cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the acute toxicity of N-nitrosocimetidine with three structurally related carcinogens in the rat

The acute toxicity of N-nitrosocimetidine, the nitrosated derivative of the histamine H2-receptor blocking agent cimetidine, was compared with the toxicities of three structurally related nitroso compounds known to be potent carcinogens, namely N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, and N-methyl-N-nitrosourethane, and also with the parent drug cimetidine. The acute toxicity of each compound was investigated in 6-week-old female Fischer-344 rats by estimating the median lethal doses via three different routes of administration, and by assessing the sequence of histopathological alterations induced. According to median lethalities, all three known carcinogens were substantially more toxic than nitrosocimetidine whether administered by the intravenous, intraperitoneal, or oral routes. The widest margin of difference was represented by orally administered N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, the median lethal dose being 59 times greater than oral N-nitrosocimetidine. By this method, the acute toxicities of N-nitrosocimetidine and the parent drug cimetidine were virtually identical for each of the three routes of administration. Sequential histological assessment indicated that the three known carcinogens induced specific pathological alterations mainly in organs which were also known to be targets for their carcinogenic activity. In contrast, no tissue lesions of a specific nature were associated with N-nitrosocimetidine or cimetidine in this study. The comparable results with N-nitrosocimetidine and the parent drug provide biological support for previously obtained biochemical data which suggested that N-nitrosocimetidine is rapidly denitrosated to cimetidine in the rat.
When is Nothing Something? Editorial for the Null Results Special Issue of Journal of Business and Psychology

This special issue is focused on how null results can meaningfully advance science and practice. This editorial describes some of the unique aspects of creating a special issue devoted to null results, offers opinions regarding why and under what conditions null results should be valued, and offers recommendations for key stakeholders (i.e., editors, reviewers, and authors) in the publication enterprise with respect to submitting and evaluating research with null findings. This editorial also provides summaries of the papers included in this special issue with emphasis on how they serve as example for what constitutes meaningful null results.
MICROPOROUS CERAMIC MEMBRANES

Microporous ceramic membranes are an emerging separation technology. Porous alumina, zirconia and glass membranes are discussed with emphasis on alumina membranes. The microstructural characteristics and element and module configurations of these membranes are examined in relation to their preparation methods—anodic oxidation, phase separation/leaching and slipcasting. The membrane permeation properties are presented along with three applications: oil/water separation, protein separation and gas separation.
Inter-machine protocols for electronic libraries

Emerging technology permits electronic document libraries which store large numbers of images for access in wide-area networks. The expected statistics and security needs of electronic library applications favor new client-server session protocols. The author proposes a scheme that makes communications efficient in a well-defined sense. DocSS, a document storage subsystem, implements the scheme. An early version is in production in human service (welfare, taxation, police) and engineering applications. >
Use of no-suicide contracts by psychiatrists in Minnesota.

OBJECTIVE: The no-suicide contract is widely recommended as an important intervention in the care of suicidal patients; however, there are no data demonstrating its effectiveness or its acceptance in the professional community. This study examines the use of no-suicide contracts by psychiatrists in Minnesota. METHOD: A postcard questionnaire was mailed to 514 psychiatrists in Minnesota inquiring about their practices and experiences with no-suicide contracts. RESULTS: There were 267 responses, yielding a response rate of 52%. No-suicide contracts were used by 152 (57%) of the respondents. Within this group, 62 (41%) of the psychiatrists had patients who committed suicide or made serious attempts after entering into a no-suicide contract. CONCLUSIONS: Among the respondents to the questionnaire, slightly more than half used no-suicide contracts, indicating that such contracts are not universally accepted as standard practice among these psychiatrists. More data are needed to determine the effectiveness of n...
Trends and future scope in the monitoring of large steam turbine generators

Current practices in the monitoring of large steam turbine generators are briefly discussed, consideration being given to the traditional range of turbine supervisory equipment, and the more extended facilities which are sometimes now associated with rotating machinery, such as vibration monitoring, together with the more generalised data logging systems now specified by some Utilities. Consideration is given to the possible range of parameters and equipment areas which may now be incorporated into a monitoring scheme, and attention is drawn to the advances in display technology and operator interfaces which are now possible at moderate cost. In a concluding section, a range of monitoring functions which could be of wide general application in the field of steam turbine generators is discussed.
Spelling as Statistical Learning: Using Consonantal Context to Spell Vowels

Although English lacks 1-to-1 relationships between sounds and spellings, considering the context in which a phoneme occurs can often aid in selecting a spelling. For example, /a/ is typically spelled as a when it follows /w/, as in wand, but as o when it follows other consonants, as in pond. In 2 experiments, the authors asked whether children's spellings of vowels in nonwords were affected by the following (Experiment 1) and preceding (Experiment 2) consonants. The participants in both experiments had spelling levels that ranged from kindergarten and 1st grade through high school. Children with higher levels of spelling skill took more advantage of context, and use of preceding context generally emerged earlier than use of following context. The results are interpreted within the framework of a statistical learning view of spelling and spelling development.
Chromatographic Methods for Determination of Antimicrobial Agents in Fluids and Tissues

