cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: More Flawed Data and More Flawed Conclusions

Dolphin-Assisted Therapy (DAT) is an increasingly popular choice of treatment for illness and developmental disabilities by providing participants with the opportunity to swim or interact with live captive dolphins. Two reviews of DAT (Marino and Lilienfeld (1998) and Humphries (2003)) concluded that there is no credible scientific evidence for the effectiveness of this intervention. In this paper, we offer an update of the methodological status of DAT by re- viewing five peer-reviewed DAT studies published in the last eight years. We found that all five studies were methodologically flawed and plagued by sev- eral threats to both internal and construct validity. We conclude that nearly a decade following our initial review, there remains no compelling evidence that DAT is a legitimate therapy or that it affords any more than fleeting improve- ments in mood.
Estimation of live quality grade in multiple biological types of beef slaughter steers and the relationship to carcass quality

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the relationship between live QG indicators and marbling score within and across biological types of slaughter steers. Slaughter steers (n = 841) were independently evaluated live by a 3-member, experienced USDA livestock grading team to estimate s.c. fat thickness at different anatomical locations, as well as scores for frame size, neck length, body depth, forearm muscle, cattle thickness, and disposition. Chi-squared analysis indicated a significant relationship existed between subjective live estimates of QG and carcass QG across and within all biological types. However, graders projected steers would have lower marbling scores overall. Furthermore, these results showed these relationships can vary by biological type. The live QG was present in regression equations for all biological types combined as well as the Bos indicus, British, and dairy steers; however, it does not appear in any regression equations for crossbred biological types or Continental steers. The estimate of tail pones was used to predict marbling in Continental and Bos indicus × Continental steers, and neck length appeared only in prediction equations for Continental and British × Continental steers. These results indicated that live estimate of QG was the best single predictor of marbling across all biological types; however, focus can be shifted to other live traits within biological types to more accurately determine the live estimate of QG as it relates to actual carcass QG. Therefore, the weight assigned to various live traits when estimating QG may need to be adjusted for certain biological types to improve accuracy.
Can Mental Practice Increase Ankle Dorsiflexor Torque

Background and Purpose. Mental practice has been shown to be effective in increasing the force production of the abductor digiti minimi muscle in the hand. The aim of this study was to determine whether mental practice could produce strength gains in the larger ankle dorsiflexor muscles, which are important during walking. Subjects. Twenty-four subjects were randomly assigned to a physical practice group, a mental practice group, or a control group (8 subjects per group). Methods. In the practice groups, subjects either physically or mentally practiced producing maximal isometric contractions for 3 sets of 10 repetitions, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. Changes in mean peak isometric torque normalized to body weight and the resulting percentage of improvement were analyzed across the 3 groups. Results. Differences in raw torque production after training in the 2 practice groups resulted in significant percentages of improvement for the physical practice group (25.28%) and the mental practice group (17.13%), but not for the control group (−1.77%). The 2 practice groups were not statistically different in their maximal torque-generating capacity after training. Discussion and Conclusion. These findings show that mental practice in people without impairments can lead to an increase in torque production similar to that produced by physical practice. Such a technique may prove to be a useful adjunct to traditional treatment options aimed at increasing muscle strength.
Generalized Groves–Ledyard mechanisms

Abstract Groves and Ledyard (1977) construct a mechanism for public goods procurement that can be viewed as a direct-revelation Groves mechanism in which agents announce a parameter of a quadratic approximation of their true preferences. The mechanism's Nash equilibrium outcomes are efficient. The budget is balanced because Groves mechanisms are balanced for the announced quadratic preferences. Tian (1996) subsequently discovered a richer set of budget-balancing preferences. We replicate the Groves–Ledyard construction using this expanded set of preferences, and uncover a new set of complex mechanisms that generalize the original Groves–Ledyard mechanism. The original mechanism, however, remains the most appealing in terms of both simplicity and stability.
Diaphragm Pacing as a Rehabilitative Tool for Patients With Pompe Disease Who Are Ventilator-Dependent: Case Series.

