cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Interface Between Metal Contacts and Epilayers of Doped Silicon Carbide

Aluminum contacts on chemical vapor deposited (CVD) SiC films were studied to examine variations in the chemical, morphological and electrical properties of the samples. Nitrogen and aluminum doped substrates were prepared to give n-type and p-type SiC epilayers respectively. These preparations were examined by surface sensitive spectroscopies and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Samples were studied both before and after the deposition of aluminum films to compare differences between SiC(p++)/metal and SiC(n++)/metal contact interfacial properties. Aluminum has generally been found to have good adherence to the n+ epilayer but do not form good ohmic contacts, while metal films deposited on p+ epilayers have had poor adherence but have been found to provide better ohmic character. AFM images revealed nanometer sized clusters, attributed to excess Si on the n+ epilayers, while no clusters were observed on the p+ epilayers. XPS studies of the as-prepared samples indicated that the n+ epilayers had higher concentrations of oxides which may enhance adhesion. The chemical composition and morphology is discussed and correlated to the electrical properties obtained for the various samples.
Effect of Anesthesia Type on Limb Length Discrepancy After Total Hip Arthroplasty

A retrospective study of 132 patients (63 spinal anesthesia and 69 general anesthesia) undergoing total hip arthroplasty was performed by 4 fellowship-trained adult reconstructive surgeons to determine the influence of anesthesia type on postoperative limb length and medial offset. Limb length discrepancy occurred in 87.0% of patients who received regional anesthesia as opposed to 47.6% patients who had general anesthesia (P<.001). Differences in postoperative medial offset measurements between the 2 groups were not statistically significant. It was concluded that surgeons operating on patients who receive regional anesthesia should supplement intraoperative tests for assessing hip stability with meticulous preoperative templating to avoid overlengthening the operative limb.
Archaeology in Biologia Centrali-Americana or Contributions to the Knowledge of the Fauna and Flora of Mexico and Central America, by Alfred Maudsiay, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

The University of Oklahoma Press has done an extreme service to those interested in the history of Mesoamerican archaeology. It has published the original 1902 pioneering work of Alfred Maudslay in four volumes. The reissue of Maudslay's classic contains more than 390 pages of black and white plates and line drawings in addition to Maudslay's original text, notes, and archaic calendars. This facsimile edition is Alfred Percival Maudslay's monumental study of Mayan civilization which has been lauded by many Mayanists around the world.
Factors Affecting the Prevalence of Strongly and Weakly Carcinogenic and Lower-Risk Human Papillomaviruses in Anal Specimens in a Cohort of Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)

Background: MSM are at higher risk for invasive anal cancer. Twelve human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause cervical cancer in women (Group 1 high-risk HPVs (hrHPVs)) and 13 HPVs are probable/possible causes (Group 2 hrHPVs) of cervical malignancy. HPVs rarely associated with malignancy are classified as lower-risk HPVs (lrHPVs). Materials and Methods: Dacron-swab anal-cytology specimens were collected from and data complete for 97% (1262/ 1296) of Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) men tested for HPVs using the Linear Array assay. Multivariate Poisson regression analyses estimated adjusted prevalence ratios for Group 1/2 hrHPVs and lrHPVs, controlling for the effects of age, race, ethnicity, sexual partnerships, smoking; HIV-infection characteristics, treatment, and immune status among HIVinfected men. Results: HIV-infected men showed 35–90% higher prevalence of Group 1/2 hrHPVs and lrHPVs than HIV-uninfected men, and higher prevalence of multi-Type, and multiple risk-group infections. CD4+ T-cell count was inversely associated with HPV Group 2 prevalence (p,0.0001). The number of receptive anal intercourse (RAI) partners reported in the 24 months preceding HPV testing predicted higher prevalence of Group 1/2 hrHPVs. Men reporting $30 lifetime male sex partners before their first MACS visit and men reporting $1 RAI partners during the 24 months before HPV testing showed 17–24% and 13–17% higher prevalence of lrHPVs (p-values #0.05). Men reporting smoking between MACS visit 1 and 24 months before HPV testing showed 1.2-fold higher prevalence of Group 2 hrHPVs (p=0.03). Both complete adherence to CART (p=0.02) and HIV load ,50 copies/mL (p=0.04) were protective for Group 1 hrHPVs among HIV-infected men. Conclusions: HIV-infected men more often show multi-type and multi-group HPV infections HIV-uninfected men. Longterm mutual monogamy and smoking cessation, generally, and CART-adherence that promotes (HIV) viremia control and prevents immunosuppression, specifically among HIV-infected MSM, are important prevention strategies for HPV infections that are relevant to anal cancer.
A parallel system for text inference using marker propagations

