cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A method for estimating the mass properties of a manipulator by measuring the reaction moments at its base

Emulating on Earth the weightlessness of a manipulator floating in space requires knowledge of the manipulator's mass properties. A method for calculating these properties by measuring the reaction forces and moments at the base of the manipulator is described. A manipulator is mounted on a six-degree-of-freedom sensor, and the reaction forces and moments at its base are measured for different positions of the links of the manipulator as well as for different orientations of its base. A procedure is developed to calculate from these measurements some combinations of the mass properties of the manipulator. The mass properties identified are not sufficiently complete for computed torque and other dynamic control techniques, but do allow compensation for the gravitational load on the links of the manipulator, and for simulation of weightless conditions on a space emulator. The algorithm has been experimentally demonstrated on a PUMA 260 and used to measure the independent combinations of the sixteen mass parameters of the base and three proximal links of the manipulator. >
Unit circle representation of aperiodic arrays

Traditionally, unit circle analysis/synthesis techniques were only applied to amplitude tapered arrays. This paper extends the method to uniformly weighted thinned and aperiodic arrays. It shows how to analyze thinned and aperiodic arrays using the z-transform and unit circle. Finding the roots of the thinned array is an easy process using a polynomial root finding algorithm. >
Sample size determination for multiple comparison studies treating confidence interval width as random.

Methods for optimal sample size determination are developed using four popular multiple comparison procedures (Scheffe's, Bonferroni's, Tukey's and Dunnett's procedures), where random samples of the same size n are to be selected from k (>/=2) normal populations with common variance sigma2, and where primary interest concerns inferences about a family of L linear contrasts among the k population means. For a simultaneous coverage probability of (1-alpha), the optimal sample size is defined to be the smallest integer value n*m such that, simultaneously for all L confidence intervals, the width of the lth confidence interval will be no greater than tolerance 2deltal (l=1,2,...,L) with tolerance probability at least (1-gamma), treating the pooled sample variance S2p as a random variable. Using Scheffe's procedure as an illustration, comparisons are made to usual sample size methods that incorrectly ignore the stochastic nature of S2p. The latter approach can lead to serious underestimation of required sample sizes and hence to unacceptably low values of the actually tolerance probability (1-gamma'). Our approach guarantees a lower bound of [1-(alpha+gamma)] for the probability that the L confidence intervals will both cover the parametric functions of interest and also be sufficiently narrow. Recommendations are provided regarding the choices among the four multiple comparison procedures for sample size determination and inference-making.
Reliability and Responsiveness of Two Physical Performance Measures Examined in the Context of a Functional Training Intervention

Background and Purpose. The reliability and responsiveness of 2 physical performance measures were assessed in this nonrandomized, controlled pilot exercise intervention. Subjects. Forty-five older individuals with mobility impairment (mean age=77.9 years, SD=5.9, range=70–92) were sequentially assigned to participate in an exercise program (intervention group) or to a control group. Methods. The intervention group performed exercise 3 times a week for 12 weeks that targeted muscle force, endurance, balance, and flexibility. Outcome measures were the 8-item Physical Performance Test (PPT-8) and the 6-minute walk test. Test-retest reliability and responsiveness indexes were determined for both tests; interrater reliability was measured for the PPT-8. Results. The intraclass correlation coefficient for interrater reliability for the PPT-8 was .96. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability were .88 for the PPT-8 and .93 for the 6-minute walk test. The intervention group improved 2.4 points and the control group improved 0.7 point on the PPT-8, as compared with baseline measurements. There was no change in 6-minute walk test distance in the intervention group when compared with the control group. The responsiveness index was .8 for the PPT-8 and .6 for the 6-minute walk test. Conclusion and Discussion. Measurements for both the PPT-8 and the 6-minute walk test appeared to be highly reliable. The PPT-8 was more responsive than the 6-minute walk test to change in performance expected with this functional training intervention.
Macrophages and Epithelial Cells Respond Differently to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type III Secretion System

The multiple effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion have largely been attributed to variations in cytotoxin expression between strains. Here we show that the target cell type is also important. While lung epithelial cells showed significant changes in morphology but not viability when infected with P. aeruginosa, macrophages were efficiently killed by P. aeruginosa. Both responses were dependent on the type III secretion system.
The Implications of Research on Expertise for Curriculum and Pedagogy

Instruction on problem solving in particular domains typically relies on explana- tions from experts about their strategies. However, research indicates that such self-reports often are incomplete or inaccurate (e.g., Chao & Salvendy, 1994; Cooke & Breedin, 1994). This article evaluates research on experts' cognition, the accuracy of experts' self-reports, and the efficacy of instruction based on experts' self-reports. Analysis of this evidence indi- cates that experts' free recall of strategies introduces errors and omissions into instructional materials that hinder student success. In contrast, when experts engage in structured knowl- edge elicitation techniques (e.g., cognitive task analysis), the resultant instruction is more effective. Based on these findings, the article provides a theoretical explanation of experts' self-report errors and discusses implications for the continued improvement of instructional design processes.
A nickel/hydrogen battery for PV systems