Background and Purpose Pompe disease is an inherited disorder notable for severe, progressive ventilatory compromise. Although ventilatory failure has been attributed to myofiber dysfunction secondary to diaphragmatic glycogen accumulation, neural involvement of the phrenic motor system is also a prominent feature. Direct diaphragm pacing supplements respiratory function in other disorders of the phrenic motor system. Accordingly, it is hypothesized that augmented neuromuscular activity via diaphragm pacing would promote weaning from mechanical ventilation in patients with Pompe disease who are unresponsive to conventional, muscle-directed treatments. Case Description Three patients with Pompe disease developed diaphragm paresis that resulted in chronic mechanical ventilation dependence. After preoperative inspiratory muscle strengthening exercises failed to improve function, fine-wire pacing electrodes were laparoscopically implanted into the diaphragm. Diaphragm conditioning was initiated the first postoperative week and consisted of gradual increases in stimulation parameters, lengthening of stimulation sessions, and ventilator weaning. Ventilation and intramuscular electromyographic activity were recorded periodically during conditioning to quantify diaphragm neuromuscular function. Outcomes During paced breathing without mechanical ventilation, tidal volumes increased, and 2 patients were weaned from daytime ventilator dependence within the first 3 months of pacing, which has been sustained over the long-term. A third patient reduced reliance on daytime ventilation, but weaning was delayed by malacia of the large airways. In all patients, pacing appeared to facilitate spontaneous phrenic motor unit activity during independent breathing without ventilator or pacer support. Discussion The findings are consistent with the view that diaphragm pacing has potential rehabilitative value to reduce reliance on mechanical ventilation in people with Pompe disease, but further study is needed. Diaphragm pacing represents a paradigm shift in the management of respiratory insufficiency for Pompe disease that warrants further controlled examination.
Calibration of a Microlens Array for a Plenoptic Camera

This paper describes current calibration methods for plenoptic cameras and introduces a new method of calibration that seeks to estimate the position and orientation of the microlens array based on the camera geometry and on a calibration image. A geometrical model was formulated to relate the position of a microlens to the location on the image sensor where the lens was focused. The location of the focal points were determined by stopping down the aperture of the main camera lens such that only a small beam of light was incident on each microlens. The position and orientation of the microlens array was assumed, and the predicted focal points were compared with the known points determined from the calibration data. This process was repeated until the root-mean-square difference between the expected and predicted results was minimal. The geometrical method was shown to provide a reasonable estimate for the orientation of the microlens array, as each translational parameter converged to less than one pixel and each rotational parameter converged to within 0.00034 radians. Preliminary results show that the best estimate for the image distance is obtained from a measurement of the magnification by imaging a ruler.
ENHANCED EFFICACY OF PLASMA AFTER AGING IN TREATMENT OF TOURNIQUET SHOCK.

Discussion and summaryThe data presented demonstrate that pooled or single donor human plasma immediately after collection exerts no beneficial effect in the therapy of rat tourniquet trauma, but that the aging of this material in some way converts it into a potent therapeutic solution. Whether this is due to neutralization of something harmful or to the conversion of an inactive material into something beneficial has not been determined. Investigations are underway to ascertain whether aged rat plasma is more effective than fresh rat plasma in treatment of this trauma. Sequential electrophoretic studies are also being made.
Characteristics of active local water management districts in the Red River Basin

As new demands for water management emerge, water managers need to evolve and accept new roles and new ways of working. Local water management districts with traditional water quantity roles need to adopt new activities and new ways of working in order to support basin-wide water quality and flood control initiatives. This paper presents an empirical analysis of the adoption of twenty-two activities and strategies by local water management districts in the Red River of the North basin in Minnesota and North Dakota. A variety of explanatory characteristics of districts and district boards are assessed. Empirical analysis does not demonstrate a dramatic difference between Minnesota districts and those in North Dakota, nor a remarkable difference between upstream and downstream districts. Board member characteristics have significant influence on local water management district activities and institutional arrangements.
Random access design for wireless control systems

Interferences arising between wireless sensor–actuator systems communicating over shared wireless channels impact closed loop control performance. We design interference-aware channel access policies where the total transmit power of the sensors is minimized while desired control performance is guaranteed for each involved control loop. Control performance is abstracted as an expected decrease rate of a Lyapunov function for each loop. We prove that the optimal channel access policies are decoupled so that, intuitively, each sensor balances the gains from transmitting to its actuator with the negative interference effect on all other control loops. Moreover the optimal policies are of a threshold nature with respect to channel conditions, that is, a sensor transmits only under favorable local fading conditions. Finally, the optimal policies can be computed by a distributed iterative procedure which does not require coordination between the sensors.
An overview of Childhood and Adolescent ADHD: Understanding the Complexities of Development into the Adult Years

This chapter presents an overview of childhood and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescence. To understand and treat ADHD in adulthood it is important to view the disorder from a developmental perspective. According to longitudinal studies, a majority of adults with ADHD who are diagnosed earlier in life continue to meet the diagnostic criteria of ADHD into adolescence and adulthood. Moreover, data suggest that ADHD in childhood is a risk factor for significant psychiatric, psychosocial, and college or work adjustment difficulties later in life. Transactional model for understanding how biogenetic, neuropsychological, cognitive, and psychosocial factors interact and affect the overall adjustment of individuals with ADHD is advanced. A developmental framework for ADHD is presented in which characteristics and associated features that appear early and persist into adulthood are summarized. Risk and resiliency factors are explored in an effort to identify variables that either enhance or impede the adjustment of individuals with ADHD. It also discusses issues that impact treatment. This chapter concludes that controlled treatment studies for adolescents and adults to determine which treatments in isolation or combination are most efficacious.
Shapes Solution for Jacobi Iteration

In this chapter we will attempt to apply the techniques demonstrated in the earlier chapters to a real problem using a real machine. The example problem we have chosen is the well known mathematical technique of Jacobi Iteration. The example machine architecture we have chosen is the CDC Cyber 205.
Reversal of cigarette smoke extract-induced sinonasal epithelial cell barrier dysfunction through Nrf2 Activation.

