cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward Improving Transurethral Prostate Surgery: Development and Initial Experiments with a Prototype Concentric Tube Robotic Platform

Abstract Introduction: Despite the potential clinical advantages of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), there has been reluctance of the urologic community to adopt the procedure, as a result of a perceived steep learning curve. Thus, we sought to design and develop a transurethral endoscopic robotic platform for HoLEP. Materials and Methods: We developed a novel transurethral, concentric tube robotic platform for HoLEP. We conducted magnetic tracking experiments to compare movements of the end effectors of the robot with those of a rigid endoscope. Additionally, we tested the robot on an HoLEP simulator and with a human cadaveric prostate to assess its ability to maneuver within a small working space. Results: In the prostate scanning experiment, the area reached by the robot represents a 65% improvement vs the area accessible by a rigid endoscope without tissue deformation. Additionally, the robot performed well within the confines of the prostatic urethra and was able to successfully com...
Thermal Tempering of Bulk Metallic Glasses

The recent development of multi-component alloys with exceptional glass forming ability has allowed the processing of large amorphous metal samples. The possibility of formation of thermal tempering stresses during the processing of these bulk metallic glass (BMG) specimens was investigated using the (1) instant freezing, and (2) viscoelastic models. Both models yielded similar results although from vastly different approaches. It was shown that fast convective cooling of Zr 41.2 Ti 13.8 Cu 12.5 Ni 10 Be 22.5 plates could generate significant compressive stresses on the surfaces balanced with mid-plane tension. The crack compliance method was then employed to measure the stress profiles in a BMG plate that was cast in a copper mold. These profiles were roughly parabolic suggesting that thermal tempering was indeed the dominant residual stress generation mechanism. However, the magnitude of the measured stresses (with peak values of only about 1.5% of the yield strength) was significantly lower than the modeling predictions. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are described in relation to the actual casting process and material properties.
High-dose-rate brachytherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate.

BACKGROUND Although radical prostatectomy for localized disease is considered as a standard of care, external-beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy are equally effective. We report on the technique and preliminary results of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy using a temporary iridium-192 implant technique. METHODS The authors reviewed the literature on the techniques, treatment protocols, and results of HDR brachytherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate, and they report their own protocols, technique, and results. RESULTS The combination of HDR brachytherapy and external irradiation has been well tolerated by all 200 patients in our series, with less than 3% grade 3 late complications and with 95% PSA relapse-free survival with a median follow-up of 24 months. CONCLUSIONS HDR brachytherapy may be the most conformal type of irradiation in the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate regardless of tumor size, anatomical distortion, and organ mobility.
Sextupole Correction Coils for SSC Model Dipoles

Local correction of the sextupole error field is proposed for the dipoles of the SSC. This requirement is imposed on the design by the high field quality required both during injection at low fields and during colliding beam operation at high fields. Error fields in the main dipole windings due to superconductor magnetization and conductor misplacements add unwanted sextupole and decapole magnetic field terms. To correct the sextupole error field we have constructed sextupole coils made of a single layer of superconducting wire and have mounted them with high precision on the stainless steel bore tube. These correction coils have been operated with 1 meter long SSC model dipoles in both the self-powered and externally-powered modes. The sextupole field in the bore has been reduced by as much as a factor of 50. The level of correction depends strongly on the angular alignment of the correction coil with respect to the sextupole error field it is to correct. Results of tests, performance of the correction coils and alignment requirements for the system are presented.
Equilibrium Queue Distributions, Two Servers, μ0 = μ1 = μ2, Theory

We saw in chapter II that the analysis of a system consisti of an input server, a finite storage, and one other server was tractable; one could evaluate essentially anything one wishes, and most things that are of any practical significance can be evaluated without much difficulty. As one adds additional servers and storages to the system, however, a complete analysis immediately becomes prohibitively difficult. One may devise schemes for evaluating special cases analytically (usually involving some infinite storages, some regular servers, i.e., ∆j = 0, or identical servers), or one can numerically evaluate, possibly by simulation, the performance of any specific system. To understand in detail, how the behavior of the system depends upon the ∆.∙s, μ.∙s, and cj∙s, however, is hopeless. Even if one could find an exact solution of the diffusion equation, the number of parameters in the solution would be so large that it would be impossible to comprehend the effects of each.
Relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome and ancestry in European Americans.