Chromatography is a process which is used for separating complex mixtures based on their distribution between a mobile gas or liquid phase and a stationary liquid or solid phase. In liquid chromatography, a mobile liquid phase interacts with the sample molecules and with the stationary phase. “Reverse-phase” chromatography exists when a nonpolar stationary phase and a polar mobile phase are used. This type of liquid chromatography is especially useful in the clinical laboratory since a large variety of compounds of various weights and polarities in aqueous samples can be introduced directly into the chromatograph and separated on a single column by varying the composition of the mobile phase. The mobile phase is usually an aqueous buffer or a mixture of an organic solvent, such as methanol or acetonitrile, and water. An ion-pair reagent may be used with reverse- phase chromatography to modify the retention time of an ionic compound with an opposite charge. The most commonly used anionic ion-pair reagents are alkyl sulfonates (RSO3−), while quarternary amines are usually used as cationic ionic-pair reagents (Gerson and Anhalt 1980).
Lipid levels in HIV-positive men receiving anti-retroviral therapy are not associated with copy number variation of reverse cholesterol transport pathway genes.

Background The exacerbation of HIV-1 associated dyslipidemia seen in a subset of patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy suggests that genetic factors put these individuals at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes of and influencing the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) pathway are associated with lipid levels but little is known regarding their copy number variation (CNV). This form of quantitative genetic variation has the potential to alter the amount of gene product made, thereby also influencing lipid metabolism.
The chemical pregnancy test of Visscher and Bowman

Abstract 1. Of 187 urines examined by the technic of Visscher and Bowman for the determination of pregnancy, 69.5 per cent agreed with the clinical diagnosis. 2. Approximately 9.5 per cent of the 30.5 per cent of incorrect chemical reactions were false positives and 21 per cent false negatives. 3. The chemical test agreed with the Friedman modification of the Aschheim-Zondek test in 72.5 per cent of the 69 cases. 4. The specificity of this test for anterior pituitary-like substance in the urine of pregnancy, capable of producing ovulation in rabbits, could not be established. 5. A russet color and flocculent precipitate could not be obtained with histidine, creatine, glucose, lactose, or galactose, which indicates that these substances are not responsible for the reaction. 6. A russet color and a floceulent precipitate should be present before a test be considered positive. 7. The titration method described by Visscher and Bowman in their original article could not be confirmed.
Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical pirate spiders of the genus Gelanor Thorell, 1869 (Araneae, Mimetidae) with the description of five new species.

We revise the Neotropical spider genus Gelanor Thorell, 1869 (Mimetidae). Gelanor is distributed from northeast Mexico to southern Uruguay , from sea level to 1,600 m. We describe five new species of Gelanor and report eleven new synonymies. Gelanor is here circumscribed to include ten species: Gelanor fortuna new species, Gelanor juruti new species, Gelanor moyobamba new species, Gelanor siquirres new species, Gelanor waorani new species, Gelanor altithorax Keyserling, 1893 (= Gelanor lanei Soares, 1941 new synonymy), Gelanor consequus O. P.-Cambridge, 1902 (= Gelanor depressus Chickering, 1956 new synonymy, Gelanor gertschi Chickering, 1947 new synonymy and Gelanor heraldicus Petrunkevitch, 1925 new synonymy), Gelanor innominatus Chamberlin, 1916, Gelanor latus (Keyserling, 1881) (= Gelanor mixtus O. P.-Cambridge, 1899 new synonymy, Gelanor mabelae Chickering, 1947 new synonymy, Gelanor ornatus Schenkel, 1953 new synonymy and Gelanor proximus Mello-Leitao, 1929 new synonymy) and Gelanor zonatus (C.L. Koch, 1845) (= Gelanor distinctus O-P. Cambridge, 1899 new synonymy, Gelanor insularis Mello-Leitao, 1929 new synonymy and Gelanor obscurus Mello-Leitao, 1929 new synonymy). In addition, we describe for the first time the males of G. altithorax and G. consequus. Species descriptions are provided for all ten species in the genus, together with a compilation of available data, including type specimens, type localities and morphological diagnoses. Light and electron microscope images and updated data on known geographical distributions, are also provided. We also discuss the phylogenetic placement of Gelanor in Mimetidae.
Opening the Bird’s Beak: Tips and Tricks for Effective Pneumatic Dilation for Achalasia