Background Environmental factors such as inhaled pollutants like cigarette smoke may play a significant role in diseases of the upper airway including chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Recent studies have shown that cigarette smoke causes impaired airway epithelial cell barrier function likely through environmental oxidative stress related pathways. The purpose of this study is to explore whether enhancing nuclear factor erythroid 2 [NF-E2]-related factor 2 [Nrf2], the body's master antioxidant system, can ameliorate cigarette smoke–induced sinonasal epithelial cell (SNEC) barrier dysfunction. Methods Human SNECs (HSNECs) were grown from control patients at the air-liquid interface (ALI). HSNECs were stimulated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) with and without pharmacologic activation of Nrf2. HSNECs were then stained for the epithelial cell junctional proteins zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) and junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) using confocal microscopy. In addition, transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) was measured in cultures before and after stimulation with CSE. Results CSE stimulation caused a global disruption of the epithelial junctional proteins ZO-1 and JAM-A along with an associated decrease in TER levels. Enhancing Nrf2 levels prior to stimulation with CSE was associated with increased localization of ZO-1 and JAM-A levels at the cell surface and statistically significant increases in TER levels. Conclusion This is the first study to demonstrate that cigarette smoke induced SNEC barrier dysfunction is reversible by Nrf2 activation. The Nrf2 antioxidant pathway may represent a potential therapeutic target for cigarette smoke–associated sinonasal inflammation.
Continuous Dependence and Differentiating Solutions of a Second Order Boundary Value Problem with Average Value Condition

Using a few conditions, continuous dependence, and a result regarding smoothness of initial conditions, we show that derivatives of solutions to the second order boundary value problem y′′=f(x,y,y′), a<x<b, satisfying y(x1)=y1, 1∕(d−c)∫ cdy(x)x=y2, where a<x1<c<d<b and y1,y2∈ℝ with respect to each of the boundary data x1, y1, y2, c, d solve the associated variational equation with interesting boundary conditions. Of note is the second boundary condition, which is an average value condition.
Basic Anatomy and Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract

The gastrointestinal tract begins at the mouth and ends at the anus (Fig. 6.1). Its purpose is to mechanically and enzymatically digest food, absorb nutrients and water, protect the body from microbial invasion, and expel feces. Food enters the mouth where mechanical and enzymatic digestion begins and then is propelled down the esophagus and into the stomach where digestion continues. As the food bolus passes through the small intestine, further digestion and absorption take place with the help of enzymes secreted by the stomach, small intestine, liver, and pancreas. The majority of water absorption and formation of feces occur in the large intestine, until it is temporarily stored in the rectum and defecated through the anus [1].
Inference in Hybrid Bayesian Networks with Nonlinear Deterministic Conditionals

To enable inference in hybrid Bayesian networks (BNs) containing nonlinear deterministic conditional distributions, Cobb and Shenoy in 2005 propose approximating nonlinear deterministic functions by piecewise linear (PL) ones. In this paper, we describe a method for finding PL approximations of nonlinear functions based on a penalized mean square error (MSE) heuristic, which consists of minimizing a penalized MSE function subject to two principles, domain and symmetry. We illustrate our method for some commonly used one-dimensional and two-dimensional nonlinear deterministic functions such as W=X2, W=eX, W=X·Y, and W=X/Y. Finally, we solve two small examples of hybrid BNs containing nonlinear deterministic conditionals that arise in practice.
Comparison of two approaches to prevention of mental health problems in college students: Enhancing coping and executive function skills

ABSTRACTObjective: College students face a significant number of stressors, increasing risk for internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. The current study examines two promising avenues of intervention aimed to reduce stress and prevent psychopathology in this population: a coping skills group and a cognitive training program. Participants: 62 undergraduate students from two universities were recruited from 2013 to 2015. Methods: Students were randomized to a 6-week coping skills group or cognitive training program and completed measures of stress, coping, executive function, and symptoms of anxiety, depression and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at pre- and post-intervention. Results: Participants in both conditions reported significant decreases in social stress, executive function difficulties, and anxiety symptoms post-intervention. Students in the cognitive program improved significantly more on measures of behavior regulation and ADHD symptoms compared to the coping group at ...
Student-Centered Learning: Moving Towards Mass-Customization in Higher Education