Objective To determine whether European Americans with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exhibit genetic differences associated with PCOS status and phenotypic features. Design Case-control association study in European Americans. Setting Academic center. Subject(s) Women with PCOS diagnosed with the use of the National Institutes of Health criteria (n = 532) and control women with regular menstrual cycles and no evidence of hyperandrogenism (n = 432). Intervention(s) Blood was drawn for measurement of sex steroids, metabolic parameters, and genotyping. Main Outcome Measure(s) Associations among PCOS status, phenotype, and genetic background identified with the use of principal component analysis. Result(s) Principal component analysis identified five principal components (PCs). PC1 captured northwest-to-southeast European genetic variation and was associated with PCOS status. Acanthosis was associated with southern European ancestry, and larger waist:hip ratio was associated with northern European ancestry. PC2 was associated with east-to-west European genetic variation and cholesterol levels. Conclusion(s) These data provide evidence for genetic influence based on European ethnicity in women with PCOS. There is also evidence for a genetic component in the phenotypic features of PCOS within a mixed European population. The data point to the need to control for population stratification in genetic studies in women of mixed European ethnicity. They also emphasize the need for better studies of PCOS prevalence and phenotype as a function of genetic background.
The Rise of "The Rest": Challenges to the West from Late-Industrializing Economies

(2002). The Rise of 'The Rest': Challenges to the West from Late-Industrializing Economies. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 217-219.
Review: Conjuring the Real: The Role of Architecture in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-century Fiction by Rumiko Handa, James Potter, editors

Rumiko Handa and James Potter, editors. Conjuring the Real: The Role of Architecture in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-century Fiction . Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2011, 232 pp., 33 b/w illus. $35.00, ISBN 9780803217430. Given how much has been written about architecture and literature over the last few decades, the subtitle of this book might seem to promise a belated subject. The essays collected here are the result of a lecture series held in 2007 at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, though the length and density of some of them suggest versions that preceded their presentation at that conference. This density is in fact one of the strengths of this book, which strays far from its title and announced theme. The other strength is the astounding roster of contributors, many of whom will be familiar to readers of this journal. For those not familiar with them, this volume is valuable as an introduction to some of the leading figures in fields as far apart as literary medievalism, structuralist art history, poststructuralist architectural theory, and Victorian set design. Most of the chapters restate arguments or present evidence that the authors have published in earlier forms. An analogy might be some projects that bring in a team of superstar architects to design separate buildings for what is supposed to be a common project. Rumiko Handa, one of the editors, provides the introduction to the volume, explaining that the lecture series was part of an effort to integrate architecture into the study of the humanities. One aspect of this effort is a …
50th Anniversary Perspective: Advanced Polymer Fibers: High Performance and Ultrafine

As Macromolecules celebrates its 50th anniversary, we reflect on the impact of polymer chemistry and engineering on the advancement of synthetic polymer fibers. In this Perspective, we focus on two exemplary cases: (i) high performance fibers and (ii) ultrafine electrospun fibers. High performance in this context refers to fibers like Kevlar and Spectra, which emerged as a consequence of novel chemistry and processing innovations to convert synthetic polymers into fibers with exceptional specific stiffness and strength. More recently, the development of “ultrafine” (i.e., submicrometer diameter) fibers by technologies such as electrospinning has advanced dramatically, resulting in interesting, emergent structures and properties, such as surface and internal morphologies, electrical and mechanical properties, and growth applications like tissue engineering and sensors, which are subjects of current research. In both cases, challenges and opportunities exist in the development of polymer processes to advanc...
Impact of Trainee Involvement on Complication Rates Following Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery.

OBJECTIVE Trainee involvement in surgical procedures has been associated with longer surgical times and increased rates of certain complications. There has been limited study of the impact trainee involvement has on outcomes in urogynecologic surgery. We sought to determine the impact of resident and fellow involvement in pelvic reconstructive surgeries on 30-day complication rates. METHODS Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, patients who underwent pelvic floor surgery were identified between 2010 and 2015. Patients were stratified into 3 groups: no trainee, resident, or fellow involvement. The primary outcome was the composite complication rate. Three-group comparison was performed using Kruskal-Wallis analysis. If statistically significant, then pairwise analysis was performed between the reference group (attending alone) and experimental groups (resident or fellow). Additional pairwise analysis was performed between the fellow and resident groups. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with an increased risk of complications. RESULTS Seven thousand seven hundred fifty-two surgical cases met all criteria for inclusion; 2440 (31.4%) included residents, and 646 (8.3%) included fellows. The median operating times were significantly higher in the resident and fellow groups compared with the attending-alone group (109 minutes [interquartile range, 55-164 minutes) compared with 110 minutes [interquartile range, 61-174 minutes] compared with 72 minutes [interquartile range, 38-113 minutes], P < 0.001). After multivariable logistic regression, trainee participation did not result in an increase in complication rate. Preoperative transfusion (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.03-30.09), coagulopathy (aOR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.74-5.82), nonwhite race (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.31-1.89), insulin-dependent diabetes (aOR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.03-2.72), American Society of Anesthesiologists class greater than 2 (aOR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21-1.77), length of stay (aOR, 1.04, 95%CI:1.02-1.06), operating time (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.03), and undergoing a sling procedure (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.41) were associated with higher complication rates. CONCLUSIONS Resident and fellow involvement during pelvic reconstructive surgery is associated with longer operating times but does not increase the risk of complications within 30 days of the procedure.
Perivascular delivery of resolvin D1 inhibits neointimal hyperplasia in a rabbit vein graft model.