Pneumatic dilation for achalasia disrupts the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) by forceful stretching using air-filled balloons (1). This procedure has been standardized with the use of the Microinvasive Rigiflex balloon system (Boston Scientific, Boston, MA). These balloons are a polyethylene polymer mounted on a flexible catheter. The Rigiflex balloon is 10 cm long and comes in three diameters (30, 35, and 40 mm; Figure 1). The balloon is not visible under fluoroscopy but has four radiopaque markers on the shaft that define the upper, lower, and middle borders—the last defined by two markers close together. The Rigiflex balloon is non-compliant—meaning that it inflates maximally to its designated diameter only.
The relationship of calcaneal apophyseal ossification and Sanders hand scores to the timing of peak height velocity in adolescents

The accurate assessment of skeletal maturity is essential in the management of orthopaedic conditions in the growing child. In order to identify the time of peak height velocity (PHV) in adolescents, two systems for assessing skeletal maturity have been described recently; the calcaneal apophyseal ossification method and the Sanders hand scores. The purpose of this study was to compare these methods in assessing skeletal maturity relative to PHV. We studied the radiographs of a historical group of 94 healthy children (49 females and 45 males), who had been followed longitudinally between the ages of three and 18 years with serial radiographs and physical examination. Radiographs of the foot and hand were undertaken in these children at least annually between the ages of ten and 15 years. We reviewed 738 radiographs of the foot and 694 radiographs of the hand. PHV was calculated from measurements of height taken at the time of the radiographs. Prior to PHV we observed four of six stages of calcaneal apophyseal ossification and two of eight Sanders stages. Calcaneal stage 3 and Sanders stage 2 was seen to occur about 0.9 years before PHV, while calcaneal stage 4 and Sanders stage 3 occurred approximately 0.5 years after PHV. The stages of the calcaneal and Sanders systems can be used in combination, offering better assessment of skeletal maturity with respect to PHV than either system alone.
Understanding Growth in Self-Regulation: International Contributions

Over the past decade or so, the importance of self-regulation for academic development and later life success has become increasingly clear (Morrison, Bachman, & Connor, 2005). The articles in this...
Collenchyma and sclerenchyma in Ampelopsis brevipedunculata tendrils

Vines like Ampelopsis brevipedunculata ( vitaceae ) produce tendrils which are motile and flex in a circular motion, seeking solid supports. Then, when a support is found they adhere firmly by coiling. To achieve these two functions tendrils use a cellular and developmental mechanism which involves microscopic alteration of cell wall composition and physical properties. Immature tendrils are flexible because their supporting tissues include abundant collenchyma and un-lignified primary cell walls, which allow considerable movement. Mature tendrils acquire large amounts of lignified tissue, become inflexible and decay resistant. This lignified tissue retains cell contents and is composed of fibers not tracheids.
Improving Resident Performance in Knee Arthroscopy: A Prospective Value Assessment of Simulators and Cadaveric Skills Laboratories.

Background: Cadaveric skills laboratories and virtual reality simulators are two common methods used outside of the operating room to improve residents’ performance of knee arthroscopy. We are not aware of any head-to-head comparisons of the educational values of these two methodologies. The purpose of this prospective randomized trial was to assess the efficacy of these training methods, compare their rates of improvement, and provide economic value data to programs seeking to implement such technologies. Methods: Orthopaedic surgery residents were randomized to one of three groups: control, training on cadavera (cadaver group), and training with use of a simulator (simulator group). Residents completed pretest and posttest diagnostic knee arthroscopies on cadavera that were timed and video-recorded. Between the pretest and posttest, the control group performed no arthroscopy, the cadaver group performed four hours of practice on cadavera, and the simulator group trained for four hours on a simulator. All tests were scored in a blinded, randomized fashion using the validated Arthroscopy Surgical Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET). The mean improvement in the ASSET score and in the time to complete the procedure were compared between the pretest and posttest and among the groups. Results: Forty-five residents (fifteen per group) completed the study. The mean difference in the ASSET score from the pretest to the posttest was −0.40 (p = 0.776) in the control group, +4.27 (p = 0.002) in the cadaver group, and +1.92 (p = 0.096) in the simulator group (p = 0.015 for the comparison among the groups). The mean difference in the test-completion time (minutes:seconds) from the pretest to the posttest was 0:07 (p = 0.902) in the control group, 3:01 (p = 0.002) in the cadaver group, and 0:28 (p = 0.708) in the simulator group (p = 0.044 for the comparison among groups). Residents in the cadaver group improved their performance at a mean of 1.1 ASSET points per hour spent training whereas those in the simulator group improved 0.5 ASSET point per hour of training. Conclusions: Cadaveric skills laboratories improved residents’ performance of knee arthroscopy compared with that of matched controls. Residents practicing on cadaveric specimens improved twice as fast as those utilizing a high-fidelity simulator; however, based on cost estimation specific to our institution, the simulator may be more cost-effective if it is used at least 300 hours per year. Additional study of this possibility is warranted.
Trust and self-confidence based autonomy allocation for robotic systems