The capstone course for an MBA in Economic Crime and Fraud Man-agement offered at Utica College was redesigned from a traditional structure (where the Instructor unilaterally decides all elements of the course) to a structure that is guided by a principle that attempts to uti-lize the con-cept of mass-customization. Analysis of key indicators, as measured by the graduate students enrolled in this graduate class, sug-gests that the redesign achieved improvement in key indica-tors.
Real-time assessment of alcohol craving and naltrexone treatment responsiveness in a randomized clinical trial

Abstract Introduction This secondary data analysis examined whether and how the dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4) influenced naltrexone treatment responsiveness in a randomized clinical trial. We leveraged intensive experience sampling methods to test the hypothesis that craving recorded at drinking and non-drinking moments would mediate naltrexone effects on the likelihood of heavy drinking, but only among carriers of the DRD4 long (DRD4-L) allele. Methods Participants (Mage = 29.8 years, SD = 12.1) were non-treatment seeking heavy drinkers (n = 104, 54.8% female, 61.5% alcohol dependent) randomized to 3 weeks of daily naltrexone (50 mg) or placebo. During these 3 weeks, participants used handheld electronic devices to complete real-time reports of alcohol use and craving multiple times per day in their natural environments. This approach afforded intensive repeated assessment of focal variables and provided in-the-moment data to test whether craving when not drinking or early in drinking episodes explained naltrexone effects on drinking. Results Moderated-mediation multilevel structural equation models showed that craving during non-drinking moments mediated the treatment effect of naltrexone on heavy drinking but only among carriers of the DRD4-L allele. The same pattern of associations was not shown when evaluating craving while participants were consuming alcoholic beverages. Conclusions Findings provide the first in vivo evidence that, among carriers of the DRD4-L allele, naltrexone blunts craving in real-world settings, and this effect in turn reduces the likelihood of heavy drinking. This work highlights the utility of EMA methods for elucidating how treatments work and further demonstrates the importance of genetic factors for understanding individual differences in pharmacotherapy responsiveness.
Using MODIS NDVI phenoclasses and phenoclusters to characterize wildlife habitat: Mexican spotted owl as a case study

Abstract Most uses of remotely sensed satellite data to characterize wildlife habitat have used metrics such as mean NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) in a year or season. These simple metrics do not take advantage of the temporal patterns in NDVI within and across years and the spatial arrangement of cells with various temporal NDVI signatures. Here we use 13 years of data from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) to bin individual MODIS pixels (5.3 ha) into phenoclasses, where each phenoclass consists of pixels with a particular temporal profile of NDVI, regardless of spatial location. We present novel procedures that assign sites to phenoclusters, defined as particular composition of phenoclasses within a 1 km radius. We apply these procedures to Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) nesting locations in the Sacramento Mountain range in south-central New Mexico. Phenoclasses at owl nest sites and phenoclusters around owl nest sites differed from those at and around points randomly placed in forest types that are known to support nesting owls. Stand exam data showed that the phenoclasses associated with owl nest sites are dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and white fir (Abies concolor). The availability of phenoclusters and phenoclasses on Mescalero Apache tribal lands differed from those on adjacent National Forest lands within the Sacramento Mountain, consistent with different elevations and forest management practices. Nonetheless owls predominately used the same phenoclasses and phenoclusters in both land ownerships. MODIS phenoclasses and phenoclusters offer a useful means of remotely identifying forest conditions suitable for wildlife. Because the remote sensing data are freely available and regularly updated, they can be part of a cost effective approach to monitor and assess forested wildlife habitat over large temporal and spatial scales.
Chapter 33 – Introduction to Societal Issues: The Responsible Development of Nanotechnology for Water

This chapter starts with a quick overview of the subject of nanotechnology and its technical applications in water-related problems such as drinking water, already introduced in previous sections of the book. It then looks at the questions that need to be considered with regard to public acceptance of nanotechnology. Then there is a quick look at the development of nanotechnologies and the way in which experimental technology has been developed previously. Finally, the chapter very briefly introduces some of the relevant forthcoming chapters in the book.
Spatial mining of migration patterns from web demographics

Volunteered Geographic Information, social media, and data from Information and Communication Technology are emerging sources of big data that contribute to the development and understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of human population. However, the inherent anonymity of these crowd-sourced or crowd-harvested data sources lack the socioeconomic and demographic attributes to examine and explain human mobility and spatiotemporal patterns. In this paper, we investigate an Internet-based demographic data source, personal microdata databases publicly accessible on the World Wide Web (hereafter web demographics), as potential sources of aspatial and spatiotemporal information regarding the landscape of human dynamics. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (1) to develop an analytical framework to identify mobile population from web demographics as an individual-level residential history data, and (2) to explore their geographic and demographic patterns of migration. Using web demographics ...
Universal quantum computation using fractal symmetry-protected cluster phases