Abstract Objective Inflammation is a key driver of excessive neointimal hyperplasia within vein grafts. Recent work demonstrates that specialized proresolving lipid mediators biosynthesized from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as resolvin D1 (RvD1), actively orchestrate the process of inflammation resolution. We investigated the effects of local perivascular delivery of RvD1 in a rabbit vein graft model. Methods Ipsilateral jugular veins were implanted as carotid interposition grafts through an anastomotic cuff technique in New Zealand white rabbits (3-4 kg; N = 80). RvD1 (1 μg) was delivered to the vein bypass grafts in a perivascular fashion, using either 25% Pluronic F127 gel (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, Mo) or a thin bilayered poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) film. No treatment (bypass only) and vehicle-loaded Pluronic gels or PLGA films served as controls. Delivery of RvD1 to venous tissue was evaluated 3 days later by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Total leukocyte infiltration, macrophage infiltration, and cell proliferation were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Elastin and trichrome staining was performed on grafts harvested at 28 days after bypass to evaluate neointimal hyperplasia and vein graft remodeling. Results Perivascular treatments did not influence rates of graft thrombosis (23%), major wound complications (4%), or death (3%). Leukocyte (CD45) and macrophage (RAM11) infiltration was significantly reduced in the RvD1 treatment groups vs controls at 3 days (60%-72% reduction; P Conclusions Local perivascular delivery of RvD1 attenuates vein graft hyperplasia without associated toxicity in a rabbit carotid bypass model. This effect appears to be mediated by both reduced leukocyte recruitment and decreased cell proliferation within the graft. Perivascular PLGA films may also impart protection through biomechanical scaffolding in this venous arterialization model. Our studies provide further support for the potential therapeutic role of specialized proresolving lipid mediators such as D-series resolvins in modulating vascular injury and repair.
Abstract 1127: Role of NRF1 regulatory gene-networks in glioblastoma

Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 (NRF1), a transcription factor historically known to regulate several mitochondrial genes, has been recently implicated in human cancers. We have previously demonstrated the importance of NRF1 in estrogen driven breast cancer. The NRF1 motif exhibits some of the strongest pioneer activity (pioneer index indicates an increase in chromatin opening activity during developmental process) in mouse embryonic stem cells. Both neurogenesis and synaptogenesis are controlled by NRF1 regulated genes. There is a strong association of NRF1 with human fetal brain and neural development. To begin our study of the effect of NRF1 on glioblastoma pathogenesis, we examined whether NRF1 contributes to the acquisition of multipotent neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) properties in adult human brain cells. We generated NRF1 overexpressing stable human brain cerebral cortex astrocytes. Both 17β-estradiol (E2, 100 pg/ml) and NRF1 overexpression increased the percentage of cells co-expressing SOX2 and Nestin by 8 and 20%, respectively as shown by flow cytometry. Nestin is an intermediate filament protein important for guaranteeing neural stem pluripotent stem cell (NSPC) self-renewal while SOX2 is expressed at the earliest development stage of the brain and functions as a marker of neural development. SOX2 also plays a key role in the maintenance of neural stem cell (NSC) properties, including proliferation/survival, self-renewal, and neurogenesis. Multipotency allows NSPCs to differentiate into the neurons, astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. NRF1-induced SOX2+Nestin+ NSPCs expressed the neuronal marker β-III-tubulin, the neural phenotype, and neurosphere formation. NRF1 induced NSPCs were subjected to FACS analysis after FITC Annexin V and Propidium Iodide staining. Dead cells stained positive for both FITC Annexin V and PI and these cells are lowest in NRF1+ (0.42%) compared to vector control (4%). In summary, overexpression of NRF1 suppresses cellular senescence and increases resistance to apoptosis. Both are major barriers to cell reprogramming that may contribute in the generation of glioblastoma stem cells. To investigate the role of NRF1 gene network in glioblastoma, we used Bayesian network (BN) analysis on TCGA based RNA-seq data of 154 glioblastoma patients samples. NRF1 based gene association networks were significantly different in low overall survival (OS) patients compared with high OS patients. Specifically, TNFRSF10B, HGF, EBF4, and PAX5 showed up consistently as first degree Markov Blanket genes of NRF1 in low OS ( Citation Format: Kaumudi Bhawe, Jayanta Das, Changwon Yoo, Deodutta Roy. Role of NRF1 regulatory gene-networks in glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1127.
A Novel High-Resolution Trace Metal Clean Sampler for Stationary, Profiling, and Mobile Deployment