In this paper, we investigate shared autonomous and manual control of robotic systems. A trust and self-confidence based autonomy allocation scheme is proposed based on objective and unbiased measures of human-robot collaboration (HRC) systems. We also provide analytical tools to evaluate the long-term effects of the proposed allocation scheme on the overall robot performance and human workload. Experiments are designed to test and show that the proposed trust and self-confidence based allocation scheme can capture human autonomy allocation pattern. Furthermore, we develop a pattern correction algorithm using nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) to help the human gradually adapt to a modified autonomy allocation pattern for better overall performance. The effectiveness of this scheme is shown in simulations.
Ethics Education and Training

In the pluralistic world of business, the creation and use of professional standards of practice is a common approach to addressing ethics.
Multi-core Approach towards Efficient Biometric Cryptosystems

Protecting data is a critical part of life in the modern world. The science of protecting data, known as cryptography, makes use of secret keys to encrypt data in a format that is not easily decipherable. However, most modern cryptography systems use passwords to perform user authentication. These passwords are a weak link in the security chain, and are a common point of attack on cryptography schemes. One alternative to password usage is biometrics: using a person's physical characteristics to verify whom the person is and unlock the data correspondingly. This study focuses on the Cambridge biometric cryptosystem, a system for performing user authentication based on a user's iris data. We converted our implementation of this algorithm from a single-core system to a system that can run on multiple cores. The experiment takes place on an Intel Single Chip Cloud Computer (SCC), an experimental processor created by Intel Labs. A design pattern has been created for the parallelization of software functions using multiple cores. Using this design pattern, two functions in the system were accelerated. The system generated by this acceleration process produced limited computational speedup, but provided results that can be applied to a variety of hardware acceleration problems.
Evaluation of laboratory tests for the estimation of caries activity

Abstract Two groups of children having high and low caries rates were studied over 3 and 4 years, respectively; clinical examinations, usually supplemented with bite-wing radiographs, were conducted periodically and paraffin stimulated specimens of saliva were collected monthly during the school year. Correlations were made between the laboratory data obtained from salivary lactobacillus counts, Snyder tests, alpha amylase determinations, Rickles tests and acid buffering capacity with clinical changes observed in selected time intervals. The coefficients obtained indicated that reliable estimation or prediction of new caries experience on an individual basis for any one of the five tooth surfaces recorded was not possible for these children. Group significant values were frequently obtained for Snyder tests and lactobacillus counts.
Socioeconomic disparities in tobacco-related health outcomes across racial/ethnic groups in the United States: National Health Interview Survey 2010.

Introduction Existing research documents strong inverse socioeconomic gradients in current smoking and lung cancer morbidity and mortality; these gradients appear stronger among non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks compared with Hispanics. We sought to examine a broader range of outcomes across the tobacco use continuum, examining socioeconomic gradients separately among the 3 largest racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Methods We used data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (n = 17,284) Cancer Control Supplement to calculate prevalences and means for outcomes across the tobacco use continuum by educational attainment and income separately among non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic/Latino, and non-Hispanic White adults. Results Findings demonstrate that current smoking, age at initiation, cigarettes per day, years quit, and secondhand smoke all exhibit strong inverse educational gradients and moderately strong inverse income gradients, especially among Whites and Blacks. Hispanics/Latinos generally have more favorable outcomes along the tobacco use continuum and less evident socioeconomic gradients. Conclusions Educational attainment is strongly associated with indicators across the tobacco use continuum among non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks. More research is needed to determine whether policies and programs to increase educational attainment may also reduce tobacco-related health disparities.
Population research priorities for Black Terns developed from modeling analyses

-Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) populations are threatened in several regions of North America and are increasingly the subject of monitoring and research efforts. To focus future studies on critical information needs, I used a population model to determine the sensitivity of population growth rate (r) of Black Terns to reproductive and survival estimates commonly measured in field studies, and developed research priorities based on these results and a review of the literature. Sensitivity was estimated by two methods: 1) percent change in rresulting from a 10% increase in a parameter's value and 2) percent change in r resulting from an increase in the value of a parameter by an increment equal to 10% of the range of field estimates for that parameter. For 10% changes in baseline rates, rwas more sensitive to adult (168% increase in r) and sub-adult survival (62%) rate than to reproductive estimates (4-31%) as expected; however, when sensitivity was examined relative to variation in estimates for wild populations, adult survival, chick survival and nest success had similar effects (33-38%). Clutch size, hatchability, renesting rate, proportion of 2-year-old terns breeding, and longevity had relatively less influence on r (4-10%). Adult and chick survival rates should be high priorities for future study because adult rates are important for evaluating breeding success data and chick survival rates are needed to estimate productivity. Sub-adult survival is important, but will be difficult to study in small populations. Clutch size and hatchability information should have lower priorities. Although sensitivity to renesting rate was low, the lack of information justifies a greater emphasis. For nest success, the research emphasis needs to change from monitoring rates to quantifying limiting factors. Received 19 April 2000, ac-
Antithymocyte Globulin Induction Therapy in Liver Transplant Old Drug, New Uses