We show that two-dimensional fractal subsystem symmetry-protected topological phases may serve as resources for universal measurement-based quantum computation. This is demonstrated explicitly for two cluster models known to lie within fractal symmetry-protected topological phases, and computational universality is shown to persist throughout those phases. One of the models considered is simply the cluster model on the honeycomb lattice in one limit. We discuss the importance of rigid subsystem symmetries, as opposed to global or $(D\ensuremath{-}1)$-form symmetries, in this context.
Associations between repeated ultrasound measures of fetal growth and biomarkers of maternal oxidative stress and inflammation in pregnancy

Problem Perturbations in normal fetal growth during pregnancy are associated with poor child and adult health outcomes. Inflammation and oxidative stress are recognized as important mechanisms in preeclampsia and preterm birth but have been examined less in relation to fetal growth. We hypothesized that maternal inflammation and oxidative stress in pregnancy would be associated with reduced fetal growth and sought to identify windows of vulnerability. Method of study In a secondary analysis of 482 women from the LIFECODES birth cohort study, we measured inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP] and the cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α) and oxidative stress (8-isoprostane and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]) biomarkers in plasma and urine, respectively, at four time points during pregnancy. We examined associations between repeated measures of each marker and ultrasound (head and abdominal circumference, femur length, and a summary measure of estimated fetal weight) as well as delivery (birthweight) metrics of growth. Results In adjusted repeated-measures models, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in CRP was associated with a 0.12 standard deviation decrease in fetal weight z-score (95% confidence interval, CI, -0.21, -0.02), which corresponds to approximately 50 g at 40-week gestation. The association was greatest in magnitude (ie, most negative) with CRP measured later in pregnancy. Oxidative stress markers were not associated with fetal weight, although both were inversely associated with head circumference and femur length. Conclusion Inflammation and oxidative stress markers measured later in pregnancy were associated with reduced fetal growth as measured by repeated ultrasound scans.
Grounded theory in medical laboratory science expert practice development.

Grounded theory and methods related to expert practice development in medical laboratory science were described using data from a large national survey of medical laboratory scientists (MLS) overlaid on findings from analysis of expert practice domains reported in nursing literature. An extensive focus group/expert review iterative process followed by a survey of MLS practitioners produced 25 critical thinking (CT) behaviors important in expert practice. Factor analysis was applied to discern common threads or themes linking the CT behaviors. The 25 important CT behaviors were reduced to a 7-factor structure representing constructs underlying the individual, observable CT behaviors. This 7-factor structure in MLS was compared to the 7 practice domains identified in expert nursing practice. The comparison yielded commonality between MLS and nursing in CT behaviors observed in the 7 expert practice domains of both professions: professional techniques, caring communication, growing professionally, setting priorities, practicing with judgment, anticipating/revising, and creating unique meaning. Emergent grounded theory is that (1) critical thinking is a metaprocess that facilitates learning by interlinking the more basic processes associated with different learning orientations: cognitivist, behaviorist, humanist (affective), and situated/contextual learning, (2) CT behaviors are observable events following from the CT metaprocess, and (3) observations of CT behaviors increase as practice advances from novice to expert. Identification and definition of CT behaviors, i.e., practice competencies, along the continuum of novice to expert can serve as the foundation for MLS curriculum and instructional design as well as measurement and evaluation in both formal and continuing education settings. ABBREVIATIONS: CLS or MLS - clinical (medical) laboratory science/clinical (medical) laboratory scientist; DCLS or DMLS - doctorate in clinical (medical) laboratory science; EBM - evidence-based medicine; EBLM - Evidence-based laboratory medicine; EBP -evidence-based practice
Scientific Method for Ecological Research: Criticisms and improvements for the scientific method in ecology

Summary The problems encountered in ecological research, and diYculties in solving them, have led to substantial criticisms of the subject, and particularly its methods. These criticisms, and some proposals for improvement, are discussed. Criticisms of general methods and objectives for a science are most frequently based on the critic's ideals. As science has developed to study new problems, particularly those not associated with the physical and chemical sciences, our understanding of what can be studied, and how best it can be done, have changed. Some criticisms of ecology are based on the ideals, for both objectives and methods, more suitable for the physical and chemical sciences. Progressive Synthesis has two ideals. (1) Progress in ecology requires the development of theory for integrative concepts. This is an ideal for the subject of ecology, enabling construction of scientific explanations for questions about communities, ecosystems, and populations. (2) Progress in ecology requires dominance of the behavioral norms of science over the counternorms. This is an ideal for research methodology. The use of upward inference as a process of reasoning is made by discussion and debate and may not be resolved definitively by clear-cut measurement or experiment. This requires that social processes in research must proceed effectively and not be restricted or biased. Introduction Criticisms made of ecology have sometimes been acrimonious about its achievements, or perceived lack of them, and about its methods. Improved analysis or new, and hopefully improved, research can meet valid criticism of a particular investigation or research finding. But criticisms about general levels of achievement, or the methods used, are more fundamental and can not be responded to through additional research.
Rater reliability of the extended International classification of functioning, disability and health core set for stroke

