cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instantaneous voltage measurement in PWM voltage source inverters

The use of pulse width modulated (PWM) inverters is nearly universal in industrial drives, making accurate voltage measurements problematic due to the switching nature of the applied phase voltage. Often, the applied phase voltage is reconstructed by using a combination of the DC link voltage and the commanded PWM duty cycle. Another approach is to apply a low-pass filter to the phase voltage to remove the high frequency PWM switching component, but leaving the fundamental component of interest. In this paper, a strategy for detecting the instantaneous phase voltage is presented. The approach consists of integrating the switched phase voltage over either a full, or half PWM cycle. The integrated signal is then converted to voltage by dividing by the integrating period. Implementation details of the proposed approach are outlined in the paper, and experimental results are used to compare the proposed technique with other methods of voltage measurement in terms of measurement accuracy and transient performance. The results will demonstrate the opportunity for improvements to any inverter-driven motor control system that relies on accurate terminal voltage measurement to estimate internal machine states.
Using predictive adaptive parallelism to address portability and irregularity

A semi-dynamic system is presented that is capable of predicting the performance of parallel programs at runtime. The functionality given by the system allows for efficient handling of portability and irregularity of parallel programs. Two forms of parallelism are addressed: loop level parallelism and task level parallelism.
Seeing through your daughter's eyes: Factors associated with maternal meta‐accuracy

Dyadic meta-accuracy reflects the ability to judge how one is viewed by a relationship partner. Drawing from the attachment literature on parental mentalization, it is tested whether maternal meta-accuracy is associated with (a) mothers' history of maltreatment or maternal absence during her childhood and (b) observed relational behaviors during an interaction task. Participants included 182 low-income mother–daughter dyads (adolescent mean age = 15.1). Mothers were modestly accurate in judging how daughters rated their warmth and hostility. Mothers with histories of maltreatment or maternal absence showed less meta-accuracy, but the nature of their inaccuracies (e.g., self-enhancement) differed. Differences in maternal meta-accuracy were also associated with relationship quality as rated by independent observers. The relevance of meta-accuracy for mentalization-based interventions with families is discussed.
In vitro conditions promoting the formation of both microtubules and spirals by the natural product (-)-rhazinilam

5414 The natural product (-)-rhazinilam, isolated from several Apocynaceae species and Kopsia singapurensis Ridlay, a plant from Malaysia, is an axially chiral phenylpyrrole known to have activity against tubulin. Previous work with (-)-rhazinilam revealed unique, seemingly contradictory effects on tubulin. The effects of (-)-rhazinilam on mammalian cells were similar to the effects of paclitaxel. Mitotic cells had multiple aster-like structures, and interphase cells had prominent microtubule bundles. With purified tubulin, (-)-rhazinilam usually produces spirals. Previous work (Bruno et al., Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton 1994 28:317) showed that (-)-rhazinilam binds to tubulin, and that this binding is inhibited by both vinblastine and maytansine. (-)-Rhazinilam does not appear to bind to preformed microtubules. In the process of developing a quantitative assay for measuring the activity of (-)rhazinilam analogues, we observed conditions where both spirals and microtubules were simultaneously induced by (-)-rhazinilam. This observation suggests that (-)-rhazinilam may possess dual binding characteristics dependent on buffer conditions. If so, the cellular effects of (-)-rhazinilam may be due to binding in the paclitaxel site, while some of the in vitro effects may be due to binding in the vinca domain. Conversely, this observation may reinforce the argument that (-)-rhazinilam mimics the cellular effects of paclitaxel by inducing mi crotubule formation by a different mechanism of action. We are attempting to find in vitro conditions where only microtubules are induced by (-)-rhazinilam. This should clarify the binding site of (-)-rhazinilam on tubulin.
Design Considerations and Experimental Verification of a 10.5mW 1GS/s Hybrid ADC for Portable Wireless Devices

A low-power 1GS/s hybrid analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for portable wireless applications is described. The first stage of the subranging architecture contains a 3-bit flash ADC with offset calibration. Its second stage employs a 5-bit 4-channel time-interleaved (TI) comparator-based asynchronous binary search (CABS) ADC. A merged sample-and-hold and capacitive digital-to-analog converter (SHDAC) samples the input, and generates the residue voltage for the subranging operation in each channel. The error on the residue voltage from the parasitic capacitances is cancelled through a linearity correction method. Design considerations of the amplifier in the unity-gain buffer and bandwidth mismatches between TI channels are studied and exemplified with simulation results. A prototype ADC chip was fabricated in 130nm CMOS technology for experimental verification of the concepts. Evaluations of operation with 6-bit resolution at 1GS/s demonstrate a measured ENOB above 5.26 up to the Nyquist frequency with a power consumption of 10.5mW from a 1.2V supply.
Understanding mitochondrial myopathies: a review