The nickel-hydrogen battery, developed in the early nineteen-seventies as an energy-storage subsystem for commercial communication satellites, is discussed. The advantages offered by nickel-hydrogen batteries, including long life, low maintenance and high reliability, make it very attractive for terrestrial applications such as stand-alone photovoltaic systems. The major drawback to the wider use of the nickel-hydrogen battery is its high initial cost. A 7-kWh battery has been on test since January 1988 using a flat-plate photovoltaic array for charging. The cell, battery design and test methods are briefly described, and the results of cycling and solar tests are presented. It is concluded that the battery is well suited for remote solar applications. >
Expression patterns of three heat shock protein 70 genes among developmental stages of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

Three genes were identified encoding heat shock protein 70’s in Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and they were tentatively named as tchsp70 I, tchsc70 II, and tchsp70 III. Comparison of deduced amino acid sequences of tchsp70 I and tchsc70 II showed 99% identity. However, the amino acid sequence of tchsp70 III was only 58.5% identical to those of tchsp70 I and tchsc70 II. Stage-specific expression patterns of the tchsp70 were investigated in young larvae, old larvae, pupae, and adults of T. castaneum exposed for 1 h to 23 -C (control) or 40 -C (heat-shock). Northern blot and real-time quantitative PCR analyses were carried out to determine mRNA levels in each life stage. Transcripts of all three genes were detected by Northern blotting, and the sizes were 2.4- 2.2-, and 2.3-kb for tchsp70 I, tchsc70 II, and tchsp70 III, respectively. A 1.1- to 2.0-fold increased expression of tchsp70 I mRNA was found in heat-shocked developmental stages compared with the control. The expression of tchsp70 II mRNA among developmental stages was similar between heat-shocked and control insects, and the expression of tchsp70 III mRNAvaried among developmental stages. Results suggest that the expression of tchsp70 I gene is heat-inducible, tchsc70 II is constitutive, and tchsp70 III is developmentally regulated in T. castaneum.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Alter Striatal Dopamine Neurochemistry in Synaptosomes from Developing Rats in an Additive Manner

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widespread environmental contaminants associated with changes in behavior and neurochemical function in laboratory animals and behavioral deficits in children. PCBs and PBDEs are found in food, especially in seafood and dairy products, and coexposure to these contaminants is likely. We examined the effects of an environmentally relevant mixture of PCBs (Fox River Mix [FRM]) and a PBDE mixture (DE-71) alone and in combination on synaptosomal and medium dopamine (DA) levels and the levels of the DA metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in striatal synaptosomes derived from postnatal days (PND) 7, PND14, or PND21 rats. FRM elevated medium DA and reduced synaptosomal DA concentrations with greater potency than equimolar concentrations of DE-71. The effects of FRM, but not DE-71, were dependent on the age of the animals from which the synaptosomes were derived, with greater effects observed in synaptosomes from the youngest animals. We used Bliss' model of independence to assess the possible interaction(s) of a 1:1 mixture of FRM and DE-71 on synaptosomal DA function and found that the effects of the FRM/DE-71 mixture were additive. Furthermore, as for FRM alone, the effects of the FRM/DE71 mixture were greater in synaptosomes prepared from PND7 rats than in synaptosomes from PND14 and PND21 rats. Because the effects of these contaminants are additive, it is necessary to take into account the cumulative exposure to organohalogen contaminants such as PCBs and PBDEs during risk assessment.
Coached program planning: dialogue-based support for novice program design

Coached program planning is a dialogue-based style of tutoring aimed at helping novices during the early stages of program writing. The intent is to help novices understand and solve problems in their own words through the construction of natural-language style pseudocode as the first step in solving a programming problem. We have designed an environment supporting coached program planning and have used it in a human-to-human, computer-mediated evaluation of 16 novice programmers enrolled in a pre-CS1 programming course at the University of Pittsburgh. The results show that students who underwent coached program planning, compared to those who did not, were more prolific with comments in their programs, committed fewer structural mistakes, and exhibited less erratic programming behavior during their implementation. The dialogues collected from this experiment followed a clear 4-step pattern. Starting with this observation, we are developing a dialogue-based intelligent tutoring system called the Pseudocode Tutor to support coached program planning.
Activation of NF-κB protects hippocampal neurons against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis: Evidence for induction of manganese superoxide dismutase and suppression of peroxynitrite production and protein tyrosine nitration