The Portable Remote In-Situ Metal (PRISM) sampler is a trace metal clean sampler designed for high resolution study of iron (and other metals) in marine ecosystems. Sub-nanomolar detection limits are achievable through a combination of material selection (PTFE, LDPE, HDPE, polypropylene), actively pumped sampling, and design of the fluid loop to avoid contact between sampled waters and the pump or any active valves. A compact modular design, collecting 15 or 30 10 mL samples per module, facilitates deployment on a wide range of stationary, profiling, and mobile platforms. The PRISM sampler has been tested to 200m depth, sufficient for deployment along the continental shelf or for study of the euphotic zone, and can operate autonomously for up to 6 months on a battery pack of 8 C-cell NiMH batteries. Use of readily accessible standard parts minimizes cost and facilitates utilization by other scientists.
Impact of Transformer Leakage Inductance on the Soft-Switching Solid-State Transformer

Leakage inductance is inevitable in high frequency (HF) transformer design for solid-state transformer applications. Managing the energy trapped in leakage is very crucial for a safe and efficient operation of Solid-State Transformer (SST) converters. In the soft-switching solid-state transformer (S4T), leakage energy management is achieved in a passive way by having it absorbed in the two auxiliary resonant circuits, one on each side of the HF transformer. However, this could lead to an additional voltage/current stress on the resonant circuit and could impact various elements of the S4T design. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the resonant circuit operation and analytically derived relations between the leakage inductance and the peak voltage/current stress in the S4T converter. Simulation and experimental results verifying the analysis are presented. Using the derived relations, the design considerations for the S4T resonant circuit parameters are also discussed.
Comparison of reproductive history gathered by interview and by vital records linkage after 40 years of follow-up: Bogalusa Babies.

To examine the consistency and likely degree of bias in a study of cardiovascular health, linked with reproductive data over 40 years. Linkage of vital statistics data of births to female Bogalusa Heart Study participants was compared to interviewing of female participants. The characteristics of participants, the agreement, and demographic, study-related, and medical predictors of discrepancy were analyzed, using kappa statistics, mean and median differences, and logistic regression. Overall, 3944 (66.7%) of participants were located by one or both sources. The strongest predictor of either linkage or interview was recent and/or frequent participation in the parent study. Agreement between the two sources was generally good (kappa > 0.9 for birthweight and 0.8 for gestational age). Black race, older age, and time since pregnancy were associated with greater discrepancy in reporting of outcomes, but cardiovascular risk factors generally were not. Combining information from multiple sources to increase sample size and outcome ascertainment may be valid, which will increase population health sciences’ ability to leverage the many existing, large-scale sources to answer previously unexplored questions, even those that the data were not initially collected to answer.
My Turn To Read: An Interleaved E-book Reading Tool for Developing and Struggling Readers

Literacy is crucial for functioning in modern society. It underpins everything from educational attainment and employment opportunities to health outcomes. We describe My Turn To Read, an app that uses interleaved reading to help developing and struggling readers improve reading skills while reading for meaning and pleasure. We hypothesize that the longer-term impact of the app will be to help users become better, more confident readers with an increased stamina for extended reading. We describe the technology and present preliminary evidence in support of this hypothesis.
Current situation of direct-drinking water produced by automatic water dispenser in street corner of Guangzhou

Objective:Along with the rapid development of Chinese economy,the population increase sharply in many big or media-sized cities,but the drinking water is deficit as a result of the source water polluted seriously.The automatic water dispensers,produce and sell purified water,are gradually penetrating into people's daily water consumption life with low prices and convenient form of sale.To find out the sanitary situation of the automatic water dispenser used in the street corner,to improve the sanitary quality of drinking water,and make sure of the good health of the drinkers.Methods:In January 2008,we had a sample survey on the basic situations of the automatic water dispensers in Guangzhou,and tested the physical and chemical and microbiological indicators according to GB5750-2006 Standard Examination Method for Drinking Water.Results:The vast majority indicators were qualified and the rates were 100 percent.In all the indicators,only turbidity,macroscopic substance,chemical oxygen demand and total bacteria count went beyond the standard.Conclusion:The sanitary management,especially the microorganism,of the direct-drinking water produced by automatic water dispensers in the street needs to be strengthened.
Peak systolic velocity and color aliasing are important in the development of duplex ultrasound criteria for external carotid artery stenosis.