Mitochondria are small, energy-producing structures vital to the energy needs of the body. Genetic mutations cause mitochondria to fail to produce the energy needed by cells and organs which can cause severe disease and death. These genetic mutations are likely to be in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), or possibly in the nuclear DNA (nDNA). The goal of this review is to assess the current understanding of mitochondrial diseases. This review focuses on the pathology, causes, risk factors, symptoms, prevalence data, symptomatic treatments, and new research aimed at possible preventions and/or treatments of mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondrial myopathies are mitochondrial diseases that cause prominent muscular symptoms such as muscle weakness and usually present with a multitude of symptoms and can affect virtually all organ systems. There is no cure for these diseases as of today. Treatment is generally supportive and emphasizes symptom management. Mitochondrial diseases occur infrequently and hence research funding levels tend to be low in comparison with more common diseases. On the positive side, quite a few genetic defects responsible for mitochondrial diseases have been identified, which are in turn being used to investigate potential treatments. Speech therapy, physical therapy, and respiratory therapy have been used in mitochondrial diseases with variable results. These therapies are not curative and at best help with maintaining a patient’s current abilities to move and function.
Immunotherapy Resistance by Inflammation-Induced Dedifferentiation

A promising arsenal of targeted and immunotherapy treatments for metastatic melanoma has emerged over the last decade. With these therapies, we now face new mechanisms of tumor acquired resistance. We report here a patient whose metastatic melanoma underwent dedifferentiation as a resistance mechanism to adoptive T cell transfer therapy (ACT) to the MART-1 antigen, a phenomenon that had only been observed in mouse studies to date. After an initial period of tumor regression, the patient presented in relapse with tumors lacking melanocytic antigens (MART-1, gp100) and expressing an inflammation-induced neural crest marker (NGFR). We demonstrate using human melanoma cell lines that this resistance phenotype can be induced in vitro by treatment with MART-1 T-cell receptor expressing T cells or with TNFα, and that the phenotype is reversible with withdrawal of inflammatory stimuli. This supports the hypothesis that acquired resistance to cancer immunotherapy can be mediated by inflammation-induced cancer dedifferentiation.
Infection control practices of Rhode Island dental hygienists and certified dental assistants.

Purpose Limited studies document the infection control practices of dental hygienists and dental assistants even though both groups play a vital role in the prevention of disease transmission in the dental office. The purpose of this study was to survey Rhode Island registered dental hygienists and certified dental assistants to (1) determine their current infection control practices; (2) to document attendance at an infection control course; and (3) to identify the need for additional infection control education. Methods In October of 1993 a fixed-response survey was mailed to a random sample of 267 registered dental hygienists (RDHs) and 260 certified dental assistants (CDAs) in Rhode Island. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and the chi-square statistic. Results Responses were received from 171 RDHs and 153 CDAs for adjusted response rates of 64% and 59%, respectively. Most responding RDHs and CDAs were wearing gloves but substantially fewer were utilizing one of the two acceptable combinations of personal protective barriers. Other procedures that were not always practiced by a substantial number of respondents included the use of disposable barriers, following recommended handwashing protocol, utilizing appropriate procedures for disinfection and sterilization of dental instruments and handpieces, updating medical histories, and biological monitoring of sterilization equipment. Although the majority of both groups reported having attended an infection control course within the past year, having written infection control protocols in place, and being satisfied or very satisfied with the level of infection control, many recommended procedures were not practiced routinely. Conclusions These findings indicate that lack of compliance with infection control guidelines is multifactorial. Even though there is a need for continuing infection control education for dental hygienists and certified dental assistants, education alone is not the answer.
Parental discretion in refusal of treatment for newborns : A real but limited right

Manslaughter charges were brought in Lansing, Michigan against Gregory Messenger, a local dermatologist, for removing his extremely premature infant son from a ventilator in a neonatal intensive care unit. The issue in the case was the degree ofintervention required for the newborn for whom the parents had been counseled that there was a 50% to 70% mortality, and that if the child did survive, there was a 20% to 40% chance of severe intraventricular hemorrhage and a likelihood of substantial respiratory problems. In light of those grim data, the parents requested that no aggressive measures be undertaken. The neonatologist instructed her physician’s assistant to ventilate if the child was “vigorous.” The homicide charge was based on Gregory Messenger’s failure to provide proper medical treatment for his infant son.
Aging and Patent Foramen Ovale

