals and Outcomes Associated with Learning Statistics (GOALS) instrument, an abbreviated form the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS), a survey of expected grade and expected time commitment, and the first lesson quiz. At the end of the semester, whether or not each student successfully completed the course with a grade of D or higher was recorded. It was hypothesized that students who successfully completed the course would have had favorable ratings on each of these variables. While there were no significant differences between students who did and did not successfully complete the course in terms of anxiety, attitudes, or expected time commitment, students who completed the course had higher scores on the GOALS, higher expected grades, and higher scores on the first quiz of the semester. Stepwise logistic regression found that students’ attitudes towards statistics teachers and scores on the first quiz of the semester could be used to predict whether or not students would successfully complete the course. Based on these findings, suggestions for online instructors are given.
Equity-Market Trading Restrictions and Credit Prices

We examine how equity-market trading restrictions affect credit prices. Using short-sale constraints (SSCs) as a proxy for trading restrictions, we examine two specific sources of variation — the randomized Regulation SHO experiment and time-series variation in short-selling bans during the 2008 financial crisis. In both analyses, we find that greater SSCs are associated with significantly higher credit-default-swap (CDS) spreads. Changes in the term structure of CDS spreads suggest that this increase is attributable to a decrease in the availability of default-risk-relevant information. Further, using a default-model-prediction framework, we document that it is more difficult to accurately assess default risk when short selling is constrained, which corroborates information risk as a channel through which SSCs lead to higher credit prices.
Macro interventions and their influence on individual and community well-being:

SummaryDue to the focus of micro-practice interventions on clinical outcomes and macro-practice interventions on structural outcomes, limited research exists on the clinical benefits resulting from...
MyoVibe: Enabling Inertial Sensor-Based Muscle Activation Detection In High-Mobility Exercise Environments

Incorrect muscle activation can lead to sub-optimal performance, muscle imbalance, and eventually bodily injury. Consequently, assessing muscle activation is important for both excelling in exercise, athletics, and professional sports in general. Existing techniques for assessing muscle activation, such as electromyography, are invasive, requiring needles inserted directly into the muscle or electrodes that have considerable placement requirements (shaving, gels, etc.). This makes them unsuitable for active environments. In addition, factors such as body motion noise that results from the high-impact movements encountered in active sports environments easily corrupt sensor data. This compounds the unsuitability of these systems in the sports and exercise arena. As a result, such systems have been explored mostly in clinical rather than sports-based scenarios.We present MyoVibe, a system for sensing and determining muscle activation in high-mobility, high-impact exercise scenarios. MyoVibe senses and interprets multiple muscle vibration signals obtained from a wearable network of accelerometers to determine muscle activation. By utilizing a diverse feature set combined with the simple yet effective motion artifact mitigation technique, MyoVibe can reduce inertial sensor noise in these high-mobility exercises. As a result, MyoVibe can detect muscle activation with greater than 97% accuracy.
A review of sleep disturbances following traumatic brain injury

Sleep disorders are common following traumatic brain injury (TBI). We review the literature regarding sleep disturbances in the acute and chronic phase following TBI in both the adult and pediatric population. Acute and chronic disruption of sleep commonly follows TBI and contributes to morbidity commonly seen post-injury in both adults and children. This includes the direct effect of TBI leading to sleep disruption, as well as sleep disorders resulting from TBI itself. Pre-TBI neurocognitive testing is important to determine a baseline prior to injury, while disrupted sleep can also prolong recovery after TBI. Early recognition of sleep disturbances post-injury can lead to earlier treatment and limit the sequelae of TBI, as well as assist in recovery. We suggest that evaluation for sleep disturbances following TBI is a critical component of post-TBI assessment and management.
Dynamic Power Management for Dark Silicon Multicore Processors

Abstract Multicore processors in the dark silicon era will be over-provisioned with multiple cores of different types and will have to satisfy stringent power constraints while maximizing performance. As such, a critical research problem is that of developing new, effective, and scalable run-time dynamic power management techniques and algorithms to effectively make use of the over-provisioned but power-constrained computational resources on a chip. This chapter surveys the state of the art on this subject and dives in-depth into three specific dynamic power management solutions for multicore processors in the dark silicon era.
Learning Unified Deep-Features for Multiple Forensic Tasks