This paper presents a possible solution for the text inference problem-extracting information unstated in a text, but implied. Text inference is central to natural language applications such as information extraction and dissemination, text understanding, summarization, and translation. Our solution takes advantage of a semantic English dictionary available in electronic form that provides the basis for the development of a large linguistic knowledge base. The inference algorithm consists of a set of highly parallel search methods that, when applied to the knowledge base, find contexts in which sentences are interpreted. These contexts reveal information relevant to the text. Implementation, results, and parallelism analysis are discussed.
Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype Is Supported by Secretory Phospholipase A2 in Human Lung Cancer Cells

Background Lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells that drive growth, invasiveness, and resistance to therapy. Inflammatory eicosanoids are critical to maintain this malignant subpopulation. Secretory phospholipase A 2 group IIa (sPLA 2 ) is an important mediator of the growth and invasive potential of human lung cancer cells and regulates eicosanoid production. We hypothesized that sPLA 2 plays a role in the maintenance of lung CSCs. Methods Cancer stem cells from lung adenocarcinoma cell lines H125 and A549 were isolated using aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and flow cytometry. Protein and mRNA levels for sPLA 2 were compared between sorted cells using Western blotting and quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction techniques. Chemical inhibition of sPLA 2 and short-hairpin RNA knockdown of sPLA 2 were used to evaluate effects on tumorsphere formation. Results Lung CSCs were isolated in 8.9% ± 4.1% (mean ± SD) and 4.1% ± 1.6% of H125 and A549 cells respectively. Both sPLA 2 protein and mRNA expression were significantly elevated in the CSC subpopulation of H125 ( p = 0.002) and A549 ( p = 0.005; n = 4). Knockdown of sPLA 2 significantly reduced tumorsphere formation in H125 ( p = 0.026) and A549 ( p = 0.001; n = 3). Chemical inhibition of sPLA 2 resulted in dose-dependent reduction in tumorsphere formation in H125 ( p = 0.003) and A549 ( p = 0.076; n = 3). Conclusions Lung CSCs express higher levels of sPLA 2 than the non–stem cell population. Our findings that viral knockdown and chemical inhibition of sPLA 2 reduce tumorsphere formation in lung cancer cells demonstrate for the first time that sPLA 2 plays an important role in CSCs. These findings suggest that sPLA 2 may be an important therapeutic target for human lung cancer.
Clinician proficiency in delivering manual treatment for neck pain within specified force ranges

Abstract Background context Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint responsive to manual therapies. Doctors of chiropractic commonly use manual cervical distraction, a mobilization procedure, to treat neck pain patients. However, it is unknown if clinicians can consistently apply standardized cervical traction forces, a critical step toward identifying an optimal therapeutic dose. Purpose To assess clinicians' proficiency in delivering manually applied traction forces within specified ranges to neck pain patients. Study design An observational study nested within a randomized clinical trial. Sample Two research clinicians provided study interventions to 48 participants with neck pain. Outcome measures Clinician proficiency in delivering cervical traction forces within three specified ranges (low force, less than 20 N; medium force, 21–50 N; and high force 51–100 N). Methods Participants were randomly allocated to three force-based treatment groups. Participants received five manual cervical distraction treatments over 2 weeks while lying prone on a treatment table instrumented with force sensors. Two clinicians delivered manual traction forces according to treatment groups. Clinicians treated participants first without real-time visual feedback displaying traction force and then with visual feedback. Peak traction force data were extracted and descriptively analyzed. Results Clinicians delivered manual cervical distraction treatments within the prescribed traction force ranges 75% of the time without visual feedback and 97% of the time with visual feedback. Conclusions This study demonstrates that doctors of chiropractic can successfully deliver prescribed traction forces while treating neck pain patients, enabling the capability to conduct force-based dose response clinical studies.
2.0 ps, 150 GHz GaAs monolithic photodiode and all-electronic sampler

An ultrafast GaAs Schottky photodiode has been monolithically integrated with an all-electronic sampler. The high-speed photodiode-electronic-sampling circuit has a temporal response of 2.0 ps full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) corresponding to a 3-dB bandwidth of 150 GHz. The photodiode has an external quantum efficiency of 33%. >
Analysis of Power Draw in Ball Mills by the Discrete Element Method

Abstract Ball mills, like other comminution devices, consume large amounts of energy. Mill operators often have to assess the power draft of mills for an entirely different set of operating conditions or for a reconfigured circuit. It is shown that the power draft can be accurately predicted from analysis of the motion of the charge. The motion of the charge is rigorously simulated with a numerical technique known as Discrete Element Method (DEM). In this technique, the coordinates and velocities of each individual ball are computed from a knowledge of forces arising when balls collide with each other and with mill shell and lifter walls. First, simulation results on a wide range of ball mills are compared with available experimental data. Then the power draft predictions as a function of a few operating variables are shown. The unique feature of this method is that the mill power can be predicted for a mixture of ball sizes, different lifter geometry and lifter spacing, which is absent in other methods proposed in the literature.
Cardiac Natriuretic Peptides: Contributors to Cardiac Cachexia or Possible Anti-obesity Agents or Both?