The clinical syndromes associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO), have traditionally been studied in populations of young adults. The initial reports linking thromboembolic stroke to PFO [1, 2] included only stroke patients <55 years of age, based on an assumption that older patients would have a greater prevalence of traditional stroke risk factors. The three published prospective randomized PFO/Stroke trials [3–5] were limited to patients <60 years of age, again in an attempt to minimize the impact of coinciding traditional risk factors as potential stroke sources. As the relationship between PFO and migraine headache came into focus, it was again centered on a younger population as most migraineurs are women, and most have a significant reduction, or elimination, of migraine symptoms after the onset of menopause [6]. As a result, through the history of the PFO literature, there has been little discussion on the clinical impact of PFO in an aging population.
Preference in female laboratory mice is influenced by social experience

Abstract Mice must perceive and interpret the signals they are presented with to evaluate potential mates, and should show a preference for high quality conspecifics. The present experiment was designed to investigate preference for acoustic, olfactory, and acoustic + olfactory signals in laboratory mice. Eighteen female CBA/CaJ mice, socially housed or isolated, were tested to evaluate preference for signals produced by males. Social experience influenced female preference for male USV playback and soiled bedding. Female mice who had experience with males showed a stronger preference for olfactory signals, whereas female mice with experience only with other females preferred USV playback. Isolated mice showed a greater preference for signals of different modalities presented together than socially experienced mice. This preference may have occurred because of increased motivation to make social contact. The findings of this experiment illustrate that social experience could play a role in mate choice.
Natural killer cells might adapt their inhibitory receptors for memory.

Traditional teaching in immunology tells us that antigen-specific recall responses are the realm of adaptive immunity. However, over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence and interest in the concept of innate immune memory. Natural killer (NK) cells are the founding member of the innate lymphocyte family, initially recognized more than 40 y ago for their ability to kill tumor targets without prior sensitization across MHC haplotypes. Since that time, germline-encoded NK cell receptors (NKRs) that recognize class I MHC (MHC-I) molecules and deliver “activating” or “inhibitory” signals dictating NK cell education and function have been found. A decade ago, NK cells were discovered to have the capacity for specific recall responses to diverse antigens, akin to those seen in T cells. The mechanism by which NK cells specifically recognize a wide range of antigens is unknown. In PNAS, Wight et al. (1) provide evidence that inhibitory NKRs might recognize antigen in the context of MHC-I molecules to mediate NK cell memory responses. The first evidence for NK cell memory responses came when O’Leary et al. (2) demonstrated that a subset of liver NK cells mediates hapten-specific contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in Rag-deficient mice. Adoptive transfer experiments of purified NK cells demonstrated specificity of long-lived NK cell recall responses (2, 3). Three major types of NK cell memory or memory-like responses are now recognized: antigen-specific responses, CMV-adapted memory (in the mouse reliant on a virally encoded ligand interacting with a germline-encoded NK cell-activating receptor), and cytokine-induced antigen-independent memory-like responses (2, 4⇓⇓–7). Wight et al. (1) focus on antigen-specific NK cell memory and investigate whether Ly49 inhibitory NKRs can recognize antigen. Antigen-specific NK cell memory has been demonstrated for a wide variety of antigens, including haptens, viral-like particles, and in the context of infections such … [↵][1]1Email: cooper_m{at}wustl.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Associations between Self-Reported Symptoms and Gait Parameters Using In-Home Sensors in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis

Background and purpose Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disorder, characterized by exacerbations and remissions, often resulting in disability affecting multiple neurological functions. The purpose of this article was (1) to describe the frequencies of self-reported symptoms in a natural environment and (2) to determine characteristics and associations between self-reported symptoms and home gait parameters (speed, stride time, and stride length) at baseline and at 3 months in patients with MS. Methods Participants completed the self-report MS-Related Symptom Scale to measure symptoms. A three-dimensional depth imaging system (Foresite Healthcare) was used to measure gait parameters in the home environment. Results These data show significant correlations between the following symptoms: knee locking or collapsing, difficulty sleeping, depression, and anxiety with decreased number of average walks per day; however, the symptoms including trouble-making toilet: day and difficulty in starting urine were positively correlated with average walks per day. The symptom numbness was significantly correlated with decreased speed and decreased stride length. Discussion and conclusions Our findings suggest that certain groups of symptoms were more frequently reported with certain gait parameters (stride time/speed) in persons with MS. Rehabilitation nurses can provide optimal care to prevent future decline in symptoms and gait.
MECHANISM OF ACTION OF ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY IN SEVERELY CALCIFIED CORONARY ARTERIES: INSIGHTS FROM A CADAVERIC PERFUSION MODEL

Orbital atherectomy (OA) is indicated for facilitating stent delivery in patients by reducing coronary plaque, but complete understanding of the therapeutic mechanism has not been established. We performed a mechanistic study using a cadaveric heart perfusion model to investigate the impact of OA on
Achieving Diversity in the Marijuana Industry: Should States Implement Social Equity into Their Regimes?