The transcription factor NF-kappaB is expressed in neurons wherein it is activated in response to a variety of stress- and injury-related stimuli including exposure to cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), and excitotoxic and oxidative insults. NF-kappaB may play a role in the anti-death actions of TNFalpha in cultured hippocampal neurons exposed to metabolic and oxidative insults. We now report that pretreatment of hippocampal cell cultures with agents that activate NF-kappaB (TNFalpha and C2-ceramide) confers resistance of neurons to apoptosis induced by the oxidative insults FeSO4 and amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta25-35). The neuroprotective actions of TNFalpha and ceramide were abolished in cultures cotreated with kappaB decoy DNA demonstrating a requirement for NF-kappaB activation for prevention of cell death. Levels of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) in neurons were increased following exposure of cultures to TNFalpha and ceramide in control cultures, but not in cultures cotreated with kappaB decoy DNA. FeSO4 and Abeta25-35 induced accumulation of mitochondrial peroxynitrite, and membrane lipid peroxidation, in neurons. Peroxynitrite accumulation and lipid peroxidation were largely prevented in neurons pretreated with TNFalpha and ceramide prior to exposure to FeSO4 and Abeta25-35, an effect blocked by kappaB decoy DNA. Immunoreactivity of neurons with an anti-nitrotyrosine antibody was increased following exposure to FeSO4 and Abeta25-35; TNFalpha and C2-ceramide suppressed protein tyrosine nitration, and kappaB decoy DNA blocked the effects of TNFalpha and C2-ceramide. Finally, the peroxynitrite scavenger uric acid protected neurons against apoptosis induced by FeSO4 and Abeta, and suppressed peroxynitrite accumulation. We conclude that, by inducing production of Mn-SOD and suppressing peroxynitrite formation and membrane lipid peroxidation, NF-kappaB plays an anti-apoptotic role in neurodegenerative conditions that involve oxidative stress. The data further suggest important roles for peroxynitrite and NF-kappaB in the pathogenesis of neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease.
Quadratic and Cubic Transition Elements

Abstract : Based on the investigation of Barsoum, Henshell and Shaw, quarterpoint quadratic elements have been successfully used as crack tip elements in fracture mechanics. This concept of singular element was extended to cubic isoparametric elements. Recently it was discovered by Lynn and Ingraffea that under special configuration, transitional elements improve the accuracy of stress intensity factor computations. In this report, we have obtained the location of mid-side nodes of these transitional elements for the quadratic as well as cubic elements. The cubic transitional elements were used for the double-edge crack problem, and it was found that there was improvement in accuracy for a configuration which consisted only of singular and transitional elements. However, for a well laid out grid, the improvement was only marginal.
Over-the-counter analgesics and risk of ovarian cancer

Summary Background Evidence that aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce risk for colorectal cancer has prompted interest in their ability to prevent other cancers. We aimed to find out what effect over-the-counter analgesics have on risk of ovarian cancer. Methods In a case-control study we compared use of over-the-counter analgesics by 563 women from eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire, USA, who had epithelial ovarian cancer with 523 women from the general population. We calculated exposure odds ratios to estimate the effect of over-the-counter analgesics on ovarian cancer risk. Use of over-the-counter analgesics was assessed through interviews and defined as use at least once a week continuously for at least 6 months. Findings The odds ratio for risk of ovarian cancer for aspirin use was 0·75 (95% Cl 0·52–1·10), that for ibuprofen was 1·03 (0·64–1·64), and that for paracetamol was 0·52 (0·31–0·86), after adjusting for age, study centre, education, religion, parity, oral contraceptive use, and menstrual, arthritic, or headache pain. Relative to no use, the lower risk of ovarian cancer associated with paracetamol was more apparent for use on a daily basis, 0·39 (0·21–0·74), for more than 10 years of use, 0·40 (0·19–0·88), or for more than 20 tablet years defined as (tablets per day×years of use), 0·45 (0·20–0·99). Interpretation In our data, there was a statistically significant inverse association between paracetamol use and ovarian cancer risk. There was a modest but non-significant inverse association with aspirin use and ovarian cancer and no association with ibuprofen use. Experimental studies in rodents demonstrating uterine and ovarian atrophy at high doses of paracetamol and decreased ovarian-cyst formation at lower doses suggest a biological basis for our observations.
Irregular Sampling in a Generic Subspace

Irregular sampling formulation for a generic subspace is considered. Conditions on the sampling points are derived in their general terms. The algorithm so derived is explicit and constructive. A generic irregular sampling tool can be developed.
It takes a seasoned bird to be a good listener: communication between the sexes

Birds commonly use sound for communication between the sexes. In many songbird species, only males sing and there are pronounced sex differences in the neural song control circuits. By contrast, the auditory circuitry is largely similar in males and females. Both sexes learn to recognize vocalizations heard as juveniles and this shapes auditory response selectivity. Mating vocalizations are restricted to the breeding season, when sex steroid levels are elevated. Auditory cells, from the ear to the cortex, are hormone sensitive. Estrogens are synthesized in the brain and can modulate the activity of auditory neurons. In species that breed seasonally, elevated levels of estradiol in females transiently enhance their auditory responses to conspecific vocalizations, resulting in sex differences in audition.
Report on the Status of the UFD Campaign International Activities in Disposal Research at SNL.