Objective: To review the use of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) induction therapy in liver transplant recipients. Data Sources: A MEDLINE literature search (inception to March 2016) was conducted using the search terms rabbit antithymocyte globulin, liver transplantation, and induction. References from extracted sources were further searched for any relevant, missed data sources. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language randomized and observational studies were included. Data Synthesis: A total of 9 studies were included in this review evaluating rATG’s use for induction therapy. All studies were single-center analyses. rATG induction is utilized to delay calcineurin inhibitor initiation and to minimize or avoid steroids. Patients receiving rATG induction tended to have improved renal function compared with patients not receiving induction. Overall, rejection rates tended to be lower in recipients administered rATG. Regimens varied in each study, with most recipients receiving 2 to 3...
Role of EDRF/NO in parasympathetic coronary vasodilation following carotid chemoreflex activation in conscious dogs.

The role of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) in parasympathetic coronary vasodilation following carotid chemoreflex activation induced by nicotine in conscious dogs and stimulation of the vagus nerve in anesthetized dogs was studied. Injection of nicotine (11 +/- 4 micrograms) into the carotid artery increased coronary blood flow (CBF) by 126 +/- 16% from 28 +/- 3 ml/min and reduced late diastolic coronary resistance (LDCR) by 43 +/- 4% from 3.58 +/- 0.52 mmHg.ml-1.min, accompanied by a significant increase in mean arterial pressure and a decrease in heart rate (all P < 0.01). Pacing and propranolol did not change the coronary vascular response to chemoreflex activation. There were still increases in CBF by 113 +/- 17% from 29 +/- 3 ml/min and decreases in LDCR by 41 +/- 5% from 3.13 +/- 0.52 mmHg.ml-1.min (all P < 0.01). After infusion of N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) (30 mg/kg), the increase in CBF following chemoreflex activation was only 23 +/- 3% from 37 +/- 3 ml/min, and the fall in LDCR was 19 +/- 3% from 3.09 +/- 0.51 mmHg.ml-1.min. Stimulation of the vagus nerve showed a relationship between stimulation frequency and coronary vasodilation that was significantly inhibited by L-NNA. Thus EDRF plays an important role in mediating parasympathetic coronary vasodilation during chemoreflex activation and perhaps during many reflexes that cause vagal cholinergic vasodilation in the heart.
A highly stretchable double-network composite

Inspired by the toughening mechanism of double-network (DN) hydrogels, a soft composite consisting of a fabric mesh and VHB tape layers was fabricated. The composite was as stiff as the fabric mesh, and as stretchable as the VHB tape. At certain compositions, the composite was significantly stronger and tougher than the base materials. The extensibility and toughness of the composite can be attributed to a damage delocalization mechanism similar to that of the DN gels. In the partially damaged regions, the fabric mesh fragmented into small islands, surrounded by the highly stretched VHB tapes. Accommodated by the finite sliding at the interface, the large deformation of the composite is highly non-affine. Just as the DN gels, the coexistence of the partially damaged and intact regions resulted in a stable necking in the composite when subjected to uniaxial tension. The propagation of the necking zone corresponded to a plateau on the stress–stretch curve. During cyclic loading, the composite also exhibited stress hysteresis with almost recoverable strain, similar to that in a DN gel. To rationalize these observations and to better understand the underlying physical mechanism, a simple 1D model has been developed for the damage evolution process in the composite. The predictions of the model have achieved good agreement with the measured properties of the composite of various compositions. Furthermore, the composite itself may also be regarded as a macroscopic model when studying the properties and toughening mechanism of the DN gels.
Causes and cures XI: International law approaches