As states across the country continue to legalize marijuana, in medical or recreational form, a new legal market is forming. As more and more companies begin to profit off the legalization of marijuana it begs the question: who is reaping the economic benefits of legalization? Following decades of the War of Drugs, minority communities have been particularly devastated. Consequently, states who have legalized marijuana both recreationally and medically have a duty to ensure equal access for the minority communities who were disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. This paper examines social equity regimes throughout the country and how states have attempted to induce minority participation in the marijuana industry. It analyzes the arguments for and against social equity regimes. The primary goal of this article is to address the arguments against social equity regimes in the marijuana industry, and induce states to implement common sense, economical regimes that give equal and just opportunities to those in the minority community.
Persistent and Chronic Postoperative Opioid Use in a Cohort of Patients with Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background Recently, the concept of persistent postsurgical opioid use has been described for patients undergoing cancer surgery. Our hypothesis was based on the premise that patients with oral tongue cancer require high dosages of opioids before, during, and after surgery, and thus a large percentage of patients might develop persistent postsurgical opioid use. Methods After institutional review board approval, we conducted a retrospective study that included a cohort of patients with oral tongue cancers who underwent curative-intent surgery in our institution. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to study the association of the characteristics of several patients with persistent (six months after surgery) and chronic (12 months after surgery) postoperative opioid use. Results A total of 362 patients with oral tongue malignancies were included in the study. The rate of persistent use of opioids after surgery was 31%. Multivariate analysis showed that patients taking opioids before surgery and those receiving adjuvant therapy were 2.9 and 1.78 times more likely to use opioids six months after surgery. Fifteen percent of the patients were taking opioids 12 months after surgery. After adjusting for clinically relevant covariates, patients complaining of moderate tongue pain before surgery and those taking opioids preoperatively had at least three times higher risk of still using these analgesics one year after surgery. Conclusions Patients with oral tongue cancers have a high risk of developing persistent and chronic postsurgical opioid use.
Effect of pH on Survival of Escherichia coli O157, Escherichia coli O121, and Salmonella enterica during Desiccation and Short-Term Storage.

One intrinsic characteristic of low-moisture foods that is frequently overlooked is pH. Although pH affects the survival of microorganisms in high-moisture foods, its influence in low-moisture foods with less available moisture has not been examined. Escherichia coli O157:H7, E. coli O121, Salmonella enterica Anatum, and S. enterica Agona were grown on solid media with and without added glucose, harvested, and then suspended in buffer at pH 4, 5, and 7 for 10 min. All cultures were spotted individually onto cellulose filters and dried in a biohazard cabinet (23 ± 2°C) overnight (24 ± 2 h) and then stored in a 25°C incubator at 33% relative humidity. Populations were examined at regular intervals up to 26 (E. coli) or 29 (Salmonella) days. Additional controls for pH consisted of cultures held in buffer at pH 4, 5, and 7 at 25°C for the same time periods as the desiccated cells. For all strains tested, pH had an effect on survival whether stored dried or in liquid buffer (P 0.05), indicating similar persistence following desiccation. A reverse trend was observed for E. coli O121; acid adaptation on solid media improved survival during desiccation and subsequent storage at low pH (P < 0.05). E. coli O157:H7 survival was significantly lower than that of either Salmonella or E. coli O121 under all conditions tested. Results indicate that the response to desiccation and pH stress differs between the microorganisms and under different growth conditions.
Intestinal Microbiome Composition Changes after Heart Transplant

Purpose Alterations to the intestinal microbiome prior to bone marrow transplant (BMT) are associated with post-BMT mortality, and distinct compositional changes (increase in Firmicutes and decrease in Bacteroidetes) are present in adults with cardiovascular (CV) disease. We hypothesize that alterations to the intestinal microbiome occur in children after pediatric heart transplant (HTx). Methods Pre-HTx and sequential post-HTx stool specimens (2 week, 1 month) were collected in children undergoing HTx between 9/2018 - 3/2019. Bacterial DNA was extracted, and the resulting nucleic acid was processed through an Illumina MiSeq 16S sequencing pipeline. Separate regions of the highly variable areas of the 16S rRNA gene, V1V3 and V4, were targeted for sequencing. Resulting raw sequences were analyzed utilizing the UPARSE algorithm for clustering of sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and the SILVA v123 database for taxonomic classification of each OTU. Pre-HTx and sequential post-HTx specimens were compared using ANOVA with Benjamini-Hochberg Correction. Results Pre-HTx and 2 post-HTx (median 14 days post-HTx, 31 days post-HTx) stool specimens were collected in 13 patients (median age 6.7 years, IQR 3.5-9.9) during the study period. There are notable differences in the intestinal bacterial composition between pre-HTx and post-HTx specimens at the Phyla (Fig 1A) and Genus (Fig 1B) levels. There is a decrease in Bacteroidetes (Bacteroides) and increase in Firmicutes and Escherichia/Shigella post-HTx. Enterococcus was absent in pre-HTx specimens but abundant in post-HTx specimens (Fig 1C). Conclusion Alterations to the intestinal microbiome are immediately present after HTx. These include previously described deleterious changes found in adults with CV disease (increase in Firmicutes & decrease in Bacteroidetes) and in critically ill adults (increase in Enterococcus). The impact of the intestinal microbiome on pediatric HTx outcomes warrants investigation and may identify novel modifiable risk factors.
Making Oblique Light-sheet Platform Open