Introduction/Background The extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core set for stroke (eICFCS-stroke) is an assessment tool for describing stroke-related health. However, there were no reports of its use in Thailand. Before this core set could be applied to Thai population, there was a need to investigate its quality of measurement. This study aimed to evaluate rater reliability of the eICFCS-stroke in Thai population. Material and Method Participants were 43 community-dwellers with stroke (27 males and 16 females, mean age ± SD 65.6 ± 10.6 years). Raters were 2 physical therapists who independently assessed the participants and filled in the eICFCS-stroke with a qualifying scale ranging from 0 (no problem/facilitator/barrier) to 4 (complete problem/facilitator/barrier) or the qualifiers 8 (not specified) and 9 (not applicable). The ratings were based on information obtained through interviews with the participants and their caregivers, observations and physical therapy examinations. Rater reliability was analyzed by using the percent observed agreement and the weighted kappa for each category. Results Based on the kappa coefficients and respective confidence intervals, the results revealed that of 166 categories of the eICFCS-stroke, 123 (74.1%) and 119 (71.7%) had intra- and inter-rater reliability, respectively. Conclusion Most categories of the eICFCS-stroke had rater reliability when assessing within the context of Thai community. However, reduction of some categories which were difficult to make a judgment in the community as well as reduction the number of qualifiers and simplification of the “environmental factors” categories should be considered to improve the efficient use of this core set.
Automatic Variance Reduction for Three-Dimensional Monte Carlo Simulations by the Local Importance Function Transform—I: Analysis

A new automated variance reduction method for the Monte Carlo simulation of multigroup neutron transport source-detector problems is described. The method is based on a modified transport problem that can be solved by analog Monte Carlo with zero variance. The implementation of this modified problem is impractical, in part because it requires the exact solution of an adjoint transport problem. The new local importance function transform (LIFT) method is developed to overcome this difficulty by approximating the exact adjoint solution with a piecewise-continuous function containing parameters that are obtained from a deterministic adjoint calculation. The transport and collision processes of the transformed Monte Carlo problem bias source distribution, distance to collision, and selection of postcollision energy groups and directions. A companion paper provides numerical results that demonstrate the efficiency of the LIFT method.
The Assassination of Harvey Milk

In this chapter, I explain why after the 1978 assassination of San Francisco mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk, it is the latter who has achieved world recognition. At the time of their assassination, Moscone was the better-known figure, an American politician with a national reputation. In my analysis, I apply the theories of social drama and cultural trauma in order to shed light on this process, for these theories provide a framework for analyzing how this incident became a significant event both locally and nationally. The fact that Milk was one of the first openly gay people to hold public office in the United States meant that his life and death would have significance for a wide group of people. Individuals and organizations associated with gay liberation became carrier groups that created the Harvey Milk story and influenced how it was told. These carrier groups saw to it that Milk was not merely remembered, but remembered in a particular way.
Factor structure, internal reliability and construct validity of the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Stigma Mechanisms Scale (MMT‐SMS)