The following summaries are provided as fulfillment of milestone M4FT-15SN0811021 and represent international collaboration activities in disposal research funded by the US DOE Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign during Fiscal Year 2015.
Rethinking Social Welfare Fraud from a Complex Adaptive Systems Perspective

Despite efforts to control fraud in public assistance programs, the perception and realities of the problem persist. Serious barriers related to data collection and research methods impede the unde...
The Role of Race, Ethnicity, and Party on Attitudes Toward Descriptive Representation:

Using original survey data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Survey (CCES), we examine variation in racial and ethnic group and partisan attitudes toward legislators and representation. R...
The East Syracuse Minoa School District Allergen Identification System

Eight foods (dairy, soy, eggs, wheat/gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish) account for 90% of food allergy reactions, which can pose great danger to affected children. To develop a food allergen identification system that could be used by children of all ages, including those with developing reading skills, a color was assigned to each of the 8 foods (e.g., tree nuts red). A dietetic intern assessed ingredients in all recipes and food products on the district’s grocery bid list to identify those containing the 8 allergens. The results were used to create a book placed in each service area along with a set of colorcoded cards to be posted on the glass in front of each menu item. A postersized color code keywas posted near each serving line, and all information for the allergen identification system was posted along with the monthly menu on the district website. The colored cards were organized by monthly menu anddivided between entrEe and side items so that cafeteria staff could quickly and easily post the corresponding color cards. The final step of implementation was to develop an education session and accompanying story board to educate students, teachers, staff, and parents on the allergen identification system. Effectiveness of the food allergen system is being assessed via monthly group discussion and survey.
The Investigation of the Feasibility of the Method of Measuring ~3H of Water Sample in Air Collected by Ice-bag Freezing Agglutination

Objective To investigate the feasibility of method which measuring was used for 3H in water samples in air collected by ice-bag freezing agglutination by measuring the activity of samples obtained by ice bag and dehumidifier.Methods Water sample was collected by utilizing principle of ice-bag was able to agglutinate water vapor in air,moreover,at the same sampling point the dehumidifier was run.Intensity of radioactivity of 3H in water samples was measured by low background liquid scintillation spectrometer.Results Value obtained by two sampling methods coincided with each other.Base on the statistical treatment,we considered that the numerical data came from the same species.Conclusion The method of water sampling by ice-bag freezing agglutination is feasible,and have typical merit.
NTCT-11WERNICKE ENCEPHALOPATHY IN CANCER PATIENTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

NTCT-11. WERNICKE ENCEPHALOPATHY IN CANCER PATIENTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW Fernanda Wajnsztajn, Lauren Cameron, Gurcharanjeet Kaur, and Agnieszka Kowalska; Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of Wernicke Encephalopathy (WE) in cancer patients and to determine if prophylaxis with thiamine prevents neurologic complications. BACKGROUND: Wernicke’s Encephalopathy (WE) is a known neurologic complication in cancer patients due to suspected etiologies such as chronic malnutrition, chemotherapy-associated vomiting, and thiamine consumption by rapidly growing tumors. MRI brain is considered the most valuable method to confirm the diagnosis. Currently amongst the cancer population there is no standardized approach to obtain thiamine levels,brainMRI, thiamine doseandduration,andwhen to initiateprophylaxis. METHODS: We utilized the search engine PubMed to review a total of 78 cases reported between 1990-2015. Patients with history of alcoholism were excluded from our review. RESULTS: The most common types of cancer associatedwith WE were gastrointestinal tract (35.6%) followedbyhematopoietic cancers (34.6%), gynecological cancers (9%), CNS cancers and head and neck gynecological cancers (6.4% each) and others (7.6%). WE was also frequently seen in patients treated with; antimetabolites (29.48%), followed by alkylating and anthracyclines agents (24.3% each), and Mitotic inhibitors (6.4%). Of the 78 cases reviewed 61.5% were females, with mean age of 44. Brain MRIs were obtained in 78% of patients, of those 93% revealed positive radiological findings. 76.9% of patients received thiamine, despite only 24% that had serum thiamine levels checked. 70.5% showed partial or total recovery after thiamine supplementation. The thiamine doses were variable and not frequently reported. Total parental nutrition was reported in 46.1% of patients. CONCLUSION: WE needs to be considered in all cancer patients, especially GI and hematopoietic cancers. Work up should consist of thiamine levels and MRI brain. Thiamine supplementation should be reinforced amongst patients receiving TPN. We recommend standardized WE prophylaxis in cancer patients in order to prevent neurologic complications. Neuro-Oncology 17:v172–v175, 2015. doi:10.1093/neuonc/nov226.11 Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology 2015.
Clinical inertia: errors of omission in drug therapy.