The cardiac natriuretic peptides (NPs) atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are both secreted by the heart in response to myocardial stress and stretch and act via binding to guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A), with subsequent generation of the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate. GC-A is widely expressed in mammals, e.g., in heart, kidney, vascular smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, liver, stomach, terminal ileum, lung, adrenals, and brain. Consequently, the NPs have pleiotropic actions, many of which can be considered to unload the heart, specifically vasodilation, natriuresis, and inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (1). Vila et al. (2) in the current issue of Diabetes present important information on the emerging metabolic actions of GC-A activation, specifically on its hunger and ghrelin suppressing actions (Fig. 1). FIG. 1. Potential effects of GC-A activation on metabolism and energy balance. There is emerging evidence from animal and human studies that GC-A activation by natriuretic peptides may modulate metabolism and energy balance. See text for details and Addisu et al. (21) for a study on gastric emptying. Obesity, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome have all been associated with reduced NP levels (3,4). The low level of NPs seen in obesity is at least in part due to decreased cardiac secretion and, in fact, cardiac NP levels have been shown to increase after bariatric …
Influence of Aggregates on Sintering

Alumina powders containing controlled amounts of hard aggregates exhibit isothermal shrinkage rates which decrease markedly with increasing aggregate content. Sintered densities achieved after 1- and 24-h anneals decreased linearly with aggregate content. The microstructures of regions near aggregates and within aggregates showed that the compacts sinter differently inside and outside the aggregates.
THE SELECTION MOSAIC AND DIVERSIFYING COEVOLUTION BETWEEN CROSSBILLS AND LODGEPOLE PINE

abstract: Asymmetrical competition determines which of two seed predators drives the evolution of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta ssp. latifolia) cones. Red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are effective preemptive competitors in lodgepole pine forests so that red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) are uncommon and selection from Tamiasciurus drives cone evolution. When Tamiasciurus are absent, crossbills increase in abundance and coevolve in an evolutionary arms race with pine. Similarly, Tamiasciurus alters the evolutionary trajectories of large‐seeded pines, many of which rely on birds (Corvidae) for their seed dispersal. Populations therefore exhibit a selection mosaic with coevolutionary hot spots. In the coevolutionary hot spots, divergent selection on crossbills potentially leads to reproductive isolation and speciation. This results in a subsequent reduction in the geographic mosaic but diversifies the adaptive landscape on which crossbills have radiated. Thus, divergent selection is a double‐edged ...
Functionally distinct groups of X-cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat.

The latencies and visual response properties of 202 X-cells in the A-laminae of the cat dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) were examined to investigate the recent claim (Mastronarde, '85,'87a) that functionally different groups of X-cells reside there. Two groups of X-cells were found, which differed in their extracellularly recorded responses to spots of light flashed within their receptive fields. One group, constituting one-third of the sample, responded to spot onset with a profound and often long-lasting dip in discharge rate, such that cell discharge usually did not reach half maximum until ≥ 100 msec after spot onset. About 70% of these cells also displayed a transient discharge at spot offset. These cells correspond to Mastronarde's lagged X-cells, and we similarly refer to them as XL-cells. The second group, constituting the remainder of the X-cell population, generally responded to spot onset with a short latency (≤ 60 msec) brisk discharge, no detectable XL-type dip, and a rapid reduction in firing at spot offset. We refer to these neurons as nonlagged (XN) X-cells; this group probably encompasses all of Mastronarde's non-XL-cells. Despite some overlap, the XL- and XN-cells differed in numerous other features. Compared to XN-cells, XL-cells exhibited: 1) lower peak rates of discharge and more uniform firing during spot onset; 2) slightly longer latencies and markedly lower probabilities of discharge to optic chiasm stimulation; 3) consistently lower geniculocortical conduction velocities; and 4) markedly lower optimal temporal frequencies when tested with drifting sine wave gratings. No differences were found between the two cell groups in optimal spatial frequency, spatial resolution, or receptive field center size, and there were equal proportions of on- and off-center types of XL- and XN-cells. Analyses of one- and two-dimensional plots of the physiological measures indicate that XL- and XN-cells constitute a physiological continuum. However, the two groups occupy opposite sides of the continuum on many of the measures, with little overlap and with few (< 5%) cells with intermediate properties. Therefore, XL-cells may be considered a distinct, readily identifiable group. These findings confirm and extend Mastronarde's ('87a) observations on functional differences among geniculate X-cells. The existence of XL-cells in the LGN and their apparent absence in the retina (Mastronarde, '87b) add support to the view that the LGN operates as more than a simple relay nucleus, passing on to the cortex in largely unaltered form the signals received from the retina. The differences between XL- and XN-cells suggest that an important transformation occurs in the LGN among XL-cells, and that it is in the temporal domain rather than in the spatial domain.
Roles of GASP-1 and GDF-11 in Dental and Craniofacial Development.