Abstract Objective The external carotid artery (ECA) serves as a major collateral pathway for ophthalmic and cerebral artery blood supply. It is routinely examined as part of carotid duplex ultrasound, but criteria for determining ECA stenosis are poorly characterized and typically extrapolated from internal carotid artery data. This is despite the fact that the ECA is smaller in diameter, with a higher resistance and lower volume flow pattern. We hypothesized that using the cutoff of a peak systolic velocity (PSV) ≥125 cm/s, extrapolated from internal carotid artery data, will overestimate the prevalence of ≥50% ECA stenosis and aimed to determine a more appropriate criterion. Methods From December 2016 to July 2017, consecutive carotid duplex ultrasound studies performed in our university hospital Intersocietal Accreditation Commission-accredited vascular laboratory were prospectively identified and categorized with respect to prevalence and distribution of ECA PSVs and color aliasing, an indication of turbulent flow or flow acceleration. Presence of color aliasing was determined by two individual reviewers and agreement assessed by Cohen κ coefficient. ECA stenosis was calculated by the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) method in patients with computed tomography angiography (CTA) performed within 3 months of carotid duplex ultrasound without an intervening intervention. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to identify best criteria for determining ≥50% ECA stenosis. Results There were 1324 ECAs from 662 patients analyzed; 174 patients had a total of 252 ECAs with PSV ≥125 cm/s (19% of the total sample). Of those ECAs with PSVs ≥125 cm/s, 30.5% were between 125 and 149 cm/s, 22.2% were between 150 and 174 cm/s, 13.1% were between 175 and 199 cm/s, and 34.1% were ≥200 cm/s. There were 341 ECAs that were analyzed for the presence of color aliasing. In 86 ECAs with PSV ≥200 cm/s, 58.1% had color aliasing, whereas in 255 ECAs with PSV Conclusions A PSV ≥125 cm/s alone probably overestimates the prevalence of ≥50% ECA stenosis. A PSV ≥200 cm/s combined with color aliasing is highly predictive of >50% ECA stenosis based on correlation with CTA.
Bleeding and Re-exploration After Cardiac Surgery

A unique constellation of preoperative and intraoperative factors place cardiac surgical patients at an increased risk of postoperative bleeding. A comprehensive strategy is required to minimize the morbidity and mortality associated with bleeding in cardiac surgery. Preoperative measures include correction of preexisting coagulopathies and ensuring platelet quantity and function whenever possible. Medical management of postoperative bleeding requires timely recognition of coagulopathies to allow for focused and directed treatment, potentially with transfusion of blood products, antifibrinolytics, or coagulation factor concentrates. The administration of blood products should be protocolized and evidence-based, given the well-recognized risks associated with inappropriate transfusion. A restrictive transfusion threshold should be employed for patients with asymptomatic anemia. Balanced transfusion with packed red blood cells, plasma, and platelets should be considered in patients with significant bleeding requiring a massive transfusion protocol. Surgical re-exploration should be considered when bleeding persists despite optimal medical management. While re-exploration is associated with increased risk of complications, it can potentially avoid the morbidity and long-term sequelae of multiple blood transfusions. A discrete source of bleeding is only identified in as few as 67% of patients who are re-explored. However, the use of fibrin sealants and other hemostatic agents can greatly improve the likelihood of successfully controlling bleeding.
A Manager’s Guide to Free Speech and Social Media in the Public Workplace: An Analysis of the Lower Courts’ Recent Application of Pickering:

Public organizations are experiencing a burgeoning of workplace challenges involving employee use of social media. Comments, images, or videos ranging from racist remarks, to calls to violence, sim...
Further Examples of Intersection Numbers

In this chapter further examples of computing scattering amplitudes using recursion relations for intersection numbers are presented. Based on previous results, we identify twisted forms appropriate for specific quantum field theories, including gauge and gravity theories, and compute their scattering amplitudes via intersection numbers. We finish with a more general calculation of intersection numbers of Kac–Moody correlators.
Administrating Language: The Language Ideological Voices of Urban School Administrators in Urban Education:

Urban schools are becoming increasingly linguistically diverse. However, principals are not adequately prepared to address linguistic variation, and in particular, issues related to African America...
Kleptoparasitic interactions modeling varying owner and intruder hunger awareness.

Abstract We consider a game theoretical model of kleptoparasitic interaction between two individuals, the Owner and the Intruder. The Owner is in possession of a resource and must decide whether to defend the resource against the Intruder or flee. If the Owner defends, the Intruder must decide whether to fight with the Owner or flee. The outcome of the fight depends on the hunger of the individuals, the hungrier the individual is, the more likely they are to win the fight. We consider three scenarios: (a) both individuals know their own and their opponent’s hunger, (b) individuals only know their own hunger but not that of their opponent, and (c) individuals do not know their own nor the opponent’s hunger levels. We determine Nash equilibrium strategies in each scenario. We conclude that Owner is generally willing to defend more often than the Intruder is willing to attack. Also, the Intruder’s payoff is largest in the full information case; but the Owner may benefit in the no information or partial information cases when the cost of the fight is neither too large nor too small.
Examining technology integration in middle school STEAM units

This research draws on a longitudinal study in which middle school math and science teachers enacted STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) teaching in their classroom after ...
Accessible Public Transit Alternatives