P harmacists are trained to be vigilant about identifying and correcting medication-related problems, including prescription errors, contraindications, and drug interactions, as well as managing adverse drug reactions. However, certain prescribing problems, particularly in chronic illness management, are often overlooked or have not received appropriate attention and contribute to failure to achieve treatment goals. The causes of these problems are often errors of omission and errors in prescribing a drug therapy of sufficient intensity. By classifying these therapeutic problems as errors, we can draw on the tools used in the error literature, such as root-cause analysis and failure-mode and effects analysis, to better understand and analyze them. We must first define what we mean by error. In the highly publicized Institute of Medicine report To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, James Reason’s definition of an error was adopted: a “failure of a planned action to be completed as intended (i.e., error of execution) or the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim (i.e., error of planning).” Our reference to the word “error” in this discussion refers to the above definition. An error of omission is “a failure to carry out the necessary steps in the performance of a task.” An example of an omission error would be for a physician to recognize a high AMANDA G. KENNEDY, PHARM.D., BCPS, is Research Assistant Professor of Medicine and CHARLES D. MACLEAN, M.D., is Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington. Address correspondence to Dr. Kennedy at the Division of General Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 371 Pearl Street, Burlington, VT 05401 (amanda.kennedy@vtmednet.org). The following individuals participated in the root-cause analysis of diabetes and contributed to the authors’ understanding of clinical inertia: Anupam Goel, M.D., Dana Walrath, Ph.D., Alan S. Rubin, M.D., Dryver R. Huston, Ph.D., Benjamin Littenberg, M.D., Marilee C. Jones, M.A., Tracey Niquette, M.S., and Robert W. Beardall, M.D., M.P.H.
Effect of subarachnoid morphine on the incidence of spinal headache.

Background and Objectives. The addition of fentanyl to hyperbaric local anesthetics has been shown to reduce the incidence of post dural puncture headache in the obstetric patient. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of subarachnoid morphine on the incidence of headache. Methods. Eighty-two healthy patients undergoing cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia were studied. All patients were hydrated with 1500 ml lactated Ringer9s solution. Patients were randomly assigned to receive, in a double-blind fashion, 0.2 mg of either morphine (Group 1, n = 40) or saline (Group 2, n = 42) in 0.2 ml volume mixed with 0.75% bupivacaine in 8.25% dextrose plus 0.2 ml 1:1000 epinephrine. Spinal anesthesia was induced using a 25-gauge spinal needle at L3-4 interspace with the bevel, in most cases, parallel to the dural fibers. Patients were followed for three days to evaluate the incidence and severity of headache using a four-category rank scale (none, mild, moderate, severe). Data were analyzed for statistical significance using Student9s t -test or chi-square test as appropriate. A p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results. The incidence of post dural puncture headache did not differ significantly between groups. Eight patients in Group 1 versus nine patients in Group 2 developed headache ( p > 0.05). Similarly, the use of blood patch or intravenous caffeine sodium benzoate to treat the headache did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion. It is concluded from our study that subarachnoid morphine did not decrease the incidence of post dural puncture headache in the obstetric patient.
The New Narcissism: Sexual Politics in William Dean Howells

William Dean Howells was born in 1837 and gew up in Ohio during a period when America was defined by Whitman as an ‘athletic Democracy’. However, it would be Howells’s destiny as, in Kenneth Lynn’s phrase, ‘a man of modern sensibility’, to lead the new literary movement of realism that documented the transformation of America from a New World Garden to a complex industrial society of cities and new immigrants.1 For several decades his influence, example and leadership as an author, editor and critic helped to establish a new literary ideology that was based in part upon the determination of such European writers as Zola, Turgenev and Tolstoy to record faithfully the ordinary and the real. Howells’s importance to the delineation through literary realism of a changing American society indicates his direct involvement in influencing America’s consciousness of itself. Even as severe a critic of Howells’s aesthetics and style as Henry Nash Smith acknowledges his role as a sort of chief rabbi and prophet of the ‘theology of realism’.2 Of course, the subjects of Howells the realist and social critic, even Howells the socialist sympathizer, have been favorites for generations of Howells scholars.3 Less attention, however, has been given to another aspect of Howells’s prescience of social and cultural change.
Phase-Based Dynamic Instruction Window Optimization for Embedded Systems

Even though much previous work explores adapting instruction queue (IQ) and reorder buffer (ROB) sizes to application requirements, traditional IQ/ROB optimizations may be prohibitive for resource-constrained embedded systems, due to the hardware/execution time overheads. We propose low overhead, phase-based instruction window optimization to dynamically vary IQ and ROB sizes for different execution phases based on the applications' variable execution characteristics. Results show that our methodology reduces both the average execution time and energy consumption by 23%, compared to a base system with fixed IQ/ROB sizes.
Coping strategies as a mediator of internet-delivered psychosocial treatment: Secondary analysis from a NIDA CTN multisite effectiveness trial