Purpose: Growth and differentiation factor (GDF)-11 is a transforming growth factor-β family member that plays important regulatory roles in development of multiple tissues which include axial skeletal patterning, palatal closure, and tooth formation. Proteins that have been identified as GDF-11 inhibitors include GDF-associated serum protein (GASP)-1 and GASP-2. Recently, we found that mice genetically engineered to lack both Gasp1 and Gdf11 have an increased frequency of cleft palate. The goal of this study was to investigate the roles of GDF-11 and its inhibitors, GASP-1 and GASP-2, during dental and craniofacial development and growth. Methods: Mouse genetic studies were used in this study. Homozygous knockout mice for Gasp1 (Gasp1 -/- ) and Gasp2 (Gasp2 -/- ) were viable and fertile, but Gdf11 homozygous knockout (Gdf11 -/- ) mice died within 24 hours after birth. The effect of either Gasp1 or Gasp2 deletion in Gdf11 -/- mice during embryogenesis was evaluated in Gasp1 -/- ;Gdf11 -/- and Gasp2 -/- ;Gdf11 -/- mouse embryos at 18.5 days post-coitum (E18.5). For the analysis of adult tissues, we used Gasp1 -/- ;Gdf11 +/- and Gasp2 -/- ;Gdf11 +/- mice to evaluate the potential haploinsufficiency of Gdf11 in Gasp1 -/- and Gasp2 -/- mice. Results: Although Gasp2 expression decreased after E10.5, Gasp1 expression was readily detected in various ectodermal tissues at E17.5, including hair follicles, epithelium in nasal cavity, retina, and developing tooth buds. Interestingly, Gasp1 -/- ;Gdf11 -/- mice had abnormal formation of lower incisors: tooth buds for lower incisors were under-developed or missing. Although Gdf11 +/- mice were viable and had mild transformations of the axial skeleton, no specific defects in the craniofacial development have been observed in Gdf11 +/- mice. However, loss of Gasp1 in Gdf11 +/- mice occasionally resulted in small and abnormally shaped auricles. Conclusions: These findings suggest that both GASP-1 and GDF-11 play important roles in dental and craniofacial development both during embryogenesis and in adult tissues.
Antibiotic bone cement: are timing and dosing important variables for vancomycin elution? Commentary on an article by Tanay J. Amin, MD, et al.:" increasing the elution of vancomycin from high-dose antibiotic-loaded bone cement: a novel preparation technique".

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) combined with antibiotics provides a simple and efficient way to treat infection and osteomyelitis locally, provided that an adequate excisional debridement was performed initially and adjunctive systemic antibiotics are utilized1. The PMMA provides a stable structure for total joint arthroplasty with cement and intramedullary implants for long-bone nonunions. PMMA can fill dead space in osteomyelitis or open fractures with bone loss. The PMMA can be injected into a medullary canal for arthroplasty2, can be made into multiple beads for open fractures with bone loss3, and can be utilized in a custom nail for infected long-bone nonunions4. The combination of PMMA with heat-stable antibiotics such as vancomycin or tobramycin allows for elution of the antibiotics over a time period5. Improving antibiotic elution without hampering the biomechanical nature of PMMA is desired. In this study, two variables of PMMA (Simplex P and SmartSet MV) …
Contradictions in news epistemology: how modernism failed mainstream US journalism

The rise of interpretive news opened a gap between journalism and what people need from news. Modern journalism aims to provide a mature explanation for what happened, insight into what will come n...
Investigating Practices in Teacher Education That Promote and Inhibit Technology Integration Transfer in Early Career Teachers.

The purpose of this study was to identify instructional technology integration strategies and practices in preservice teacher education that contribute to the transfer of technology integration knowledge and skills to the instructional practices of early career teachers. This study used a two-phase, sequential explanatory strategy. Data were collected through surveys and interviews. Participating early career teachers assessed themselves as proficient users of instructional technologies and comfortable with their level of technology integration in the classroom. They identified modeling of, reflecting on, and experimenting with technology integration in their teacher education programs as prevalent promoters of technology integration, and ineffective field experiences as the most prominent barrier. Findings from this study lead to naturalistic recommendations, corroborated by the literature, on how to improve technology integration in teacher education programs. In addition, the study offers a survey that can be utilized in future studies to investigate further technology integration transfer factors in the education of preservice teachers.
Heterogeneity in Melanoma