Background and aim Experience of stigma towards methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) may be a barrier to the use of this treatment by people with opioid use disorder. We evaluated the factor structure, internal reliability, construct and criterion validity of a theory-based stigma measure, the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Stigma Mechanisms Scale (MMT-SMS) and compared this with the Substance Use Stigma Mechanism Scale (SU-SMS). Design Surveys at the beginning and end of a prospective study together with records of drug use and treatment attendance during that study. Setting Community methadone clinic in the Northeastern USA. Participants Ninety-three participants who were receiving MMT; the average daily methadone dose was 84.8 mg/day (standard deviation = 28.39 mg/day). Measurements The MMT-SMS uses a self-report questionnaire to assess three dimensions reflecting experiences of anticipated (nine items), enacted (nine items) and internalized stigma (seven items) specifically related to receiving MMT. Anticipated and enacted scales include three stigma source subscales (family, employers, health care workers; three items each). Responses are recorded on a five-point Likert-type scale, then averaged to produce the MMT-SMS scale/subscale scores. The SU-SMS is a self-report questionnaire to assess experiences of anticipated, enacted and internalized stigma regarding substance use history. Both scales were administered at the final parent study visit. Other measures included were assessed in the parent study and used to assess life-time and recent MMT (e.g. current MMT dose) and drug use experiences (e.g. past 30-day heroin injection). Findings The MMT-SMS demonstrated good internal reliability (α = 0.806-0.952 for components). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the seven-factor scale structure, distinguishing between experiences of anticipated, enacted and internalized stigma, and anticipated and enacted stigma source subscales (family, employers, health care workers) [root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.076, 90% confidence interval (CI) = 0.061-0.090, P-close = 0.003; confirmatory fit index (CFI) = 0.974; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.971]. Construct validity helped to distinguish the MMT-SMS from established substance use stigma constructs. Criterion validity observed associations with substance use experiences while on MMT, likely to predict future MMT success. Internalized MMT stigma was uniquely associated with daily MMT dose. Regarding criterion validity: anticipated MMT and enacted substance use stigma were associated with past 30-day heroin injection, MMT stigma uniquely associated with opioid use behaviors while receiving MMT, and substance use stigma broadly associated with injection-related behaviors. Conclusions The Methadone Maintenance Treatment Stigma Mechanisms Scale appears to be a reliable measure of methadone maintenance treatment stigma with robust validity in a sample of people with opioid use disorders receiving methadone maintenance treatment.
The Access Technology Program of the Indiana Clinical Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI): A model to facilitate access to cutting-edge technologies across a state.

Introduction: Access to cutting-edge technologies is essential for investigators to advance translational research. The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) spans three major and preeminent universities, four large academic campuses across the state of Indiana, and is mandate to provide best practices to a whole state. Methods: To address the need to facilitate the availability of innovative technologies to its investigators, the Indiana CTSI implemented the Access Technology Program (ATP). The activities of the ATP, or any program of the Indiana CTSI, are challenged to connect technologies and investigators on the multiple Indiana CTSI campuses by the geographical distances between campuses (1–4 hr driving time). Results: Herein, we describe the initiatives developed by the ATP to increase the availability of state-of-the-art technologies to its investigators on all Indiana CTSI campuses, and the methods developed by the ATP to bridge the distance between campuses, technologies, and investigators for the advancement of clinical translational research. Conclusions: The methods and practices described in this publication may inform other approaches to enhance translational research, dissemination, and usage of innovative technologies by translational investigators, especially when distance or multi-campus cultural differences are factors to efficient application.
Anti-ferroelectric polarization transitions in quantum-dot-quantum-well arrays.

With the improvement in fabrication techniques it is now possible to produce atom-like semiconductor structures with unique electronic properties. This makes possible periodic arrays of nanostructures in which the Coulomb interaction, polarizability and tunneling may all be varied. This theoretical study investigates the collective properties of 2D arrays and 3D face-centered cubic lattices of singly charged nanospherical shells, sometimes called ‘quantum dot–quantum wells’ or ‘core–shell quantum dots’. We find that, for square arrays, the classical ground state is an Ising anti-ferroelectric (AFE), while the quantum ground state undergoes a transition from a uniform state to an AFE. The triangular lattice, in contrast, displays properties characteristic of frustration. Three-dimensional face-centered cubic lattices polarize in planes, with each layer alternating in direction. We discuss the possible experimental signals of these transitions.
Efficacy of implementing intermittent STOP THE BLEED ® reviews on long term retention of hemorrhage control skills of first year medical students.

CONTEXT Some medical schools integrate STOP THE BLEED® training into their curricula to teach students how to identify and stop life threatening bleeds; these classes that are taught as single day didactic and hands-on training sessions without posttraining reviews. To improve retention and confidence in hemorrhage control, additional review opportunities are necessary. OBJECTIVES To investigate whether intermittent STOP THE BLEED® reviews were effective for long term retention of hemorrhage control skills and improving perceived confidence. METHODS First year osteopathic medical students were asked to complete an eight item survey (five Likert scale and three quiz format questions) before (pretraining) and after (posttraining) completing a STOP THE BLEED® training session. After the surveys were collected, students were randomly assigned to one of two study groups. Over a 12 week intervention period, each group watched a 4 min STOP THE BLEED® review video (intervention group) or a "distractor" video (control group) at 4 week intervals. After the 12 weeks, the students were asked to complete an 11 item survey. RESULTS Scores on the posttraining survey were higher than the pretraining survey. The median score on the five Likert scale items was 23 points for the posttraining survey and 14 points for the pretraining survey. Two of the three knowledge based quiz format questions significantly improved from pretraining to posttraining (both p 0.18), but the intervention group had much higher scores on the Likert scale items than the control group regarding their confidence in their ability to identify and control bleeding (intervention group median = 21.4 points vs. control group median = 16.8 points). CONCLUSIONS Intermittent review videos for STOP THE BLEED® training improved medical students' confidence in their hemorrhage control skills, but the videos did not improve their ability to correctly answer quiz-format questions compared with the control group.
TSSr: an R package for comprehensive analyses of TSS sequencing data