We present an open platform to design, build and operate single objective based oblique light-sheet microscope. Using this platform, here we design and build a new and compact configuration of the microscope.
RSA reactivity to parent-child conflict as a predictor of dysregulated emotion and behavior in daily life.

BACKGROUND Individual variability in tonic (resting) and phasic (reactivity) respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) may underlie risk for dysregulated emotion and behavior, two transdiagnostic indicators that permeate most psychological disorders in youth. The interaction between tonic and phasic RSA may specify unique physiological profiles during the transition to adolescence. The current study utilized clinically referred youth (Mage = 12.03; s.d. = 0.92) to examine baseline RSA, RSA reactivity, and their interaction as predictors of dysregulated emotion and behavior in daily life. METHOD Participants were 162 youth (47% female; 60% minority) in psychiatric treatment for any mood or behavior problem. RSA was assessed during three, 2-minute baselines and an 8-minute parent-child conflict discussion task. Dysregulated emotion and behavior were assessed during a 4-day ecological momentary assessment protocol that included 10 time-based prompts over a long weekend. RESULTS Greater RSA withdrawal to the conflict was associated with dysregulated basic emotion (sadness, anger, nervousness, stress) in daily life. Two distinct interactions also emerged, such that baseline RSA was related to dysregulated complex emotion (shame, guilt, loneliness, emptiness) and dysregulated behavior as a function of RSA reactivity to conflict. Lower baseline RSA and greater RSA withdrawal were associated with dysregulated complex emotion, while higher baseline RSA and greater RSA withdrawal were associated with dysregulated behavior. CONCLUSIONS Findings point to physiological profiles that increase the risk of dysregulated emotion and behavior during the transition to adolescence. Excessive RSA withdrawal uniquely, and in combination with baseline RSA, increased risk for dysregulation in daily life, underscoring the role of autonomic stress responding as a risk factor for psychopathology.
Left atrial appendage and atrial septal occlusion in elderly patients with atrial septal defect and atrial fibrillation.

Background Elderly patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) often present with chronic atrial fibrillation and large left to right shunt. This study reports the experience of left atrial appendage (LAA) and ASD closure in patients with significant ASD and chronic atrial fibrillation. Methods We report six consecutive elderly patients with chronic atrial fibrillation and significant ASD who underwent LAA and fenestrated ASD closure from January 1, 2014 until December 31, 2019. All periprocedural and long-term (>1 year) outcomes were reported. Results Six patients (male: 33.3%; mean age: 66.8 ± 3.3 years) were included. Mean CHADS2 , CHA2 DS2 -VASc , and HAS-BLED scores were 2.33 ± 0.82, 3.83 ± 0.75, and 1.83 ± 0.75. Four patients underwent simultaneous procedure, while two patients underwent a staged procedure. Procedural success was achieved in all patients. Total occlusion was achieved during LAA occlusion without device embolization prior to ASD closure. Patients who underwent simultaneous procedure had a shorter total hospital stay and lower total hospital stay. During a follow-up period of 32.8 ± 19.4 months, both the devices were well seated. No device-related thrombosis or erosion reported. All patients remained in atrial fibrillation. No patients experienced any thromboembolic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Conclusions LAA and ASD closure is feasible and can be safely performed in the same seating in elderly patients with a significant ASD.
Incidence and Predictors of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Sarcoidosis: A Nationwide Analysis

Objectives:To identify electrocardiographic (ECG) and clinical predictors of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in sarcoidosis.Background:Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading cause of death in patients with cardiac sarcoid (CS) and may be the earliest manifestation of disease. Widespread, repeated advanced imaging is an impractical solution to this problem. ECG is an affordable and widely accessible modality that could help guide diagnostic approaches and risk stratification.Methods:Data were obtained from the National Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2017 using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions, (ICD‐9 and ICD-10 CM). The primary outcome was to identify predictors of SCA, while predictors of SCA in young individuals and those with normal ventricular function served as secondary outcome measures. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios following which, a multivariable Cox regression was employed to adjust for potential confounders. Results: Electrocardiographic markers of AV node dysfunction or bundle branch block are associated with a substantially increased risk of SCA in a limited proportion of patients (8.6%). This association is also observed among younger patients (<40 years) and those with normal ventricular function. Conclusions:Electrocardiographic evidence of AV nodal dysfunction or distal conduction disease should raise suspicion for cardiac involvement in patients with sarcoidosis and are associated with increased risk of SCA. Certain ECG markers could help identify patients who would benefit from advanced imaging studies. The sensitivity of electrocardiograms is however limited and the presence of a normal ECG does not reflect a low-risk of SCA.
Fast and scalable computations for Gaussian hierarchical models with intrinsic conditional autoregressive spatial random effects