Recently, deep learning researchers have developed a technique known as deep features in which feature extractors for a task are learned by a CNN. These features are then provided to another classifier, or even used to perform a different classification task. Research in deep learning suggests that in some cases, deep features generalize to seemingly unrelated tasks. In this paper, we develop techniques for learning deep features that can be used across multiple forensic tasks, namely image manipulation detection and camera model identification. To do this, we develop two approaches for building deep forensic features: a transfer learning approach and a multitask learning approach. We experimentally evaluate the performance of both approaches in several scenarios and find that: 1) features learned for camera model identification generalize well to manipulation detection tasks but manipulation detection features do not generalize well to camera model identification, suggesting a task asymmetry, 2) deeper features are more task specific while shallower features generalize well across tasks, suggesting a feature hierarchy, and 3) a single, unified feature extractor can be learned that is highly discriminative for multiple forensic tasks. Furthermore, we find that when there is limited training data, a unified feature extractor can significantly outperform a targeted CNN.
Adsorption of N,N-Dimethyl-P-Aminophenylacetic Acid on Hydroxyapatite

The adsorptive properties of N,N-dimethyl-p-aminophenylacetic acid on hydroxyapatite have been investigated. It is a fast-acting amine polymerization accelerator, but tensile strengths of composites of resin filled with apatite show that it is not an effective coupling agent for a hydroxyapatite-dental resin composite.
Longitudinal Case Based Presentations in HCM

A significant volume of data has been published over the past several years regarding HCM, yet only recently in 2011 has the ACCF/AHA issued guidelines for management and diagnosis. Nonetheless, the acute and chronic management of HCM is highly nuanced, based on collective experience of a large number of patients. In order to elucidate the subtleties of management, seven carefully selected cases from our HCM center attempt to depict the medical decision making process at various stages of illness. Case 1 is a middle-aged male with refractory NYHA Class III symptoms who eventually improved after undergoing surgical septal reduction. Case 2 is a young female with history of sudden death and refractory symptoms who required invasive therapy and a successful alcohol septal ablation was performed due to strong patient preference. Case 3 is a young female without significant outflow tract obstruction but with advanced diastolic heart failure who eventually required a heart transplant. Case 4 depicts severe obstructive HCM in a female with advanced age who after an extended course of medical therapy eventually improved post alcohol septal ablation. Case 5 is a relatively young female post ICD for SCD with ICD lead complications and atrial fibrillation well managed medically. Case 6 is a middle aged male with severe obstructive HCM who required invasive therapy eventually and preferred alcohol septal ablation to surgery. Case 7 is a patient with obstructive HCM referred for alcohol septal ablation who was subsequently determined to have a subaortic membrane and ultimately required surgical treatment. As will become clear, appropriate care of HCM patients requires an individualized and comprehensive approach keeping in view their specific and oftentimes changing presentation, currently available data, and guidelines, all within the confines of a dedicated HCM center.
Estimating the Size of Gypsy Moth Populations Using Ratios

Estimates of gypsy moth populations can be obtained using a ratio of mean frass drop from a forest canopy to mean frass production for individually caged larvae. Appropriate statistical methods for point estimation and confidence intervals have been developed. Those methods included the use of two resampling techniques, the jackknife and the bootstrap. Exact theoretical comparisons of the proposed methods are essentially impossible. This paper evaluates the techniques via computer simulations for a limited number of situations.
A Theory of Secession: The Velvet Transformation

If there is any truth to Kant's bold prediction that democracies will not go to war with one another, it merely puts the icing on the cake of democracy. People already appreciate that the importance of self-determination gives constituents a right to democratic governance, so Kant's predicted consequences merely buttress the already decisive case in favor of democracy. In stark contrast, secession appears to lack not only the icing but also the cake on which to put it. People generally deny that self-determination gives constituents the right to determine the contours of their political boundaries, and the horrific consequences one could imagine resulting from licensing unilateral state breaking appear to defeat any case that might be made on behalf of secessionist rights. This book is first and foremost about making the case for the moral right to secede, but, in the spirit of Kant, I would like to close with my own hopeful prediction: W e are not far from the day when political theorists and international actors respect the importance of political self-determination, and when that day arrives, groups will not vote in favor of secession . The international community is in the midst of a breathtaking “velvet transformation,” a transformation that features the dramatic ascendance of regional and global integration, international law, democracy, human rights, group rights, and self-determination. Even the keenest observers of international relations are surely surprised to see how quickly and extensively these emerging phenomena are taking root, spreading, and profoundly changing the geopolitical terrain.
Governance Matters: The Impact of Information Communication Technology on the Poor in Mexico