Melanoma is among the most aggressive and therapy-resistant human cancers. While great strides in therapy have generated enthusiasm, many challenges remain. Heterogeneity is the most pressing issue for all types of therapy. This chapter summarizes the clinical classification of melanoma, of which the research community now adds additional layers of classifications for better diagnosis and prediction of therapy response. As the search for new biomarkers increases, we expect that biomarker analyses will be essential for all clinical trials to better select patient populations for optimal therapy. While individualized therapy that is based on extensive biomarker analyses is an option, we expect in the future genetic and biologic biomarkers will allow grouping of melanomas in such a way that we can predict therapy outcome. At this time, tumor heterogeneity continues to be the major challenge leading inevitably to relapse. To address heterogeneity therapeutically, we need to develop complex therapies that eliminate the bulk of the tumor and, at the same time, the critical subpopulations.
Republished: Key characteristics of successful quality improvement curricula in physician education: a realist review

Purpose Quality improvement (QI) is a common competency that must be taught in all physician training programmes, yet, there is no clear best approach to teach this content in clinical settings. We conducted a realist systematic review of the existing literature in QI curricula within the clinical setting, highlighting examples of trainees learning QI by doing QI. Method Candidate theories describing successful QI curricula were articulated a priori . We searched MEDLINE (1 January 2000 to 12 March 2013), the Cochrane Library (2013) and Web of Science (15 March 2013) and reviewed references of prior systematic reviews. Inclusion criteria included study design, setting, population, interventions, clinical and educational outcomes. The data abstraction tool included categories for setting, population, intervention, outcomes and qualitative comments. Themes were iteratively developed and synthesised using realist review methodology. A methodological quality tool assessed the biases, confounders, secular trends, reporting and study quality. Results Among 39 studies, most were before–after design with resident physicians as the primary population. Twenty-one described clinical interventions and 18 described educational interventions with a mean intervention length of 6.58 (SD=9.16) months. Twenty-eight reported successful clinical improvements; no studies reported clinical outcomes that worsened. Characteristics of successful clinical QI curricula include attention to the interface of educational and clinical systems, careful choice of QI work for the trainees and appropriately trained local faculty. Conclusions This realist review identified success characteristics to guide training programmes, medical schools, faculty, trainees, accrediting organisations and funders to further develop educational and improvement resources in QI educational programmes.
Epidemiological situation of mumps in Du'an Yao autonomous county from 2004 to 2010

Objective To analyze the epidemic condition of mumps in Du'an ethnic minority county in recent years,and to provide a scientific measurement and prevention for the disease in the future.Methods Data of infectious cases of mumps were collected from the county during 2004 to 2010.Windows Excel was used for statistics and descriptive epidemiological method was used for analysis.Results In the past 7 years,there were 847 cases of mumps,with an average annual reported incidence rate of 18.44/100000 in this county.Mumps occurred all year round,with two peak periods,June to July and November to December,during which there occurred 55.02% cases.The patients in the age group of 1-15 years accounted for 87.48% of the total number,of which children of 1 to 5 years of age 27.27%,6 to 15 years of age 60.21%.Of the total cases the ratio of male to female was 1.63:1.Mumps cases were found in all of the 19 townships,with Baoan,Anyang,Jiagui being the townships where there were more reports of cases,accounting for 46.16% of the total.Conclusions Mumps mainly occur in children under the age of 15,therefore,the focus approaches of prevention are inspection of vaccination certificates of enrolled nursery school children and remedial mumps vaccination.
Strain Sensing Sheets for Structural Health Monitoring Based on Large-Area Electronics and Integrated Circuits

Accurate and reliable damage characterization (i.e., damage detection, localization, and evaluation of extent) in civil structures and infrastructure is an important objective of structural health monitoring (SHM). Highly accurate and reliable characterization of damage at early stages requires continuous or quasi-continuous direct sensing of the critical parameters. Direct sensing requires deploying dense arrays of sensors, to enhance the probability that damage will result in signals that can be directly acquired by the sensors. However, coverage by dense arrays of sensors over the large areas that are of relevance represents an enormous challenge for current technologies. Large area electronics (LAE) is an emerging technology that can enable the formation of dense sensor arrays spanning large areas (several square meters) on flexible substrates. This paper explores the requirements and technology for a sensing sheet for SHM based on LAE and crystalline silicon CMOS integrated circuits (ICs). The sensing sheet contains a dense array of thin-film full-bridge resistive strain sensors, along with the electronics for strain readout, full-system self-powering, and communication. Research on several stages is presented for translating the sensing sheet to practical SHM applications. This includes experimental characterization of an individual sensor’s response when exposed to cracks in concrete and steel; theoretical and experimental performance evaluation of various geometrical parameters of the sensing sheet; and development of the electronics necessary for sensor readout, power management, and sensor-data communication. The concept of direct sensing has been experimentally validated, and the potential of a sensing sheet to provide direct sensing and successful damage characterization has been evaluated in the laboratory setting. A prototype of the sensing sheet has also been successfully developed and independently characterized in the laboratory, meeting the required specifications. Thus, a sensing sheet for SHM applications shows promise both in terms of practicality and effectiveness.
Context, Reference, Schema