The past several years have been a landmark moment for violence prevention, with renewed attention on the part of many international agencies, but especially the United Nations, with its adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The latter invites the world community to collaborate in an inclusive, long-ranging vision for the future, highlighting our interdependence and collective responsibility for humanity's future. A growing awareness that preventing violence does not just reduce death and disability but promotes creativity, economic growth, and general well-being is at the heart of this “movement”. An integration not only of the major disciplines but of various practical approaches is timely, and for this to occur, we require a broader overview of our existing societal structures. In this context, the remainder of this fifteen article series modeled after a Global Health Studies course entitled, “Violence: Causes and Cures,” will review the mechanisms that society has used in an attempt to stem violence. This article, the eleventh of the series, will briefly cover the history, successes, and challenges of international law. The attempt to internationally arbitrate fields such as human rights, war crimes, international security, the regulation of armed conflict, etc., marks the start of a global effort to reduce violence. A commonly accepted and fair legal forum based on universally agreed upon precedents, international customs and conventions, and effective enforcement would allow for constructive implementation.
Comparative Analysis of Perioperative Outcomes Using Nationally Derived Hospital Discharge Data Relative to a Prospective Multicenter Surgical Database of Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Study design Retrospective analysis of three prospectively collected databases. Objective To compare perioperative outcomes in Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) surgeries in a surgeon-run (SR-ASD) and two national databases: the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Summary of background data Much has been learned on the treatment of ASD in the last decade with prospective multicenter collaborative research focusing on this specific condition. Nondisease specific national databases are being used for hypothesis and quality control testing on a large number of ASD patients. Their accuracy and applicability remains unevaluated. Methods Patients were identified on each respective database undergoing lumbar spine fusion for ASD. Propensity score matching established cohorts of patients on each database with similar procedures being performed. Complication prevalence and relative risk was compared on the NIS and NSQIP against SR-ASD. Secondary outcome measures included hospital-stay characteristics, surgical invasiveness, patient demographics, and patient comorbidities. Results Two hundred fifty-five patients were identified on each database 1:1:1 with similar overall surgical intensity. Querying the databases using ICD-9 codes, CPT codes, and surgeon-reports resulted in different complication incidences: overall complication rates were 17.65% on NIS, 24.31% on NSQIP, and 68.24% on SR-ASD. The relative risk of a medical complication in SR-ASD was 1.87 (1.42-2.48) relative to NIS and 1.91 (1.44-2.54) relative to NSQIP. The relative risk of a surgical complication was 5.45 (2.69-11.05) compared with NIS and 12.05 (3.98-36.49) compared with NSQIP. Conclusion After selecting patients using the same criteria and diagnosis, NIS, NSQIP, and SR-ASD databases captured different patient populations and different complication incidences. There were total absences of certain complications contrary to usual literature rates in all three databases. Faithful reporting necessitates understanding database limitations, and careful evaluation of database strengths and weaknesses is paramount to accurate reports. Level of evidence 3.
Non-parametric domain approximation for scalable Gibbs sampling in MLNs

MLNs utilize relational structures that are ubiquitous in real-world situations to represent large probabilistic graphical models compactly. However, as is now well-known, inference complexity is one of the main bottlenecks in MLNs. Recently, several approaches have been proposed that exploit approximate symmetries in the MLN to reduce inference complexity. These approaches approximate large domains containing many objects with much smaller domains of meta-objects (or cluster-centers), so that inference is considerably faster and more scalable. However, a drawback in most of these approaches is that it is typically very hard to tune the parameters (e.g., number of clusters) such that inference is both efficient and accurate. Here, we propose a novel non-parametric approach that trades-off solution quality with efficiency to automatically learn the optimal domain approximation. Further, we show how to perform Gibbs sampling effectively in a domain-approximated MLN by adapting the sampler according to the approximation. Our results on several benchmarks show that our approach is scalable, accurate and converges faster than existing methods.
Laughter detection using data mining and human feedback

This paper presents a framework to locate laughter events from audio files recorded in noisy naturalistic environments. Laughter and the interactions around it can provide cues regarding the emotional state of the speaker [21], topic changes in the conversation [10], insights uncovered by the speakers, etc., which can illuminate aspects of collaboration and cognition. In this paper, audio features relevant to laughter detection - MFCC (mel-frequency cepstral coefficients), energy features, spectral features, and ZCR (zero-crossing rate) - are extracted and then used by the kNN (k-Nearest Neighbors) algorithm to produce a training model To address the challenge associated with skewed data distribution (Le., the number of laughter events being significantly fewer than that of non-laughter in the recordings), the training process employs balancing techniques to improve the classification accuracy. In addition, a filtering process is applied to preprocess the testing data, on which the trained model is used to identify laughter segments. Furthermore, we add the ability to accept human feedback on the test results, which enables a model retraining process to further improve the framework accuracy. The proposed framework is tested on audio files recorded in a professional software development organization with significant levels of background noise and over-talking. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework is accurate in detecting laughter in noisy environments and the balancing and re-training techniques can further improve the performance.
Ultrafiltration Membranes Enhanced with Electrospun Nanofibers Exhibit Improved Flux and Fouling Resistance

In this study, we have improved membrane performance by enhancing ultrafiltration membranes with electrospun nanofibers. The high-porosity nanofiber layer provides a tailorable platform that does not affect the base membrane structure. To decouple the effects that nanofiber chemistry and morphology have on membrane performance, two polymers commonly used in the membrane industry, cellulose and polysulfone, were electrospun into a layer that was 50 μm thick and consisted of randomly accumulated 1-μm-diameter fibers. Fouling resistance was improved and selectivity was retained by ultrafiltration membranes enhanced with a layer of either cellulose or polysulfone nanofibers. Potentially because of their better mechanical integrity, the polysulfone nanofiber-membranes demonstrated a higher pure-water permeance across a greater range of transmembrane pressures than the cellulose nanofiber-membranes and control membranes. This work demonstrates that nanofiber-enhanced membranes hold potential as versatile materi...
Programs and Services for Black Male Survivors of Community Violence: What’s Effective?