The impact of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the poor and marginalized has been a matter of debate since the beginnings of the information revolution. Whether or not ICT penetration is causing increased inequality and poverty remains an unresolved puzzle (ICTs, defined broadly in this paper, include TV, radio, Internet and mobile phones). The puzzle stems from small-n studies tending to find that the impact of new ICTs has been positive for the poor, while large-n studies purport the opposite (Forestier, Grace and Kenny 2001). Recent empirical studies suggest the impact of ICT is 'Janus faced' — in some cases emergent ICTs create new opportunities for the poor, while in others they seem to exacerbate the challenges the poor face (Kenny 2006; Huerta, Esperanza and Rodrigo Sandoval-Almazan 2007; Hanson 2008). I argue that the socioeconomic context, and governance, shapes the impact of these emerging technologies. I posit that there is an interaction effect between governance and ICT which is the 'missing link' that plays a central, yet often overlooked, role in determining the impact of ICT on the poor. There are three primary mechanisms influencing how ICT and governance interact: First, ICT affects governance by enhancing opportunities for information sharing through increasing speed of communication, increasing penetration rates, and deepening of technology (Web 2.0); Secondly, ICT affects governance by generating social capital and enhancing civil society; Third, ICT affects governance by improving efficiency. Finally, I make the theoretical leap, digressing from the established literature, that this produces an interaction effect between ICT and governance leading, in general, to better outcomes for the poor. To empirically test these claims, this paper takes a mixed methods approach. First, I conduct a large-n study comparing Mexico to other similar developing countries. Yet to investigate the puzzle in greater depth, I also employ a small-n analysis focusing on the poor in rural and urban Mexico. I compare case studies of ICT access and use by the poor in two urban areas, Guadalajara, Mexico's so-called 'Silicone Vally', and Puebla. Comparative analysis between two rural towns in Oaxaca, confirm the findings of the urban case studies: ICT access and use among the poor can be enhanced through an interaction with governance.
Interdelivery Interval and Medically Indicated Preterm Delivery.

Objective The objective of this study was to examine whether a medically indicated preterm delivery is relatively more likely following longer interdelivery intervals. Study Design This is a case–control study of women with two consecutive deliveries of a live singleton at the same institution between 2005 and 2015, with the subsequent delivery occurring preterm. Preterm deliveries were classified as spontaneous if women delivered following preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes, or placental abruption. Preterm deliveries were classified as medically indicated if women underwent delivery for fetal or maternal medical indications. Interdelivery interval was categorized as Results Of the 1,276 women, 25.6% had a medically indicated preterm delivery and 74.4% had a spontaneous preterm delivery. Compared with women with an interdelivery interval of 18 to 59 months (of whom 25.7% had a preterm delivery for medical indications), women with a shorter interdelivery interval were less likely (19.3%), while women with a longer interdelivery interval were more likely (37.4%; p = 0.003) to have a medically indicated preterm delivery. This relationship persisted even when accounting for other factors. Conclusion Preterm deliveries are more likely to be medically indicated as the interdelivery interval lengthens.
Characterization of a Focused Laser Differential Interferometer

A focused laser differential interferometer (FLDI) has been experimentally characterized. The static response was probed using a steady, laminar helium jet, and the dynamic response was investigated using a free ultrasonic acoustic beam. In the case of the jet, the refractive index field was independently measured using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer operating simultaneously alongside FLDI. The experimental data were compared with numerical simulations of the FLDI response based on geometric optics and a ray-tracing algorithm. Close quantitative agreement was found between data and simulation results, validating this approach to modeling FLDI performance. Emphasis was given to quantification of the spatial sensitivity of the system, a key characteristic of FLDI, especially when applied to hypersonic ground testing facilities where strong turbulent flow exists outside the core flow.
Fusion rate following three- and four-level ACDF using allograft and segmental instrumentation: A radiographic study

Cervical spine degenerative pathologies remain one of the most common spinal conditions treated by spine surgeons worldwide. Surgery is recommended in all patients with symptomatic cervical spinal stenosis with either moderate to severe myelopathy, degeneration, or refractory radiculopathy. As the number of levels increases the potential for complications associated with anterior surgery can be significant, especially dysphagia and pseudarthrosis. The objective of this study was to analyze the fusion rate following three- or more level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). A retrospective review was performed analyzing patients who underwent three or more level ACDF. Fusion was evaluated using post-operative dynamic upright radiographs Relevant post-operative complications especially dysphagia requiring dietary modifications or placement of feeding tube was also noted. A total of 72 patients were included in the study. Of the 232 levels fused, pseudarthrosis occurred at 47 (14%) levels. Overall 45.8% of patients (33/72) had a pseudarthrosis. The incidence of pseudarthrosis was higher in patients with 4 level ACDF as compared to those with 3 level ACDF [56% (9/16) versus 42% (24/56)]. At last follow up, the number of patients that were symptomatic from their pseudarthrosis and required posterior spinal instrumentation was 8/72 (11.1%). Fusion rates in a large cohort of patients with three- and four-level ACDF performed utilizing allograft and segmental instrumentation is reported. The study demonstrates that 3-4 level, stand-alone anterior cervical arthrodeses result in at least one level of pseudarthrosis in almost half of patients, especially at the caudal level of the construct.
Calculation of VAD Cardiac Cycle Volume Using HeartWare Waveform