Abstract Objective Coping strategies are a predictor of abstinence among patients with substance use disorders. However, little is known regarding the role of coping strategies in the effectiveness of the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA). Using data from a 12 week randomized control trial assessing the effectiveness of the Therapeutic Education System (TES), an internet-delivered version of the CRA combined with contingency management, we tested the role of coping strategies as a mediator of treatment effectiveness. Methods 507 participants entering 10 outpatient addiction treatment programs received either treatment-as-usual (TAU), a counselor-delivered treatment (Arm 1), or reduced TAU plus TES wherein 2 h of TAU per week were replaced by TES (Arm 2). Abstinence from drugs and alcohol was evaluated using urine toxicology and self-report. Coping strategies were measured using the Coping Strategies Scale-Brief Version. Mediation analyses were done following Baron and Kenny's and path analysis approaches. Results The average baseline coping strategies scores were not significantly different between the two treatment arms. Overall, TES intervention was significantly associated with higher coping strategies scores when accounting for baseline scores (F 1,1342 = 8.3, p = 0.004). Additionally, higher coping strategies scores at week 12 were associated with an increased likelihood of abstinence during the last 4 weeks of the treatment, while accounting for treatment assignment and baseline abstinence. The effect of TES intervention on abstinence was no longer significant after controlling for coping strategies scores at week 12. Conclusion Our results support the importance of coping skills as a partial mediator of the effectiveness of an internet-version of the CRA combined with contingency management.
Mechanistic Study of Formic Acid Decomposition over Ru(0001) and Px-Ru(0001): Effects of Phosphorus on C–H and C–O Bond Rupture

Transition metal phosphide (TMP) catalysts are selective and active toward C–O bond rupture in hydrodeoxygenation reactions; however, the manner in which C–O bond rupture mechanisms and intrinsic energy barriers differ between transition metals and TMP is not well understood. In this study, we characterize the chemical and structural properties of phosphorus (P) modified Ru(0001) surface using Auger electron spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of CO and NH3. The decomposition pathways for formic acid and the differences between the associated barriers were studied using temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) and reactive molecular beam scattering (RMBS) of DCOOH on pristine and P-modified Ru(0001) surfaces. TPR and TPD results suggest that P atoms introduce an electronic (and perhaps a geometric) effect that decreases the extent of electron exchange between Ru atoms and adsorbates, which decreases desorption energies and increases barriers for C–O and ...
A comparative study of singular spectrum analysis and empirical mode decomposition for ultrasonic NDE

In this investigation, a comparative study of two time-series analysis techniques, singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and empirical mode decomposition (EMD), is carried out for ultrasonic NDE applications. Unlike transform-based approaches, the SSA and EMD are fully driven in the time domain by the data itself. The SSA method captures the trend of signals via eigenvalues from a trajectory matrix. Whereas EMD searches intrinsic mode functions (IMF) via local maxima and minima, then the instantaneous frequency of IMFs is used to disclose the signal trends. Simulation shows that the trend tracking becomes problematic for defect assessment when signal trends become too complicated. As a remedy, a technique combing these two methods is proposed. Experimental and simulation results reveal the effectiveness of the collective effort from EMD and SSA. The study demonstrates that the data-driven nature is unique and attractive to characterize non-stationary ultrasonic signals where scattering, absorption and dispersion effects become dominant.
Adaptive Decoupling of Nonideal Machine and Sensor Properties for Extraction of Fine Details When Using the Motor Drive as a Diagnostic Sensor

This paper presents methods to enhance the quality of spatial information that can be extracted when using the motor drive as a diagnostic sensor. When using the state-of-the-art motor drive-based techniques for extracting spatial information related to the state of wear in a gear train driven by an ac machine, position sensor-induced periodic position measurement errors and machine-induced spatial harmonic torque ripple can degrade the quality and the detail of the information that can be extracted. In this work, this degradation of information is displayed experimentally, and it is demonstrated that the quality of the spatial information extracted can be significantly improved through implementation of existing model reference adaptive system (MRAS)-based nonideal sensor property decoupling techniques and newly developed MRAS-based spatial harmonic torque ripple decoupling techniques. Furthermore, it is identified and demonstrated in this work that by removing the gear mesh harmonic component from the gear wear information extracted using the state-of-the-art techniques, and then calculating the spatial rate of change of this new information, a new signal is generated that strongly correlates to local gear tooth defects in a gear train driven by an ac machine.
Impact of Routine Use of a Tourniquet during Preoperative Vein Mapping on the Diameter of Arm Veins and Creation of Functional Arteriovenous Fistulas

Purpose—To examine the impact of tourniquet usage during preoperative vein mapping on diameter of arm veins and functionality of autogenous arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) thus created.Methods—A total...
Exploring salient thumbnail generation for archival collections online

This study evaluated the effectiveness of thumbnails generated using open source image saliency software for representing digitized archival documents. Salient thumbnails were evaluated against a baseline (full images scaled down) in a lab study that assessed the thumbnails' usefulness during finding and re-finding tasks. Results found no significant differences in time or user preference. However, we observed two interesting trends in our data: (1) there were fewer errors for re-finding tasks done with salient thumbnails, suggesting that they may offer some advantages for accuracy of re-finding, and (2) participants spent about 20 seconds longer on average when completing tasks with salient thumbnails. Salient thumbnails may offer a modest advantage over the baseline for re-finding tasks, but their overall suitability for representing a digital archive online depends on the user and task at hand.
Abstract 12795: Impact of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction on Right Ventricular Remodeling and Exercise Capacity in Patients With Severe Pulmonary Regurgitation After Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot

Introduction: The long-term impact of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) in patients with severe pulmonary regurgitation after repair of tetralogy of Fallot are controversial. Hypo...
Management of Morgellons Disease With Low-Dose Trifluoperazine.