Abstract Fast algorithms are developed for Bayesian analysis of Gaussian hierarchical models with intrinsic conditional autoregressive (ICAR) spatial random effects. To achieve computational speed-ups, first a result is proved on the equivalence between the use of an improper CAR prior with centering on the fly and the use of a sum-zero constrained ICAR prior. This equivalence result then provides the key insight for the algorithms, which are based on rewriting the hierarchical model in the spectral domain. The two novel algorithms are the Spectral Gibbs Sampler (SGS) and the Spectral Posterior Maximizer (SPM). Both algorithms are based on one single matrix spectral decomposition computation. After this computation, the SGS and SPM algorithms scale linearly with the sample size. The SGS algorithm is preferable for smaller sample sizes, whereas the SPM algorithm is preferable for sample sizes large enough for asymptotic calculations to provide good approximations. Because the matrix spectral decomposition needs to be computed only once, the SPM algorithm has computational advantages over algorithms based on sparse matrix factorizations (which need to be computed for each value of the random effects variance parameter) in situations when many models need to be fitted. Three simulation studies are performed: the first simulation study shows improved performance in computational speed in estimation of the SGS algorithm compared to an algorithm that uses the spectral decomposition of the precision matrix; the second simulation study shows that for model selection computations with 10 regressors and sample sizes varying from 49 to 3600, when compared to the current fastest state-of-the-art algorithm implemented in the R package INLA, SPM computations are 550 to 1825 times faster; the third simulation study shows that, when compared to default INLA settings, SGS and SPM combined with reference priors provide much more adequate uncertainty quantification. Finally, the application of the novel SGS and SPM algorithms is illustrated with a spatial regression study of county-level median household income for 3108 counties in the contiguous United States in 2017.
After Endrew: Progress Monitoring Methods for Supporting IEP Teams

The 2017 Supreme Court ruling in Endrew vs. Douglas County charged educators to provide evidence toward the attainment of Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals beyond de minimus educational benefit. The purpose of this article is to present two methods that may be useful for supporting IEP teams in evaluating progress toward the attainment of IEP goals. We present trend analysis and goal attainment scaling as single-case outcome methods for evaluating progress toward attaining IEP objectives and determining benefits from instruction. Each method is described along with its respective strengths and limitations, followed by examples of the methods for evaluating IEP goals. Implications for school psychology practice and implementation to support special educators and IEP teams toward evaluating educational benefits in school-based settings are discussed.
Boundary-layer instability measurements on a cone at freestream Mach 3.5

An experimental study was conducted in the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Langley Supersonic Low-Disturbance Tunnel to investigate naturally occurring instabilities in a supersonic boundary layer on a 7° half-angle cone at nominal freestream conditions: Mach 3.5, total temperature of 299.8 K, and unit Reynolds numbers (millions per m) of 9.89, 13.85, 21.77, and 25.73. Instability measurements were acquired under noisy-flow and quiet-flow conditions. Pitot-pressure and calibrated hot-wire measurements were obtained using a model-integrated traverse system to document the model flow field. In noisy-flow conditions, growth rates and mode shapes achieved good agreement between the measured results and linear stability theory (LST). The corresponding N factor at transition from LST is N≈3.9. Under quiet-flow conditions, the most unstable first-mode instabilities as predicted by LST were measured, but this mode was not the dominant instability measured in the boundary layer. Instead, the dominant instabilities were less-amplified, low-frequency disturbances predicted by LST, and grew according to linear theory. These low-frequency unstable disturbances were initiated by freestream acoustic disturbances through a receptivity process believed to occur near the branch I location of the cone. Under quiet-flow conditions, the boundary layer remained laminar up to the last measurement station for the largest unit Reynolds number, implying a transition N factor of N > 8.5.
CO organization at ambient pressure on stepped Pt surfaces: first principles modeling accelerated by neural networks