Purpose An increasing number of heart failure patients are being supported by a ventricular assist device (VAD). Historically, assessment of a patient's hemodynamic status and optimization of VAD performance has been conducted using right heart catheterization and/or echocardiography. The HeartWare HVAD flow waveform displays the blood flow rate through the VAD using a flow estimation algorithm. Our hypothesis is the flow waveform can be utilized to calculate blood volume that is processed by the VAD. Methods An image of the HVAD waveform was obtained for five patients (66 ± 13.1 years, 80% male, 60% Caucasian, MAP 81.4 ± 16.9 mmHg, LVEF 22.0 ± 7.1 %, 2560 ± 40 rpms) while hemodynamic measurements were recorded. A program was written that analyzed the waveform image and calculated blood flow through the VAD by applying integration over a cardiac cycle (Figure 1). Stroke volume measured by hemodynamic monitoring was used to determine the percentage of blood flow going through the VAD versus native heart contribution. Results Average stroke volume calculated using measured hemodynamics was 71.0 ± 15.7 mL and VAD cardiac cycle volume was 36.8 ± 7.1 mL giving an average contribution of 52.0% VAD versus 48.0% native heart for the patient cohort. Figure 2 illustrates the results for each patient. Conclusion VAD cardiac cycle volume can aid in quantifying the contribution of the VAD and the workload of the native heart. This algorithm can be utilized as a new metric in optimizing VAD function, improving patient hemodynamics and assessing for myocardial recovery.
Micro-implants evolution towards smart healthcare as reflected on relevant filed patent-applications

Brain implants that deliver electrical pulses tuned to a person's feelings and behaviour are being tested in people for the first time, by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The work, presented at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) meeting in Washington DC, could eventually provide a way to treat severe mental illnesses that resist current therapies; however, it also raises ethical concerns, because the technique could give real time access to a person's inner feelings. Using a brain implant to deliver electric pulses that alter neural activity has been successfully employed to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and it is hoped that constant stimulation of certain brain regions might ease chronic depression. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the discussion about the applicability of emerging CNS-implantable electronic micro-devices, as reflected on numerous retrieved and evaluated relevant Patent Applications and to consider eventually some ethical issues, associated with these emerging Technologies.
Insulin-induced lipid body accumulation is accompanied by lipid remodelling in model mast cells

ABSTRACTMast cell lipid bodies are key to initiation, maintenance and resolution of inflammatory responses in tissue. Mast cell lines, primary bone marrow-derived mast cells and peripheral blood ba...
Sepsis Survivors Transitioned to Home Health Care: Characteristics and Early Readmission Risk Factors

Abstract Objective To profile the characteristics of growing numbers of sepsis survivors receiving home healthcare (HHC) by type of sepsis before, during, and after a sepsis hospitalization and identify characteristics significantly associated with 7-day readmission. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Data sources included the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) and Medicare administrative and claims data. Setting and Participants National sample of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for sepsis who were discharged to HHC between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 (N = 165,228). Methods We used an indicator distinguishing among 3 types of sepsis: explicitly coded sepsis diagnosis without organ dysfunction; severe sepsis with organ dysfunction; and septic shock. We compared these subgroups' demographic, clinical and functional characteristics, comorbidities, risk factors for rehospitalization, characteristics of the index hospital stay, and predicted 7-day hospital readmission. Results The majority (80.7%) had severe sepsis, 5.7% had septic shock, and 13.6% had sepsis without acute organ system dysfunction. The medical diagnoses recorded at HHC admission identified sepsis or blood infection only 7% of the time, potentially creating difficulty identifying the sepsis survivor in HHC. Among sepsis types, septic shock survivors had the greatest illness burden profile. This study describes 12 key variables, each of which individually raises the relative 7-day readmission risk by as much as 60%. Increased risk of 7-day rehospitalization was found among those with septic shock, 3 or more previous inpatient stays, index hospital length of stay of >8 days, dyspnea, >6 functional dependencies, and other risk factors. Conclusions and Implications Implications for practice include using our findings to identify sepsis survivors who are at risk for early readmission. Assessment for these factors may profile the at-risk patient, thereby triggering the call for additional acute care intervention such as delayed discharge, or post-acute intervention such as early home visit and outpatient follow-up.
Hurdles or walls? Nativity, citizenship, legal status and Latino homeownership in Los Angeles.