All language involves context; its meaning is contextually constrained. There is always an interplay of text and context. Indeed, human consciousness is inherently responsive to context. For example, when the eye sweeps its environment, the peripheral visual system is continually sampling context while the central ocular attention shifts; the perceptual data of the former are buffered and used to update, in terms of a changing assessment of context, those of the latter. Likewise, in the use of verbal language, there is a continual retracing of the hermeneutic circle of sign and context, an attempt to ‘frame’ properly the associative scenario of the sign (the play of A. J. Greimas’s ‘semes’), to equilibrize the tension between its general (lexemic) and particular (sememic) meanings. Context, for human language, is very thick, and its specification seems constantly to invite an infinite regress, an endless recursive looping of the hermeneutic circle; but, just as a dog stops chasing its tail by an ineffable impulse, so that regress or recursion is somehow truncated. (The determination of that stopping point is a profound problem in the simulation of natural-language comprehension. It is interlinked with the problem of adequately specifying rhetorical ‘decorum’ in language use and the larger problem of formalizing linguistic performance as well as competence.) With these thoughts in mind, I would like to turn to a consideration of the problem of context in the machine modelling of semantic processing.
Radiological contribution to the diagnosis of early postoperative complications after lung resection for primary tumor: a revisional study

In the post-operative course of the interventions of lung resection for primary tumor, complications of different nature and severity can arise, recognizing different pathogenetic mechanisms and differing according to the type of resection performed and to the time elapsed after surgery. The low diagnostic accuracy of chest radiography requires a thorough knowledge of the radiologist about all radiographic findings, both normal and pathological, which can be found in the immediate post-operative period (within 30 days after surgery). This article aims to describe the incidence, the clinical features and the radiological aspects of immediate complications following pulmonary resections, with specific reference to those in which the diagnostic imaging provides a fundamental contribution.
Infused Autograft Lymphocyte to Monocyte Ratio and Survival in Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Abstract Infused autograft absolute lymphocyte count (A-ALC) is a prognostic factor for survival post-autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APHSCT) for lymphoma. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) affect tumor growth by suppression of host anti-tumor immunity. Thus, we set out to investigate if the infused autograft lymphocyte /monocyte ratio (A-LMR), as a biomarker of host immunity (i.e., lymphocytes) and MDSCs (i.e., monocytes), affects survival post-APHSCT in patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Only patients that collected their stem cells through the peripheral blood were included in the study. From 1994 to 2012, 183 cHL patients qualified for the study. The 183 patients were randomly divided into a training set (n = 122) and a validation set (n = 61). Receiver operating characteristic and area under the curve (AUC) identified an A-LMR ≥ 1 as the best cut-off value (AUC = 0.8, p Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Modeling and optimization of spherical agglomeration in suspension through a coupled population balance model

Abstract The population balance model is the common approach to simulation and prediction of the size distribution and other properties of particulate systems. Population balance models include any nucleation, growth, breakage and agglomeration mechanisms that are relevant to all industrial particulate processes. However, there are some limitations to many of the previous population balance model formulations for systems with agglomeration. Limitations include physically irrelevant and/or empirically based agglomeration kernels, difficulties in assessing the influence of process conditions (e.g. hydrodynamics, particulate physical properties), solution method efficiency for optimization and control applications, and loss of information on constituent particles. These limitations have prevented the use of population balance models to accurately predict and simulate agglomeration in suspension techniques such as spherical crystallization. To overcome these limitations, an extension of the concept of a coupled population balance model is presented for application in the simulation and optimization of a spherical crystallization system. A coupled population balance model formulation has been developed for a semi-batch, reverse addition, anti-solvent crystallization system with agglomeration. The system includes nucleation and growth of the primary crystals and subsequent agglomeration. The advantages presented by a coupled population balance model formulation include the ability to optimize for specific primary and agglomerate sizes. This presents an opportunity to find optimal operating conditions that meet both bioavailability and manufacturability demands.
Verständnisfragen für die Prüfung

Auf den folgenden Seiten finden Sie Verstandnisfragen, wie ich sie seit 1991 in meinen Prufungen verwende. Typischerweise machen diese Verstandnisfragen die Halfte einer Klausur aus, wahrend die andere Halfte aus normalen Rechenaufgaben besteht. Beide Teile werden fur die Note gleich gewichtet.
Phylogenetic and recombination analysis of the herpesvirus genus varicellovirus