Black adolescents are exposed disproportionately to community violence. The high rate of community violence victimization among black males is an urgent issue, and the paucity of evidence-based programs/services to meet their needs is unsatisfactory. Community violence victimization can have a lifelong impact on a young person’s functioning (World Health Organization 2016; Guerra and Dierkhising 2011). A concerted effort is needed to link black male survivors of community violence to services that can help them begin to heal and protect them from the risks of victimization. This study used two established evidence based registries to describe the programs and practices that have been rated effective for black males who are survivors of community violence victimization. Results highlight the critical need for the development and evaluation of programs and practices that meet the specific needs of black males.
Quantitative trait loci associated with resistance to powdery mildew in Cornus florida

Abstract Powdery mildew of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) caused by Erysiphe pulchra is one of the most destructive diseases in nursery production of flowering dogwood throughout the southeastern U.S. since the mid-1990s. Efforts to breed for resistance to the disease have been undertaken, but to-date only a few resistant cultivars have been released. Conventional breeding for powdery mildew resistance is time-consuming because of the long generation time for the tree crop. Additionally, phenotyping for powdery mildew resistance is cumbersome and resource intensive. Molecular breeding targeting DNA markers tightly linked to powdery mildew resistance can improve selection efficiency in flowering dogwood breeding programs. Although a genetic map based on simple sequence repeats (SSR) is available for flowering dogwood, genomic regions associated with powdery mildew resistance have not been identified. The aim of the current study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with powdery mildew resistance in flowering dogwood using segregating pseudo-F2 populations derived from crosses between a susceptible cultivar ‘Cherokee Princess’(CP), and powdery mildew resistant lines or selections R14 and MI9. The two pseudo-F2 populations (CP × R14, n = 147 and CP × MI9, n = 147) were phenotyped for powdery mildew resistance in the greenhouse and genotyped using 105 simple sequence repeats (SSR) or microsatellite markers. Four QTLs (R2 = 9.5%–13.2%) were identified in the two populations on linkage groups 4, 5, and 9. This study provides the first step towards marker-assisted selection (MAS) for the improvement of powdery mildew resistance in flowering dogwood.
Why ADAGRAD Fails for Online Topic Modeling

Online topic modeling, i.e., topic modeling with stochastic variational inference, is a powerful and efficient technique for analyzing large datasets, and ADAGRAD is a widely-used technique for tuning learning rates during online gradient optimization. However, these two techniques do not work well together. We show that this is because ADAGRAD uses accumulation of previous gradients as the learning rates’ denominators. For online topic modeling, the magnitude of gradients is very large. It causes learning rates to shrink very quickly, so the parameters cannot fully converge until the training ends
Prediction and Dimension

Given a set X of sequences over a finite alphabet, we investigate the following three quantities. (i) The feasible predictability of X is the highest success ratio that a polynomial-time randomized predictor can achieve on all sequences in X. (ii) The deterministic feasible predictability of X is the highest success ratio that a polynomial-time deterministic predictor can achieve on all sequences in X. (iii) The feasible dimension of X is the polynomial-time effectivization of the classical Hausdorff dimension ("fractal dimension") of X.Predictability is known to be stable in the sense that the feasible predictability of X?Y is always the minimum of the feasible predictabilities of X and Y. We showt hat deterministic predictability also has this property if X and Y are computably presentable. We show that deterministic predictability coincides with predictability on singleton sets. Our main theorem states that the feasible dimension of X is bounded above by the maximum entropy of the predictability of X and bounded below by the segmented self-information of the predictability of X, and that these bounds are tight.
Neuropsychological Profiles Differentiate Alzheimer Disease from Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Dementia in an Autopsy-Defined Cohort (P07.150)

OBJECTIVE: To differentiate Alzheimer disease (AD) from subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD) based on neuropsychological profile in an autopsy-defined cohort. BACKGROUND: Previous studies utilizing neuropsychological assessments to differentiate clinically-diagnosed SIVD versus AD have demonstrated greater impairment in executive function and better preservation of recognition memory in SIVD. Because cognitive performance may influence clinical diagnosis, we compared neuropsychological profiles of SIVD and AD in cases defined by neuropathological criteria. DESIGN/METHODS: Subjects in the Ischemic Vascular Dementia Program Project had been followed longitudinally and came to autopsy. We identified 20 SIVD cases defined by a high infarct score (CVD-PS ≥20) and low Braak & Braak Score (BB AD= 32.9 ±14.3; p CONCLUSIONS: In neuropathologically-defined subgroups, neuropsychological profiles distinguish patients with AD from those with SIVD. The pattern of deficits in AD is consistent with medial and lateral temporal lobe dysfunction, while the pattern in SIVD is consistent with impairment in frontal executive function. Disclosure: Dr. Ramirez-Gomez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zheng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Reed has received personal compensation for activities with Decision Resources as a consultant. Dr. Vinters has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kramer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zarow has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chui has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Archives of Neurology.
Personalizing a sleep health APP for college students using personality traits and chronotype