Abstract Homeownership is directly and indirectly linked with many positive child, adult, and community-level outcomes. Prior research offers strong evidence that nativity and immigrants’ citizenship status shapes U.S. homeownership, but relatively little work has explored how immigrants’ legal status is connected with homeownership. This study draws from locational attainment and classic assimilation theories to develop hypotheses about sources of intra-Latino heterogeneity in homeownership. Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey data are used to contrast four distinct groups of Latinos: U.S. born natives, naturalized citizens, authorized non-citizens, and unauthorized non-citizens. Logistic regression results indicate baseline and residual variation in Latino homeownership based on immigrant citizenship and legal status. Of these, unauthorized non-citizens are the least likely to own their home. The results provide support for all three theoretical models, particularly the place stratification perspective. The results also point to the need for more housing studies that jointly examine citizenship and legal status.
Qualitative Content Analysis of Type 1 Diabetes Caregiver Blogs and Correlations With Caregiver Challenges and Successes

Social media increasingly reflects patient experience, especially for self-managed conditions. We examined family experience with type 1 diabetes (T1D) through qualitative analysis of blogs written by caregivers of children with T1D, survey derived from that analysis, and survey administration among T1D caregivers. Analysis of 140 blog posts and 663 associated comments identified 77 topics, which were categorized into self-management, emotional, challenges, and successes. By subcategory analysis, self-management challenges were strongly correlated between blog content and survey responses (R = .838, P = .005), and emotional challenges were moderately correlated (R = .415, P = .02). Emotional successes were not significantly correlated (R = .161, P = .511), and self-management successes were too few to analyze. The range of topics and the correlations between blog expressions and survey responses highlight the potential of blog analysis to gain insight into the challenges facing families living with T1D.
Fuel/air nonuniformity: effect on nitric oxide emissions

An analytical and experimental study was performed to determine the effect of inlet fuel/air profile nonuniformity on NO(x) emissions. The theoretical NO(x) levels were verified in a flame-tube rig at inlet air temperatures of 600, 700, and 800 K, 0.3 MPa rig pressure, 25 m/sec reference velocity, overall equivalence ratio of 0.6 and residence time near 0.002 sec. The theory predicts an increase in NO(x) emissions for increased fuel/air nonuniformity for average equivalence ratios less than 0.7, while for average equivalence ratios near stoichiometric, increasing the nonuniformity will decrease NO(x) emissions. The results can be used to predict the degree of uniformity of fuel/air profiles necessary to achieve NO(x) emissions goals for actual engines that use lean premixed, prevaporized combustion systems.
Program Reduces Pesticide Use in Phoenix School District

Kyrene School District didn’t have to leave campus a day or two each month while the schools were sprayed for bugs. An award-winning pilot program in integrated pest management (IPM) has reduced pesticide spraying around buildings while still keeping the pests under control. For their efforts, the Kyrene School District and the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Entomology Department were recently presented with an award from the National Foundation for Integrated Pest Management Education. “Making schools safer for kids by reducing pesticide use is the right thing to do,” says Bruce Tabashnik, head of the UA department of entomology. “We’re delighted to provide the expertise that makes this possible. It’s why we’re here.” Program Reduces Pesticide Use in Phoenix School District
Problem Archetypes as Common Ground for Water Resources Management Education

As a broad field, water resources management can have a blurry focus without a mechanism to coordinate the perspectives of its disciplines and sectors. If these can be harmonized, the result might be clearer explanations and improved outcomes. The paper probes whether identification of common problem archetypes can help to harmonize perspectives and improve education through more consistent treatment of recurring issues in case studies. An analysis of variables is presented to create a classification system to describe the architecture of water resources management problems, with emphasis on scale and management functions. The feasibility of using them is explored by an analysis of six sources of case studies, with a focus on those posted by the Global Water Partnership. From the analysis, it was evident that more emphasis was on policy and management than on technical tools. Most policy-level cases had a development focus and addressed multiple issues. Management–level cases addressed efficiency, productivity, reforms, and problem-solving. Technical discussions involved analysis methods partitioned by disciplines. The results show that cases can be identified primarily by management functions, with secondary classifiers such as scale, sectors, and number of authorities involved. A set of problem archetypes was assembled from the basic classification system and are available for educational experimentation to address cross-sector problems by explaining the big picture while keeping the field of analysis uncluttered. Their use is expected to be limited in the fragmented field of water resources management education due to the focus on disciplinary tools and most use may be capacity-building programs with a focus on problem-solving.
Quantum crystals in neutron stars