Transcription initiation is regulated in a highly organized fashion to ensure proper cellular functions. Accurate identification of transcription start sites (TSSs) and quantitative characterization of transcription initiation activities are fundamental steps for studies of regulated transcriptions and core promoter structures. Several high-throughput techniques have been developed to sequence the very 5'end of RNA transcripts (TSS sequencing) on the genome scale. Bioinformatics tools are essential for processing, analysis, and visualization of TSS sequencing data. Here, we present TSSr, an R package that provides rich functions for mapping TSS and characterizations of structures and activities of core promoters based on all types of TSS sequencing data. Specifically, TSSr implements several newly developed algorithms for accurately identifying TSSs from mapped sequencing reads and inference of core promoters, which are a prerequisite for subsequent functional analyses of TSS data. Furthermore, TSSr also enables users to export various types of TSS data that can be visualized by genome browser for inspection of promoter activities in association with other genomic features, and to generate publication-ready TSS graphs. These user-friendly features could greatly facilitate studies of transcription initiation based on TSS sequencing data. The source code and detailed documentations of TSSr can be freely accessed at https://github.com/Linlab-slu/TSSr.
Unsupervised segmentation of soil x-ray microtomography images

Advances in X-ray microtomography (XMT) are opening new opportunities for examining soil structural properties and fluid distribution around living roots in-situ. The low contrast between moist soil, root and air-filled pores in XMT images presents a problem with respect to image segmentation. In this paper, we develop an unsupervised method for segmenting XMT images to pores (air and water), soil, and root regions. A feature-based segmentation method is provided to isolate regions that consist of similar texture patterns from an image based on the normalized inverse difference moment of gray-level co-occurrence matrix. The results obtained show that the combination of features, clustering, and post-processing techniques has advantageous over other advanced segmentation methods.
Wiederherstellung von Form und Funktion durch operative Behandlung von Skeletmetastasen

Die Behandlung von Skeletmetastasen macht die enge Zusammenarbeit der das Grundleiden betreuenden Fachdisziplin, eines Onkologen und eines Chirurgen des Bewegungsapparates notwendig. Die Palette moglicher Masnahmen umfast Bestrahlung, Hormontherapie, Cytostatika und die chirurgische Resektion. Hierbei erlauben die modernen Moglichkeiten der Wiederherstellungschirurgie auch nach Entfernung von Knochenmetastasen die Kontinuitat des Skeletsy sternes belastungsstabil wieder herzustellen und Gelenke unter Wiedergewinn eines zumindest funktionell wertvollen Bewegungsumfanges zu ersetzen.
Mobile apps: it's time to move up to CondOS

Sensing is a significant contributor to the current mobile computing revolution. Today’s typical smartphone has more than eight sensors, including multiple mics, cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes, a GPS, a digital compass, and proximity sensors. These sensors not only provide natural user interaction with the device, but also offer tantalizing opportunities for context-aware computing. A rich history of work has investigated algorithms for converting raw sensor data into context, and their specific usages [3]. To cite just two examples: A restaurant finder app may adjust its search radius depending on whether a user is on foot, cycling, or driving, which can be inferred from GPS and IMU readings [11]. A Twitter app might choose to alert the user of her latest updates at an interruptible moment such as when she is not engaged in conversation, which can be inferred from the mic’s audio [5]. The ingredients for context appear ready: the sensing hardware, the data processing algorithms and the application scenarios are all primed. The question that emerges is: who is responsible for context generation? One option is for apps to manage their own context generation. This approach appears appealing because apps are most familiar with their own context needs. However, many mobile OSs such as iPhone’s iOS and Windows Phone’s WP7 harbor legitimate energy concerns and severely restrict non-foreground processing. As a result, an app may generate context from immediately available sensor data, but is unable to maintain context while outside the scope of its execution. This can be as simple as missing the accelerometer’s transition from sitting to standing, since sensing either state outside the transition period does not yield distinguishing information. Alternatively, Android apps may run in the background, but then the user is at the mercy of the flawless app developer to use resources intelligently. Another option is to simply ship all sensor data to the cloud
Odontogenic fibroma. Report of two cases.

Abstract This report of odontogenic fibromas occurring in female patients 8 and 73 years of age contributes to the mounting evidence that this is a benign odontogenic tumor with distinctive clinical and microscopic features which differentiate it from the odontogenic myxoma and the desmoplastic fibroma of bone.