This medical record review examines the novel use of low-dose trifluoperazine, a high-potency typical antipsychotic, in a cohort of patients with Morgellons disease.
Current Concepts of Tumor Promotion by Phorbol Esters and Related Compounds

Studies of carcinogenesis on mouse skin have shown that the mechanism of carcinogenesis clearly involves at least two qualitatively distinct stages (Weinstein, 1981a; Weinstein et al., 1982, and references therein). Initiation, the first stage in the two-stage model, is rapid and apparently irreversible. The observed molecular actions of initiators appear to be rapid and irreversible, since several initiators of carcinogenesis or their metabolites are electrophiles that covalently modify DNA in vivo. The second stage, promotion, is a slow and often reversible process during which initiated cells become neoplastic. Promotion is also distinguished from initiation at the molecular level, since certain tumor promoters do not bind covalently to cellular DNA but do bind reversibly to cell membrane receptors. The two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model has been used as a paradigm for studies on multistage carcinogenesis in several other systems. Evidence that hepatocellular cancer, bladder cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer also proceed via processes analogous to initiation and promotion has been reviewed elsewhere (Slaga et al., 1978; Weinstein et al., 1981b). The concept of promotion appears to be especially relevant to an understanding of the causation of human breast cancer (Weinstein et al., 1981b).
Biology of seed transmission of Erwinia stewartii in maize

v INTRODUCTION 1 Overview 1 Objectives 3 LITERATURE REVIEW 4 Nineteenth Century Reports of the Disease 4 Pathogen Identity 4 Disease Symptoms 6 Geographic Distribution 7 Potential Sources of Inoculum 7 Host Range 12 Disease Resistance 13 Sampling for Seedbome Pathogens 14 MATERIALS AND METHODS 15 Bacterial Strains and Inoculum Production 1S Bacterial Culture Maintenance 1S Stability of the Rifampicin and Nalidixic Acid Resistance Trait 16 Sources of Infected Seed for Seed-to-Plant Transmission Studies 17 Incidence of Seed Infection 21 Survival of Bacteria in Seed 22 Seed Quality Studies 23 Relationship Between Leaf Infection and Seed Infection 26 Seed Transmission Studies 29
Bandwithing Together: Municipalities as Service Providers in a Policy Environment

In this paper we have highlighted three things. First, that public organizations are engaged in a technologically driven servitization of their traditional service products. Second, that public organizations must approach this servitization differently because of the decision-making role of citizens in the process. Third, it is essential to study the influence citizens have on this process through studying the public policy process around decisions concerning the delivery of technology and technologically driven services. In this paper we provide an overview of four constituencies and their relationships involved in municipal wireless broadband policy. The idea that the growth of information technology-dependent services and activities (education, healthcare, and Web 2.0, for instance) are dependent on wide-scale availability of broadband access, and that local governments are jumping into this market to establish the necessary infrastructures for such services, makes this a very hotly contested space. While national and international political issues are debated on the Internet daily, new avenues for very local, political speech and action on the Internet seem to go hand-in-hand with municipal wireless broadband issues. The creation of public policy, while normally seen as a top-down process, has always drawn varying input from the outside through avenues such as lobbying, town meetings, referendums, and public action. We claim that in the case of municipal wireless broadband policy, policy efforts have been turned upside-down, with the majority of policy making now happens at the local level.
Wordworth's "Lucy" Poems

ED. HIRSCH, in a recent book on the theory of interpreta tion, discusses the problem of meaning in the most famous # of Wordsworth's "Lucy" poems, "A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal." He points to the opposing interpretations of the last two lines of the poem?"Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,/With rocks, and stones, and trees"?put forward by F. W. Bateson and Cleanth Brooks respectively. For Bateson, the lines constitute a "climax" of "Pantheistic magnificance"; for Brooks, they suggest "dead lifelessness" and "earthly time in its most powerful and horrible image." Hirsch concludes that there is no way of reconciling these contrary emphases, both of which seem linguistically plausible; and that the only way to verify the meaning of the poem is to "establish the most probable context," by which he means "a deliberate recon struction of the author's subjective stance to the extent that this stance is relevant to the text at hand." x
Mucinous appendiceal neoplasms: classification, imaging, and HIPEC