Using the many-body techniques appropriate for quantum crystals it is shown that the deep interior of a neutron star is most likely an orderly arrangement of neutrons, protons and hyperons forming a solid. It is shown that a liquid or gas arrangement would produce higher energy. If so, a neutron star can be viewed as two solids (crust and core) permeated by a layer of ordinary or (perhaps) superfluid liquid. Astronomical evidence is in favor of such a structure: the sudden jumps in the periods of the Crab and Vela pulsars that differ by a factor of about 100 can be easily explained by the star-quake model. If the Crab is less massive than Vela (i.e., if it is not dense enough to have a solid core), the star-quakes take place in the crust whereas for Vela they occur in the core.
The taxonomy of the genus Frankia

A discussion covering the problems of Frankia taxonomy was held at the “Frankia Workshop” in Wageningen, September 4–6, 1983. It was agreed that the genus Frankia can be satisfactorily defined, but that solid criteria for species determination are not now available and that use of specific names should be avoided for the present.
Academic Library as Special Library

Abstract A library and media center orientation program was developed for administrators, faculty, and support staff after examining the information seeking behaviors, demographics, and prior research of this group. The goals of the orientation were to promote the library's and media center's services and resources, and to teach the basic skills needed to address their information needs. This article includes a literature search, an explanation of the process involved in creating a library orientation program for this group, and a discussion of ideas and thoughts as to where further research on programs for this user group might be beneficial.
Murine autoimmune hemolytic anemia induced via xenogeneic erythrocyte immunization. II. Antigenic specificity and clonal heterogeneity of the autoantibodies and their cellular correlates.

Abstract In an attempt to further define the mechanism of anti-erythrocyte autoantibody production in mice immunized with rat red blood cells (Rrbc), we have analyzed the eluted autoantibody with respect to antigenic specificity and clonal heterogeneity. The eluted autoantibody was shown to be heterogeneous with respect to class and subclass specificities as well as antigenic specificities. Moreover, cell-bound erythrocyte autoantibody included IgG 1 , IgG 2a , IgG 2b , and IgM, but only the presence of erythrocyte-bound IgG 2b correlated with the hemolytic process. The other class and subclass specificities appeared to have little or no pathogenetic effect. The eluate reacted as a panagglutinin with both an allogeneic red blood cell test panel and Rrbc. Both the anti-mouse red blood cell (Mrbc) and the anti-Rrbc activities of eluted autoantibody were absorbed more efficiently by Rrbc than Mrbc, although the indirect globulin titers against both targets were similar. Finally, an expanded population of antigen-binding lymphocytes and plaque-forming cells specific for cryptic erythrocyte autoantigens was demonstrated. It is concluded that the IgG 1 subclass response represents cross-reactive or “degenerative” antibody and the IgM response is directed against cryptic autoantigen on isologous erythrocytes.
Least-Squares Solution of Ill-Conditioned Lyapunov Equations

In this paper we present an algorithm to compute a least-squares solution of ill-conditioned Lyapunov equations. The method uses inverse iteration to compute left and right singular "vectore for the subspace associated with the smallest singular values of the Lyapunov operator. This subspace is assumed to be of small dimension relation to the size of the problem. Once these vectors have been estimated, projections onto any of the four fundamental subspaces of the Lyapunov operator can be computed. Here we project onto the range space and then form a better conditioned problem from which the least-squares solution can be extracted. Because of the structure of the reformulated problem, an iterative solution method is used to refine the least-squares solution. Usually, preconditioning strategies are needed to make iterative solvers for large-scale problems economical. However, the calculation of many of the standard preconditioners entails an unacceptably high overhead. Instead, we show how to calculate a good estimate of the least-squares solution and then use this as a starting vector for a non-preconditioned iterative solver. Numerical examples show that the iterative method usually requires only a small number of steps to achieve acceptable accuracy.
A Study of Subtractive Digital Dither in Single-Stage and Multi-Stage Quantizers