The varicelloviruses comprise a genus within the alphaherpesvirus subfamily, and infect both humans and other mammals. Recently, next-generation sequencing has been used to generate genomic sequences of several members of the Varicellovirus genus. Here, currently available varicellovirus genomic sequences were used for phylogenetic, recombination, and genetic distance analysis. A phylogenetic network including genomic sequences of individual species, was generated and suggested a potential restriction between the ungulate and non-ungulate viruses. Intraspecies genetic distances were higher in the ungulate viruses (pseudorabies virus (SuHV-1) 1.65%, bovine herpes virus type 1 (BHV-1) 0.81%, equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) 0.79%, equine herpes virus type 4 (EHV-4) 0.16%) than non-ungulate viruses (feline herpes virus type 1 (FHV-1) 0.0089%, canine herpes virus type 1 (CHV-1) 0.005%, varicella-zoster virus (VZV) 0.136%). The G + C content of the ungulate viruses was also higher (SuHV-1 73.6%, BHV-1 72.6%, EHV-1 56.6%, EHV-4 50.5%) compared to the non-ungulate viruses (FHV-1 45.8%, CHV-1 31.6%, VZV 45.8%), which suggests a possible link between G + C content and intraspecies genetic diversity. Varicellovirus clade nomenclature is variable across different species, and we propose a standardization based on genomic genetic distance. A recent study reported no recombination between sequenced FHV-1 strains, however in the present study, both splitstree, bootscan, and PHI analysis indicated recombination. We also found that the recently sequenced Brazilian CHV-1 strain BTU-1 may contain a genetic signal in the UL50 gene from an unknown varicellovirus. Together, the data contribute to a greater understanding of varicellovirus genomics, and we also suggest a new clade nomenclature scheme based on genetic distances.
Single-Word Speech Intelligibility in Children and Adults With Down Syndrome.

Purpose A single-word identification test was used to study speech production in children and adults with Down syndrome (DS) to determine the developmental pattern of speech intelligibility with an...
Vector Spaces and Bases

Vector spaces and their ancillary structures provide the common language of linear algebra, and, as such, are an essential prerequisite for understanding contemporary applied (and pure) mathematics. The key concepts of vector space, subspace, linear independence, span, and basis will appear, not only in linear systems of algebraic equations and the geometry of n-dimensional Euclidean space, but also in the analysis of linear differential equations, linear boundary value problems, Fourier analysis, signal processing, numerical methods, and many, many other fields. Therefore, in order to master modern linear algebra and its applications, the first order of business is to acquire a firm understanding of fundamental vector space constructions.
The Induction Motor in Steady State

The Finite Element Method (FEM) has been used extensively in the analysis, of induction machines. This chapter describes the use of magneto-dynamic analysis to study the induction machine in the frequency domain. This information gives average torque, losses and flux density. The solutions can also be used to find equivalent circuit parameters. The magneto-dynamic solution has two other applications. By coupling the solution to external circuits we can obtain a Bode diagram from which a model can be synthesized. This is a simulation of the SSFR (stand still frequency response) test. A second application involves the time domain analysis of the induction motor described in the following chapter. While only the steady state solution may be of interest, it may take many cycles of computation before the starting transient disappears. This information may be of no interest. We can use the frequency domain solution to find initial conditions for the time domain analysis. It is found that when the transient solver is started from the frequency domain solution, the first cycle is close to the steady state solution.
Non-Nutritive Sucking in the Preterm Infant

Objective To identify the progression of non-nutritive sucking (NNS) across postmenstrual age (PMA) and to investigate the relationship of NNS with medical and social factors and oral feeding. Study Design Fifty preterm infants born at ≤32 weeks gestation had NNS assessed weekly starting at 32 weeks PMA with the NTrainer System. Oral feeding was assessed at 38 weeks PMA. Results There were increases in NNS bursts per minute (p = 0.005), NNS per minute (p Conclusion Infants demonstrated NNS early in gestation. Variability in NNS scores could reflect medical complications and immaturity. More stable sucking pressure across time was related to feeding success at 38 weeks PMA.
Intimate partner violence and family planning decisions: Experimental evidence from rural Tanzania

Abstract In rural northern Tanzania, 89 percent report wanting to delay or prevent pregnancy, yet only 12 percent of women are using contraceptives. This study uses a randomized experiment to evaluate the effect of an informational family planning program on couples fertility behavior. I estimate the effect of asymmetric spousal information, randomizing the inclusion of husbands in household consultations about family planning. I interact the effect with baseline levels of intimate partner violence to explore the way abuse changes the effect of family planning information. I find that the informational treatment had a significant effect on pregnancy reduction. In this context where men have much larger fertility desires than their wives, I find that women who consulted with a family planning worker together with their husbands (rather than alone) experienced a larger reduction in pregnancies and a larger increase in reported contraceptive use. However, this effect is reversed for women who experience intimate partner violence; for these women, participation in the couples consultations resulted in significantly more pregnancies at endline. This research supports the effectiveness of including husbands in sexual health consultations while demonstrating the need for careful consideration of intimate partner violence in family planning interventions.
On white-speak and gatekeeping: or, what good are the Greeks?