Step and kink sites at Pt surfaces have a crucial importance in catalysis. We employ high dimensional neural network potential (HDNNP) trained using first-principle calculations to determine the adsorption structure of CO in ambient conditions (T=300 K, P=1 atm) on these surfaces. To thoroughly explore the potential energy surface (PES), we use a modified Basin Hopping method. We utilize the explored PES to identify the adsorbate structures and show that in the considered conditions several low free energy structures exist. We define the ensemble of thermally accessible structures as Low Energy Minima Ensemble (LEME).In the considered temperature and pressure conditions, the step edge (or kink) is totally occupied by on-top CO molecules. We show that thestep structure and the structure of CO molecules on the step dictate the arrangement of CO molecules on the lower terrace. On surfaces with (111) steps, like Pt(553), CO forms quasi-hexagonal structures on the terrace with the top site preferred, with two top sites CO for one multiply bonded CO while in contrast surfaces with (100) steps, like Pt(557), present a majority of multiply bonded CO on their terrace. Short terraced surfaces like Pt(643), with square (100) steps that are broken by kink sites constrain the CO arrangement parallel to the step edge. Overall, this effort provides detailed analysis on the influence of step edge structure, kink sites, and terrace width on the organization of CO molecules on non-reconstructed stepped surfaces, yielding initial structures for understanding restructuring events driven by CO at high coverages and ambient pressure.
Chapter III The Pyrrolidine Alkaloids

Publisher Summary Comparatively few pyrrolidine alkaloids have been found to occur naturally. The parent substance is a constituent of Daucus carota L. and is one of the minor alkaloids of tobacco. Another minor alkaloid from tobacco and Atropa belladonna L., proved to be N-methylpyrroline, identical with that obtained from the reduction Of N-methylpyrrole with zinc and hydrochloric acid. A hygroscopic hydrochloride has been prepared but its conversion to a nitrosamine could not be realized. Tobacco and Atropa belladonna have yielded a third member of this group. It is a component of the volatile tobacco alkaloids and was recovered from this fraction after the trimethylamine had been removed. Preparation of a number of its crystalline salts and comparison of their melting points by admixture with those from synthetic N-methylpyrrolidine completed the identification of this volatile amine. The volatile bases occurring in Peruvian Cusco leaves and those of the Coca plant contain hygrine, a fourth member of this series. An oily base first designated as hygrine by Wohler and Lossen proved to be inhomogeneous for it was later separated by Liebermann into lower- and higher-boiling fractions. However, the name hygrine was retained for the oily base with the lower boiling point (b.p. 193-195o). Hesse, another early worker, claimed to have isolated hygrine but the empirical formula, which he assigned to his product leads one to doubt the homogeneity of this preparation.
Teaching Activist Intelligence: Feminism, the Educational Experience and the Applied Women's Studies Department at CGU

This Open Access Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the CGU Student Scholarship at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in CGU Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact scholarship@cuc.claremont.edu. Recommended Citation Robinson, Tara Chaffee, "Teaching Activist Intelligence: Feminism, the Educational Experience and the Applied Women's Studies Department at CGU" (2011). CGU Theses & Dissertations. Paper 7. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/7
DEGRADATION OF SM2ZR2O7 THERMAL BARRIER COATING CAUSED BY CALCIUM-MAGNESIUM-ALUMINUM-SILICON OXIDE (CMAS) DEPOSITION

Rare earth zirconates are promising materials for use as thermal barrier coatings in gas turbine engines. Among the lanthanide zirconate materials, Sm2Zr2O7 with the pyrochlore structure has lower thermal conductivity and better corrosion resistance against calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicon oxide (CMAS). In this work, after reaction with CMAS, the pyrochlore structure transforms to the cubic fluorite structure and Ca2Sm8(SiO4)6O2 forms in elongated grain.
The tall athlete and Marfan syndrome: Need for clinical differentiation

A 14-year-old female athlete was referred because of her height, thinness, and long fingers. Investigation suggested that she did not have Marfan syndrome, but rather mitral valve prolapse. This case presentation demonstrates some of the difficult issues faced in sports medicine when dealing with athletes suspected of the Marfan syndrome or mitral valve prolapse.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: epidemiology, management and practical drug treatment.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) owing to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a common disorder, and is characterised by a defect in cortisol biosynthesis with or without a defect in aldosterone synthesis and androgen excess. The classic form, also known as the severe form, occurs in 1 : 15 000 births worldwide, while the nonclassic or mild form occurs in approximately 1 : 1000 births worldwide and is much more common (up to 1 : 20) in certain ethnic groups. In classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency, glucocorticoids are given in doses sufficient to suppress adrenal androgen secretion, and mineralocorticoids are given to normalise electrolytes and plasma renin activity. The management of CAH may be complicated by iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome, inadequately treated hyperandrogenism, or both. Prenatal treatment may decrease virilisation of the affected female foetus, but the efficacy and safety of treating CAH prenatally remains to be fully defined. Close clinical monitoring of growth and development is essential to optimise treatment outcome. New treatment approaches are currently under investigation in the most severely affected patients, while nonclassic CAH does not always require treatment.
The Goldilocks Hypothesis

Life9s Solution Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe. Simon Conway Morris. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2003. 486 pp. $30, $18.95. ISBN 0-521-82704-3. Conway Morris argues that the constraints on life ensure the evolution of organisms characterized by advanced sensory systems, intelligence, complex societies, tool-making, and culture-but that planets suitable for life are very rare.
Hospital boarder babies and their families: an exploratory study.