The effect of subtractive digital dither on single-stage and multi-stage quantizers is examined. In the single stage case, it is proved that the conditional density of the quantization error becomes asymptotically independent of the input and uniformly distributed as the number of digital dither levels increases. For a fixed number of levels, the conditional expectation of a class of piecewise constant functions is shown to be independent of the input. A Fourier series representation of quantization error densities is used to construct a linear periodically time varying model of multistage quantization and dithering systems. For a homogeneous multi-stage quantization system, it is shown that when the least common multiple of the numbers of digital dither levels at successive stages is large, the statistical dependence of the quantization noise on the input disappears almost entirely. Computer simulations confirm this analysis.
Explaining a community touristscape: An entrepreneurism model

Abstract Why do tourism-seeking communities differ in their touristscape: levels, form, and impact? Extant tourism development models seem limited in explaining such developmental differences. The proposed conceptual model-based on levels and types of tourism entrepreneurism-is tendered as a complementary perspective to understanding differing community touristscapes.
Extended definition of the initial value theorem applied to the bilateral Laplace transform

If the bilateral Laplace transform of f(t) is in the form of a rational function F II (S) = a n Sn-1+ a n-1 Sn-2+ ... + a 1 /Sn+ b 1 Sn-1+ ... + b n , then it is shown that f(k-1)(0+) - f(k-1)(0-) = (-1)k - 1Δ k , where f(k)(t) is the kth derivative of f(t), Δ 1 = a n , and Δ k = Σ i=1 k-1(-1)i+1b i Δ k-i + (-1)k-1a n-k+1 , k = 2, 3, ..., n.
Cardiac catheterization experience in hospitals without cardiovascular surgery programs.

In order to study the cardiac catheterization experience in hospitals without cardiovascular surgery programs, data was collected from all 8 Washington „satellite” laboratories over a 5-year period. There were 5 deaths (0.13%) during the 3878 coronary arteriography procedures. Of the 5,4 had severe left main coronary artery lesions. Of these patients, 2 died during the 24-hour follow-up period after an uncomplicated study. This mortality rate is remarkably good considering that the 5-year period includes the early experience of 7 laboratories. There were 7 myocardial infarctions (0.18%) and 6 strokes (0.15%). The average number of coronary arteriograms done per angiographer during 1976 was 65. The experience of the Washington State „satellite” cardiac catheterization laboratories proves that the immediate availability of cardiovascular surgery and large case loads per angiographer are not necessary in order to safely perform cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriographic studies. Additional studies should be undertaken to determine the appropriate distribution of cardiac diagnostic facilities.
Pairwise Comparison Versus Likert Scale for Biomedical Image Assessment

OBJECTIVE. Biomedical imaging research relies heavily on the subjective and semi-quantitative reader analysis of images. Current methods are limited by interreader variability and fixed upper and lower limits. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of two assessment methods, pairwise comparison and Likert scale, for improved analysis of biomedical images. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A set of 10 images with varying degrees of image sharpness was created by digitally blurring a normal clinical chest radiograph. Readers assessed the degree of image sharpness using two different methods: pairwise comparison and a 10-point Likert scale. Reader agreement with actual chest radiograph sharpness was calculated for each method by use of the Lin concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). RESULTS. Reader accuracy was highest for pairwise comparison (CCC, 1.0) and ranked Likert (CCC, 0.99) scores and lowest for nonranked Likert scores (CCC, 0.83). Accuracy improved slightly when readers repeated their ass...
Evaluation of the C-70045A High-Speed Photomultiplier

Measurements were made of the time spread, pulse response, and other characteristics of the C-70045A 14stage photomultiplier which was developed for high-speed timing applications with scintillation and Cerenkov radiation detection. Rise times and time jitters are given. Some measurements of the scintillation decay time of two plastic scintillators are reported. (D.L.C.)
Characteristic viscosity as a third parameter in corresponding states calculations of transport properties Part II. Undefined mixtures

Abstract The three-parameter corresponding states principle has been used with some success for the correlation and prediction of the transport properties of liquid mixtures. In this paper, we propose a characteristic viscosity as a third parameter for corresponding states calculations. The new parameter offers some advantages over the more conventional acentric factor, particularly for defined mixtures. Calculations for undefined mixtures, including those using the methods of continuous thermodynamics, are presented in the second part of this work.
The maximal VHDL subset with a cycle-level abstraction

The maximal VHDL subset with a cycle-level abstraction is defined. This subset requires that the description have three semantic properties: responsiveness modularity and causality, bur full VHDL is neither modular nor causal. Synchronous VHDL is the responsive, modular and causal subset of VHDL. The compiler uses modularity-checking and causality-checking to identify admissible programs.
Survival on maintenance dialysis in patients with chronic renal failure associated with paraplegia and quadriplegia