Recent changes in Federal requirements for providing public transportation to the handicapped are identified. Accessible fixed‐route service and demand responsive service are evaluated as the two primary alternatives for meeting the Urban Mass Transit Administration's (UMTA) current “special efforts” requirement. The potential for accessible fixed‐route service is evaluated based on early experiences in St. Louis and Milwaukee and more recent data for Seattle. A hypothetical accessible fixed‐route system for Madison, Wisconsin, is developed using Seattle demand data and compared with the existing demand responsive system. A range of demand responsive service alternatives including the user side subsidy option are also evaluated for Madison. The analysis shows that, under ideal conditions and ignoring lift‐related delay costs, fixed‐route service can be nearly as cost‐effective as demand responsive service. Demand responsive service, however, provides for a much higher proportion of the travel needs of the...
Few-Shot Learning for Decoding Surface Electromyography for Hand Gesture Recognition

This work is motivated by the recent advancements of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) for myoelectric prosthesis control. In this regard, hand gesture recognition via surface Electromyogram (sEMG) signals has shown a high potential for improving the performance of myoelectric control prostheses. Although the recent researches in hand gesture recognition with DNNs have achieved promising results, they are still in their infancy. The recent literature uses traditional supervised learning methods that usually have poor performance if a small amount of data is available or requires adaptation to a changing task. Therefore, in this work, we develop a novel hand gesture recognition framework based on the formulation of FewShot Learning (FSL) to infer the required output given only one or a few numbers of training examples. Thus in this paper, we proposed a new architecture (named as FHGR which refers to "Few-shot Hand Gesture Recognition") that learns the mapping using a small number of data and quickly adapts to a new user/gesture by combing its prior experience. The proposed approach led to 83.99% classification accuracy on new repetitions with few-shot observations, 76.39% accuracy on new subjects with few-shot observations, and 72.19% accuracy on new gestures with few-shot observations.
The Canons of Citechecking

In the tradition of legal scholarly publishing -- a student editor with very little experience offering barely informed solutions to improve publishing -- I present here a set of so-called "canons of citechecking." Akin to the statutory canons of construction, they might be useful to editors for rationalizing when to insist (or not) that an author's proposition be supported. The idea, of course, is to offer reasonable, meaningful suggestions to authors rather than to blindly perform mechanical busywork or to play "gotcha!"
Narrative Continuity/Rupture: Projected Professional Futures amid Pervasive Employment Precarity:

As working conditions change worldwide, employment precarity is increasing, including for groups for whom such conditions are unexpected. This study investigates how members of one such group—educa...
"Harshlighting" small blemishes on microarrays

Microscopists are familiar with many blemishes that fluorescence images can have due to dust and debris, glass flaws, uneven distribution of fluids or surface coatings, etc. Microarray scans show similar artefacts, which affect the analysis, particularly when one tries to detect subtle changes. However, most blemishes are hard to find by the unaided eye, particularly in high-density oligonucleotide arrays (HDONAs). We present a method that harnesses the statistical power provided by having several HDONAs available, which are obtained under similar conditions except for the experimental factor. This method "harshlights" blemishes and renders them evident. We find empirically that about 25% of our chips are blemished, and we analyze the impact of masking them on screening for differentially expressed genes. Experiments attempting to assess subtle expression changes should be carefully screened for blemishes on the chips. The proposed method provides investigators with a novel robust approach to improve the sensitivity of microarray analyses. By utilizing topological information to identify and mask blemishes prior to model based analyses, the method prevents artefacts from confounding the process of background correction, normalization, and summarization.
The State Cancer Profiles web site and extensions of linked micromap plots and conditioned choropleth map plots

The National Cancer Institute's State Cancer Profiles web site that was launched in mid-April put the power of new graphical tools into the hands of cancer control planners and the public. This paper emphasizes advances in two graphics templates, one heavily used in the web site and one planned for future use. These templates for showing geospatially-indexed statistics address needs that are less well addressed by more conventional maps, such as the representation of estimate uncertainty. The web site and templates both evolved through extensive usability testing of targeted users. The results described in this paper signal highly visible acceptance of the new interactive and dynamic forms of these templates.
Structural Characteristics and Reactivity Properties of Highly Dispersed Al2O3/SiO2 and V2O5/Al2O3/SiO2 Catalysts

Abstract Highly dispersed Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 and V 2 O 5 /Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 catalysts under various conditions (e.g., hydration, dehydration, and methanol chemisorption) were investigated by in situ Raman and UV–vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. Temperature-programmed reduction and methanol oxidation were employed as chemical probe reactions to examine the reducibility and reactivity properties of these catalysts. The spectroscopic results revealed that the surface vanadium oxide species on the Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 supports are predominantly isolated VO 4 units [O=V(O–Support) 3 ] in the dehydrated state. The surface vanadium oxide species preferentially interact with the aluminum oxide species on the silica surface. Consequently, the reduction behavior of the surface vanadium oxide species is closer to that of V 2 O 5 /Al 2 O 3 at higher alumina loading. Furthermore, the turnover frequency of the surface VO 4 species on Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 for methanol oxidation to redox products (formaldehyde, methyl formate, and dimethoxy methane) increases by an order of magnitude relative to the V 2 O 5 /SiO 2 catalysts and is comparable to that of the V 2 O 5 /Al 2 O 3 catalysts. It is concluded that the substitution of the Si(IV)–O − by the less electronegative Al(III)–O − ligands for the isolated VO 4 units is responsible for the enhanced reactivity of the surface V cations.
Seed swallowing in Tamarins : Evidence of a curative function or enhanced foraging efficiency ?