Data were abstracted from the medical and social work charts of 20 newborns who were classified as boarder babies nd their mothers (n = 18) to identify biopsychosocial factors associated with boarding. The findings show that the mothers whose newborns remained in the hospital as boarders were usually drug users, had other children in out-of-home placement, and over half are periodically homeless. Most of these mothers also lacked informal social support. The major health problems of infants were prematurity and associated infections. The total number of infant boarding days was 195 for a total of $117,000 in unreimbursed costs to the hospital. Practice and program implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Mapping the corticospinal tract

Publisher Summary The chapter reviews that mapping the corticospinal tract (CST) below the cortical level is still very much a work in progress, with no consensus on the optimal methodology and a relatively sparse literature compared to the extensive number of publications concerning cortical mapping. It is an area of great interest and importance, and provides fertile ground for further investigations in the coming years. The chapter discusses that monitoring techniques, such as transcranial motor evoked potentials (TcMEPs), should always be carried out during surgery near the CST at any level as they can be done more or less continuously and thus, may provide the first indication of a potential problem. In contrast, mapping techniques are inherently intermittent and generally require the surgeon to temporarily halt dissection in order to map the location of the CST. It also reviews that useful motor function involves many more systems, both cortical and subcortical, than simply the CST.
The Will to Live: Preservation of a Forearm Loop Arteriovenous Graft via Development of Median Cubital Venous Collateral Circulation.

Background: Forearm loop arteriovenous grafts most commonly fail because of stenosis, with thrombosis at the venous anastomosis. Treatment begins with identification of the stenotic lesion causing thrombosis, followed by either a percutaneous method using thrombolytic agents with possible balloon angioplasty and mechanical evacuation or surgical thrombectomy. Case Report: We present a case of thrombosis in a forearm loop graft with successful percutaneous thrombectomy. Preservation of this access site was only possible because of an unusual finding of collateral circulation, with the median cubital vein acting as a conduit to the basilic vein. Conclusion: The choice of surgical vs percutaneous methods for treating a thrombosed graft remains controversial. Yet the success rates of pharmacologic thrombolysis and the percutaneous approach are comparable to those of surgical thrombectomy. Our case of successful percutaneous thrombectomy illustrates the value of preserving the median cubital vein whenever poss...
A pseudo-relaxation learning algorithm for bidirectional associative memory

A fast iterative learning algorithm for the bidirectional associative memory (BAM) called PRLAB is introduced. PRLAB utilizes the pseudo-relaxation method adapted from the relaxation method for solving systems of linear inequalities. PRLAB is very fast, is well suited for a neural network implementation, guarantees the recall of all training patterns, is highly insensitive to learning parameters, and offers high scalability for large applications. PRLAB exploits the maximum storage capacity of the BAM and guarantees perfect recall of all trained pairs. For guaranteed storage, no special form of encoding or preprocessing is necessary. >
Laboratory Studies of Blending Liquids by Agitation With Air

Summary Laboratory experiments with transparent liquids in glass tanks were conducted to study the formation and movement of bubbles and the factors influencing effectiveness of agitation with air. Motion pictures were taken in two short horizontal cylindrical tanks, to determine flow patterns and allow measurements of bubble size and bubble and liquid movement. To represent blending as in standardizing or fortifying, observations were made of the time required for complete color change after addition of acid to indicator solution in the tank. To simulate incorporation of a cream layer, the minimum air-rate for dispersion of slightly buoyant plastic particles was determined. A cylindrical vessel, 11 in. in diameter and 24 in. long,placed either horizontally or vertically, was used in most tests. Important variables were tank shape, fraction of fill, air rate, air supply pipe arrangement, and the nature of the material being agitated. Air agitation was more effective in the vertical than in the horizontal tank. In both tanks, effectiveness decreased at low liquid depths. The influence of air rate was variable: In some cases an increase markedly increased effectiveness; in others, little or no improvement was obtained. For blending solutions of low viscosity in the horizontal tank, an air supply pipe with 12 holes uniformly spaced was less satisfactory. But for blending solutions of high viscosity and dispersing the plastic-particle suspension, this air-supply arrangement was most effective. In the vertical tank, a supply pipe with six holes uniformly spaced across the diameter gave the most satisfactory results under a variety of conditions. A single air-supply hole required the longest blending times when placed at the center of the vertical tank bottom, but favored rapid blending when placed one-third of the tank radius from the side.