Forty men with end-stage renal failure associated with spinal cord injury were treated with maintenance hemodialysis. There were 28 paraplegic and 12 quadriplegic patients. Survival on dialysis was significantly shorter in quadriplegics (5.5 +/- 5.0 months) than paraplegics (22.9 +/- 27.0 months). The cumulative I- and 2-year survival in paraplegics were 60 per cent and 52 per cent respectively. The respective values for quadriplegics were 34 per cent and 17 per cent. Various infections proved to be the immediate cause of death in the majority of our patients.
Effects of Etiology on Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes in 65- to 74-Year-Old Patients With Incomplete Paraplegia From a Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Objective To examine differences in rehabilitation outcomes for older patients with a nontraumatic spinal cord injury (NT-SCI) for 5 etiologic diagnoses: degenerative spinal disease (DSD), malignant spinal tumor, benign spinal tumor, vascular ischemia, and spinal abscess. Design Retrospective cohort study that used Medicare claims and assessment data. Setting A total of 479 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and units. Patients A total of 1780 Medicare beneficiaries (65-74 years old) with incomplete paraplegia attributable to NT-SCI who were discharged from inpatient rehabilitation facilities from 2002 through 2005. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Length of stay, discharge Functional Independence Measure (FIM) instrument motor item and subscale scores, and discharge destination. Results Demographic characteristics varied by etiology group. Mean ± SD rehabilitation stays ranged from 13.3 ± 7.7 days for DSD to 26.4 ± 13.4 days for vascular ischemia. Adjusted data showed stays differed ( P P P P P Conclusion There are etiologic differences in demographics, rehabilitation length of stay, functional outcomes, and discharge destination in elderly patients with NT-SCI.
Reconceptualizing Prison Adjustment: A Multidimensional Approach Exploring Female Offenders’ Adjustment to Prison Life:

Prison adjustment research has often relied on unidimensional measurement approaches. However, examining immediate adjustment to the prison environment without considering longer term reintegration...
Review and evaluation of instruments for assessing emotional and behavioural disorders

This paper describes findings from a comprehensive review of instruments for assessing psychpathology and behaviour problems in people with mental retardation (Aman, 1991). The review was commissio...
Tariff behavior in five European countries: Further evidence

Abstract Temporary movements in the average tariff rate for a country can lead to intertemporal substitution effects. A five-country model of tariff movements is estimated in a generalized system. The tariff formation process follows a random walk for the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, and France, which implies that tariff changes can be viewed as permanent in those countries. However, in Switzerland the cumulative impulse responses to a tariff shock imply not only shock persistence, but shock magnification.
Stochastic theory of spin-phonon relaxation

Spin-phonon relaxation is interpreted as a quantum stochastic process. Time-dependent magnetization correlation functions are written in general exponential form, and the phase-modulation terms occurring in them are evaluated approximately to second order with respect to the coupling parameter. The spin-phonon interaction is described by the isotropic model of Huber and Van Vleck. A physical parameter corresponding to an effective Larmor precession frequency is introduced and determined from the zero-frequency longitudinal susceptibility, which is made consistent with the thermodynamic derivative of the magnetization. Longitudinal and transverse dynamic susceptibilities are calculated for all frequencies. At low frequencies they agree with the usual Lorentzian model as expected from the asymptotic exponential decay of the correlation functions. The high-frequency spectra differ from the Lorentzian form and contain information on the short-time history of spin-phonon collisions.
Guest Editor's Introduction: Special Section on the Eurographics Symposium on Parallel Graphics and Visualization (EGPGV)

The articles in this special section contain selected papers from the Eurographics Symposium on Parallel Graphics and Visualization (EGPGV).
Aspirin and stroke severity.

To the Editor: Ricci et al are to be congratulated on an important study that provides further insight into the association (or lack thereof) between previous aspirin therapy and baseline stroke severity.1 Their very large multicenter prospective study certainly has several strengths. However, we are not convinced that based on this study, one can “conclude reliably that previous aspirin …
Recovery issues in databases using redundant disk arrays

Redundant disk arrays provide a way for achieving rapid recovery from media failures with a relatively low storage cost for large scale database systems requiring high availability. In this paper we propose a method for using redundant disk arrays to support rapid recovery from system crashes and transaction aborts in addition to their role in providing media failure recovery. A twin page scheme is used to store the parity information in the array so that the time for transaction commit processing is not degraded. Using an analytical model, we show that the proposed method achieves a significant increase in the throughput of database systems using redundant disk arrays by reducing the number of recovery operations needed to maintain the consistency of the database.