Nonhuman primates represent a major component of the frugivore biomass in several rain-forest communities. Although there is considerable evidence that prosimians, monkeys, and apes serve as dispersal agents for many tropical trees, little attention has been paid to the more basic questions of why certain species of primates swallow and void seeds, and what, if any, are the advantages to an animal of having a large, hard, bolus pass through its digestive tract. We examine patterns of fruit-eating and seed-swallowing in two species of free-ranging tamarins: Saguinus mystax and Saguinus geoffroyi. Fruits commonly eaten by tamarins contain large seeds surrounded by a fibrous and adhesive pulp or arilate seed coat. They generally swallow seeds and pulp together. Intact seeds are voided over a 1- to 3-h period. Measurements of 132 seeds naturally voided by Panamanian tamarins average 11.2 mm in length and 0.3 g. The greatest number of large seeds contained in the digestive tract of a single animal at one time was 13. In the case of moustached tamarins, we collected 220 seeds. Average seed length is 11.9 mm and average seed weight is 0.3 g. At the time of capture, one animal had 26 seeds in its digestive tract. In both tamarin species, there is evidence of sex-based differences in feeding behavior. Adult female moustached and Panamanian tamarins swallowed and voided seeds of larger size than adult males did. Seed size is positively correlated with pulp weight (p <. 001), therefore females were selecting food items with higher nutritional rewards than adult males did. Given their small body size and relatively short digestive tract, why do tamarins swallow such large seeds? Although several explanations are possible, we propose that the large number and size of undigested seeds continuously passing through the tamarin gut serve a curative role in mechanically dislodging and expelling intestinal parasites—Ancanthocephala (spiny-headed worms)—from their digestive tracts.
The lin-12 locus of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Analysis of the patterns of cell lineage observed during development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, combined with selected cell ablation experiments, has revealed that while many cell fates are autonomously (intrinsically) determined, cell–cell interactions are required for a number of developmental decisions. Earlier genetic analysis of one key gene, lin-12, had shown that this gene controls a number of bi-potential fate decisions involving such cellular interactions. Molecular analysis of this gene is now providing clues to its mode of action in mediating these cell-fate decision.
Stainable hepatic iron in 341 African American adults at coroner/medical examiner autopsy

Results of previous autopsy studies indicate that increased hepatic iron stores or hepatic iron overload is common in African Americans dying in hospitals, but there are no reports of hepatic iron content in other cohorts of African Americans. We investigated the prevalence of heavy liver iron deposition in African American adults. Using established histochemical criteria, we graded Perls' acid ferrocyanide-reactive iron in the hepatocytes and Kupffer cells of 341 consecutive African American adults who were autopsied in the coroner/medical examiner office. Heavy staining was defined as grade 3 or 4 hepatocyte iron or grade 3 Kupffer cell iron. There were 254 men and 85 women (mean age ± 1 SD: 44 ± 13 y vs. 48 ± 14 y, respectively; p = 0.0255); gender was unstated or unknown in two subjects. Approximately one-third of subjects died of natural causes. Heavy staining was observed in 10.2% of men and 4.7% of women. 23 subjects had heavy hepatocyte staining only, six had heavy Kupffer cell staining only, and one had a mixed pattern of heavy staining. 15 subjects had histories of chronic alcoholism; three had heavy staining confined to hepatocytes. We analyzed the relationships of three continuous variables (age at death in years, hepatocyte iron grade, Kupffer cell iron grade) and two categorical variables (sex, cause of death (natural and non-natural causes)) in all 341 subjects using a correlation matrix with Bonferroni correction. This revealed two positive correlations: hepatocyte with Kupffer cell iron grades (p < 0.01), and male sex with hepatocyte iron grade (p < 0.05). We also analyzed the relationship of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis/cirrhosis in 30 subjects with heavy iron staining using a correlation matrix with Bonferroni correction. There were significant positive correlations of steatosis with inflammation (r = 0.5641; p < 0.01), and of inflammation with fibrosis/cirrhosis (r = 0.6124; p < 0.01). The present results confirm and extend previous observations that heavy liver iron staining is relatively common in African Americans. The pertinence of these observations to genetic and acquired causes of iron overload in African Americans is discussed.
Optical and Infrared Properties of Small Metal Particles

The optical and infrared properties of small metal particles are reviewed. Among the properties discussed are surface plasmon resonances in small particles, electric and magnetic dipole absorption in the far infrared region, changes in small particle optical properties between the normal and superconducting state, and the influence of clustering on the a.c. properties of small particles. Illustrations will be drawn from experiments, and from calculations by the authors and by other workers.
Regulation of lung epithelial cell morphology by cAMP-dependent protein kinase type I isozyme.