Recent advances, specifically cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC), offer advantages compared to the traditional therapeutic approach of systemic chemotherapy in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis from mucinous appendiceal neoplasms (MAN). This review provides an up-to-date, comprehensive summary of the histologic classification of MAN, reviews common imaging findings of mucoceles and pseudomyxoma peritonei, and describes the radiologist's role in the multidisciplinary care team in quantifying disease and in helping select patients for definitive surgery.
Trained Biased Number Representation for ReRAM-Based Neural Network Accelerators

Recent works have demonstrated the promise of using resistive random access memory (ReRAM) to perform neural network computations in memory. In particular, ReRAM-based crossbar structures can perform matrix-vector multiplication directly in the analog domain, but the resolutions of ReRAM cells and digital/analog converters limit the precisions of inputs and weights that can be directly supported. Although convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can be trained with low-precision weights and activations, previous quantization approaches are either not amenable to ReRAM-based crossbar implementations or have poor accuracies when applied to deep CNNs on complex datasets. In this article, we propose a new CNN training and implementation approach that implements weights using a trained biased number representation, which can achieve near full-precision model accuracy with as little as 2-bit weights and 2-bit activations on the CIFAR datasets. The proposed approach is compatible with a ReRAM-based crossbar implementation. We also propose an activation-side coalescing technique that combines the steps of batch normalization, non-linear activation, and quantization into a single stage that simply performs a clipped-rounding operation. Experiments demonstrate that our approach outperforms previous low-precision number representations for VGG-11, VGG-13, and VGG-19 models on both the CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets.
Bypass Surgery: Indication, Timing, and Effectiveness

While the value of extracranial to intracranial (EC-IC) bypass operations in conjunction with planned major cerebral vessel occlusions for the treatment of aneurysms and tumors remains well-recognized, the usefulness of such surgery for any atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease is controversial. Results of the EC-IC bypass trial have led to categorical statements by the principal investigators that there is no indication for EC-IC bypass for any atherosclerotic disease of the anterior circulation. Revelations regarding large numbers of patients operated outside the trial by participating centers cast some doubt on these conclusions. It is necessary to get clinical and follow up data on the patients undergoing superficial temporal to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass at participating centers but who were withheld from the study to assess the meaning of the cooperative study. Our own experience with bypass includes 415 STA-MCA anastomoses for atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease in 403 patients, seven superficial temporal to superior cerebellar artery anastomoses, 41 occipital artery to posterior inferior cerebellar anastomoses, and 146 saphenous vein grafts, atherosclerotic disease, and aneurysms of the anterior and posterior circulations. Current indications, operative technique, and analysis of results are to be presented.
Patients With Multiple Sclerosis are at Increased Risk for Postoperative Complications Following Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system. Patients with MS are living longer due to improved medical therapy and thus the demand for arthroplasty in this population will increase. The objective of this study is to evaluate MS as a potential risk factor for postoperative complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS Patients with a diagnosis of MS who underwent THA or TKA from 2005 to 2014 were identified in a national insurance database. Rates of death, hospital readmission, emergency room visits, infection, revision, and dislocation (for THA) or stiffness (for TKA) were calculated, in addition to cost and length of stay. MS patients were then compared to a matched control population. RESULTS In total, 3360 patients who underwent THA and 6436 patients who underwent TKA with a history of MS were identified and compared with 10:1 matched control cohorts without MS. The MS group for both TKA and THA had significantly higher incidences of hospital readmission (THA odds ratio [OR] 2.05, P < .001; TKA OR 1.99, P < .001), emergency room visits (THA OR 1.41, P < .001; TKA OR 1.66, P < .001), and infection (THA OR 1.35, P = .001; TKA OR 1.32, P < .001). MS patients who underwent THA had significantly higher rates of revision (OR 1.35, P = .001) and dislocation (OR 1.52, P < .001). Diagnosis of MS was also associated with significantly higher costs and hospital length of stay for patients undergoing both TKA and THA. CONCLUSION A diagnosis of MS is associated with increased risk of postoperative complications and higher costs following both THA and TKA.
High-dimensional analysis reveals a pathogenic role of inflammatory monocytes in experimental diffuse alveolar hemorrhage

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a life-threatening pulmonary complication associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, and stem cell transplant. Little is known about the pathophysiology of DAH, and no targeted therapy is currently available. Pristane treatment in mice induces systemic autoimmunity and lung hemorrhage that recapitulates hallmark pathologic features of human DAH. Using this experimental model, we performed high-dimensional analysis of lung immune cells in DAH by mass cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing. We found a large influx of myeloid cells to the lungs in DAH and defined the gene expression profile of infiltrating monocytes. Bone marrow-derived inflammatory monocytes actively migrated to the lungs and homed adjacent to blood vessels. Using 3 models of monocyte deficiency and complementary transfer studies, we established a central role of inflammatory monocytes in the development of DAH. We further found that the myeloid transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 8 is essential to the development of both DAH and type I interferon-dependent autoimmunity. These findings collectively reveal monocytes as a potential treatment target in DAH.