This paper seeks to address the issue of sleep deprivation among college students by proposing an innovative approach to personalizing a smartphone app. The app uses personality traits and chronotype to provide customized feedback to a user about his/her sleep patterns. Personality and chronotype are assessed using questionnaires implemented in the app, the results of which influence the content, timing and length of the app's weekly reminders encouraging healthier sleep behavior. This approach can be applied to any health-related smartphone app that aims to support behavioral change.
Reforming the Tax Incentives for Higher Education

Federal spending on higher education has long been controversial, primarily because it has grown exponentially since the 1950s but it has produced a system which many regard as too expensive and grossly inefficient. The soaring costs are placing higher education beyond the reach of many Americans, and of those who enter college, less than half complete their degrees. Particular criticism has been directed toward the education tax incentives, enacted mostly in the late 1990s, which shifted federal funding for higher education from direct benefits to students in the form of grants, loans and work-study programs to indirect benefits through the tax system. The crux of this criticism is that the tax incentives, in addition to being costly and highly complex, have had virtually no effect on college enrollment and retention. Congress has studied this problem for the past few years and has several bills currently on the table to reform these incentives. There are other proposals pending as well, such as those of President Obama and the Education Consortium from the private sector. This article critiques these various proposals and explains why they are not likely to achieve the desired result of increasing college enrollment and retention, particularly among lower-income individuals. The article suggests a reform of the education tax incentives that is different from any of the current proposals and is more likely to achieve the desired result in a simpler, fairer, and more efficient manner.
Utilization of a Nonemissive Triphosphine Ligand to Construct a Luminescent Gold(I)-Box That Undergoes Mechanochromic Collapse into a Helical Complex

Luminescent gold(I) complexes ([Au6(Triphos)4Cl](PF6)5·2(CH3C6H5), [Au6(Triphos)4Cl](AsF6)5·8(CH3C6H5), and [Au6(Triphos)4Cl](SbF6)5·7(CH3C6H5) where Triphos = bis(2-diphenylphosphinoethyl)phenylphosphine) with a boxlike architecture have been prepared and crystallographically characterized. A chloride ion resides at the center of the box with two of the six gold(I) ions nearby. Mechanical grinding of blue luminescent crystals containing the cation, [Au6(Triphos)4Cl]5+, results in their conversion into amorphous solids with green emission that contain the bridged helicate cation, [μ-Cl{Au3(Triphos)2}2]5+. A mechanism of the mechanochromic transformation is proposed. The structures of the blue-emitting helicate, [Au3(Triphos)2](CF3SO3)3·4(CH3C6H5)·H2O, and the green-emitting bridged-helicate, [μ-Cl{Au3(Triphos)2}2](PF6)5·3CH3OH have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.
Introduction: Water and Cultural Diversity

Truisms about the relation between water and culture abound: Water shapes culture and culture shapes water. Water is crucial for the flourishing of cultures, and viceversa. A cultural stewardship relation towards water is crucial for the health and viability of the world’s water resources. Simple truisms often emerge from immensely complicated and multifaceted human experiences that are in turn, influenced and shaped by conceptual, sociopolitical, and practical realities. In this complex constellation cultural diversity emerges as an indispensable concept, making visible the ways in which human-water relationships reflect natural processes, sociocultural understandings, relationships and norms, and, political and economic interests and institutions. Part I sets out to explore these relations with a sampling of cases and essays that suggest some of the key linkages between cultural diversity and water.
CVD in Fiber, Powder, and Monolithic Applications

This chapter reviews the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) applications, which are not directly related to surface coatings. They are divided into various categories such as: fibers, powders, monolithic shapes, and composites. The boron fibers are one of the earliest commercial applications of CVD. Two fibers that are presently produced by CVD on a commercial scale areboron and silicon carbide. The production of these two fibers uses a monofilament starter core that is capable of being heated resistively, such as a tungsten or graphite fiber. A new process based on laser CVD does not require a core material and is able to produce fibers with a much smaller diameter. Deposition rate is up to 1 mm/sec. This type of process is developed for the production of boron, SiC, and Si 3 N 4 . The core-less deposition can be accomplished by impinging the laser beam on the growing end of a retreating fiber in a CVD atmosphere.