We begin this short provocation with the question: what does it mean to speak? Particularly in white academic spaces surrounded by white critics, we are interested in understanding how speaking bec...
Selecting Evidence-Based Practices: What Works for Me:

As the special education research community continues to identify new evidence-based practices (EBP), educators will need to make choices regarding which EBPs to implement. This article provides ed...
Depression in the Primary Care Setting.

A 45-year-old woman with hypothyroidism that has been treated with a stable dose of levothyroxine presents to her primary care provider with depressed mood, negative feelings about herself, poor sleep, low appetite, poor concentration, and lack of energy. These symptoms began several months ago during a conflict with her partner. Although she has been able to continue with work and life responsibilities, she feels sadness most days and occasionally thinks that she would be better off dead. How would you evaluate and treat this patient?
The prevalence, predictive factors, and classification of intrapulpal cracks in maxillary premolars requiring endodontic treatment

v Introduction 1 Materials and Methods 5 Results 8 Description of Cases 8 Association between Clinical Predictors and Cracked Teeth 12 Adjusted Analyses 13 References 21 Appendices 23 Research Participant Information and Consent Form 23 Procedures 23 Cracked Tooth Data Collection Form 26 Data Listing 27 Vita 30
A comparison of anticoagulation, antiplatelet, and placebo treatment for patients with heart failure reduced ejection fraction in sinus rhythm: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Previous meta-analyses have not recommended routine warfarin use in heart failure (HF) patients but included limited data on contemporary anticoagulants and practices. We conducted an updated meta-analysis in light of newer literature evaluating rivaroxaban in this patient population. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess if anticoagulation is associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and hospitalization for HF exacerbation without an increased risk of major bleeding. A systematic search was conducted for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the use of antithrombotic therapy in patients with HF in sinus rhythm. Outcomes evaluated included all-cause mortality (ACM), non-fatal stroke, MI, hospitalization for HF exacerbation, and major bleeding. Five trials met criteria with a total of 9390 patients included. Four of the five trials evaluated warfarin use and one trial evaluated rivaroxaban. When anticoagulation was compared to control (antiplatelet and placebo groups), a significant reduction in ischemic stroke was found (OR 0.57; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.78; P = 0.0005, I2 = 6.9%) and no significant difference was found in the risk of ACM, MI, or HF hospitalization. A significant increase in major bleeding was observed in the anticoagulation group when compared to the control group (OR 2.00; 95% CI, 1.45 to 2.75; P = < 0.0001, I2 = 25.79%). Anticoagulation in HF patients in normal sinus rhythm does not appear to reduce mortality rate, prevent MI, or decrease HF hospitalizations. Use reduces risk of ischemic stroke but is counterbalanced with an increase in major bleeding.
RoboCSE: Robot Common Sense Embedding

Autonomous service robots require computational frameworks that allow them to generalize knowledge to new situations in a manner that models uncertainty while scaling to real-world problem sizes. The Robot Common Sense Embedding (RoboCSE) showcases a class of computational frameworks, multi-relational embeddings, that have not been leveraged in robotics to model semantic knowledge. We validate RoboCSE on a realistic home environment simulator (AI2Thor) to measure how well it generalizes learned knowledge about object affordances, locations, and materials. Our experiments show that RoboCSE can perform prediction better than a baseline that uses pre-trained embeddings, such as Word 2Vec, achieving statistically significant improvements while using orders of magnitude less memory than our Bayesian Logic Network baseline. In addition, we show that predictions made by RoboCSE are robust to significant reductions in data available for training as well as domain transfer to MatterPort3D, achieving statistically significant improvements over a baseline that memorizes training data.
Crossing the Danube: A Comparative Study of Central European and American Access-to-Information Laws

The Freedom of Information Act in the United States was a relatively rare access-to-information, or ATI, statute when passed in 1966, but it inspired many similar statutes in nations around the wor...
Chapter 8 – Hyporheic Zones

Hyporheic zones include the saturated portions of streambeds, banks, and floodplain containing water that originates from a stream and returns to the channel. They are characterized by a mixture of local and regional groundwater and stream water, and typically vary in extent and duration. Hyporheic zones are habitat and refuge for various stages of aquatic organisms such as microbes, macroinvertebrates, and fish. They form ecotones that process solutes and carbon, support ecosystem metabolism, and influence stream biota and chemistry. Methods used to investigate and characterize hyporheic zones include instream piezometers, seepage meters, floodplain monitoring wells, steam gauging, tests to determine the hydrologic properties of saturated sediments, tracer studies, mapping of head distributions and flow directions, sampling of biota and geochemical constituents, modeling water exchange locations and rates, and defining geochemical cycling and heat exchange. Specific methods described are the installation of mini-piezometers, measuring the vertical hydraulic gradient (VHG), hydraulic conductivity and flux rates, estimating groundwater velocity, conducting and analyzing tracer tests, and analyzing floodplain monitoring well head and quality data sets.