Cell shape is mediated in part by the actin cytoskeleton and the actin-binding protein vinculin. These proteins in turn are regulated by protein phosphorylation. We assessed the contribution of cAM...
What Training is Needed by Practicing Engineers Who Create Cyberphysical Systems

The creation of cyber physical systems requires not only the effective education of future engineers in the classroom, but also ongoing training to support life-long learning by practicing engineers, who will continuously face new technologies and challenges. But what topics exactly should this training cover? To answer this question, an analysis was conducted of an online forum used by programmers who create cyber physical systems with the Lab VIEW development environment. This examination of over 150,000 forum message threads has highlighted crucial gaps in the training of practicing engineers, especially in the areas of hardware-software integration, as well as the design and implementation of user interfaces and algorithms. A complementary review of the available online training materials relevant to these topics reveals the need for more systematic support for learning by practicing system engineers. These results provide empirical support for ongoing efforts to provide more effective education of current and future engineers of cyber physical systems, including through reuse of third-party code and other resources to support learning.
An approach for probabilistic forecasting of seasonal turbidity threshold exceedance

[1] Though climate forecasts offer substantial promise for improving water resource oversight, additional tools are needed to translate these forecasts into water-quality-based products that can be useful to water utility managers. To this end, a generalized approach is developed that uses seasonal forecasts to predict the likelihood of exceeding a prescribed water quality limit. Because many water quality standards are based on thresholds, this study utilizes a logistic regression technique, which employs nonparametric or “local” estimation that can capture nonlinear features in the data. The approach is applied to a drinking water source in the Pacific Northwest United States that has experienced elevated turbidity values that are correlated with streamflow. The main steps of the approach are to (1) obtain a seasonal probabilistic precipitation forecast, (2) generate streamflow scenarios conditional on the precipitation forecast, (3) use a local logistic regression to compute the turbidity threshold exceedance probabilities, and (4) quantify the likelihood of turbidity exceedance corresponding to the seasonal climate forecast. Results demonstrate that forecasts offer a slight improvement over climatology, but that representative forecasts are conservative and result in only a small shift in total exceedance likelihood. Synthetic forecasts are included to show the sensitivity of the total exceedance likelihood. The technique is general and could be applied to other water quality variables that depend on climate or hydroclimate.
Morphine-induced conditioned taste aversions: assessment of sexual dimorphism.

Abstract Although sex differences in taste aversions have been reported with emetics such as lithium chloride (LiCl), little is known whether such findings generalize to other aversion-inducing drugs, including recreational compounds. One particular class of recreational compounds that induces taste aversions but that has not been examined for sex differences in its aversive properties is the opioids. To assess sex differences in the aversive properties of the opioids, Experiment 1 examined the acquisition and extinction of morphine-induced taste aversions in male and female rats. To determine whether the specific parametric conditions used in Experiment 1 would support sex differences in general, Experiment 2 examined possible sex differences in the acquisition and extinction of LiCl-induced taste aversions, a compound for which sex differences have been previously reported. During acquisition, male and female rats were given 20-min access to a novel saccharin solution and injected with either morphine (0, 10, 18 and 32 mg/kg sc; Experiment 1) or LiCl (0, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 mEq sc; Experiment 2) every fourth day for a total of four conditioning trials. During extinction, subjects were allowed access to saccharin but were not injected (for a total of eight trials). There were no sex differences in acquisition with either morphine or LiCl. There were also no sex differences in extinction with morphine; however, sex differences were found with LiCl, an effect consistent with prior assessments with this drug. The basis for and implications of the differences in the effects of sex on morphine- and LiCl-induced taste aversions were discussed.
Deeper processing at target selection increases the magnitude of negative priming

Do deeper levels of processing produce equivalent priming effects at all stages of task performance? In Experiment 1, we varied the level of processing factorially across two task stages—target selection and response selection. Each stage required perceptual (e.g., color) or conceptual (e.g., friendliness) processing of stimulus items (i.e., animal names). Negative priming was substantially greater when deeper processing was required at thetarget selection stage, but it was unaffected by the level of processing at the response selection stage. In contrast, positive priming was greater when deeper processing was required at theresponse selection stage, but it was unaffected by processing at the target selection stage. In Experiment 2, we generalized this finding using a task in which numeric targets were selected on the basis of their parity. As in Experiment 1, the deeper level of processing at the target selection stage produced a larger negative priming effect. These results illuminate the role of target selection demands in modulating the strength of negative priming.