cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of bilateral tubotubal anastomosis in a large outpatient population

Study question Is bilateral tubotubal anastomosis a successful treatment in an outpatient patient population? Summary answer For women wanting children after tubal sterilization, bilateral tubotubal anastomosis is an effective outpatient treatment. What is known already With the current emphasis in reproductive medicine on high technology procedures, the effectiveness of female surgical sterilization reversal is often overlooked. Previous clinical studies of tubal sterilization reversal have been mostly retrospective analyses of small patient populations. Study design, size, duration A cohort of women who underwent outpatient bilateral tubotubal anastomosis from January 2000 to June 2013 was followed prospectively until December 2014 to determine the proportions of women undergoing the procedure who became pregnant and who had live births. Data were collected at the time of pregnancy. Differences in pregnancy rates and live birth rates associated with age, race and sterilization method were evaluated. Participants/materials, setting, methods A total of 6692 women, aged 20-51 years, underwent outpatient bilateral tubotubal anastomosis. Main results and the role of chance The crude overall pregnancy rate was 69%. The crude overall birth rate was 35%. Results varied according to age at sterilization reversal and the method of sterilization. Women under 30 years of age at reversal of ring/clip sterilizations had an 88% pregnancy rate and 62% birth rate. Pregnancy and birth rates declined as age increased at sterilization reversal. Coagulation sterilization reversals resulted in the lowest rates of pregnancies and births. Ligation/resection reversals had intermediate success rates. Limitations, reasons for caution Limitations of our study include probable underreporting of pregnancies based on patient-initiated reports; possible errors in the reporting of pregnancies or early miscarriages that may have been based solely on home pregnancy tests; and probable over-reporting of the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies. We identified age and sterilization method as being associated with subsequent pregnancy, however, in order to be considered predictive, the associations would need to be validated in an independent second prospectively studied group of representative patients. Finally, we also included patients in the study population who had additional surgical procedures performed at the time of tubotubal anastomosis (e.g. uterine myomectomy, fimbrioplasty, ovarian cystectomy and adhesiolysis), factors that could result in differences in pregnancy statistics in our study versus other patient populations. Wider implications of the findings The results of this study can help inform patients and clinicians about this low technology alternative to IVF. Study funding/competing interests None. Trial registration number N/A.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure to Prevent Neonatal Lung Injury: How Did We Get Here, and How Do We Improve?

See related articles, p 39, p 45, and p 50 tions aimed at preventing and treating RDS, namely antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) and surfactant treatment. There are nowmultiple interventions to assist the premature infant during this transition including ACS, surfactant, monitored administration of supplemental oxygen, and sophisticated mechanical ventilators. With these advances, neonatology has witnessed an improvement in survival of the smallest, most premature neonates and pushed the threshold of viability to 22weeks’ gestational age (GA). With improved survival of these infants, clinicians are now asking “Canwe improve seriousmorbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)?” Infants diagnosed with BPD are at higher risk of poor pulmonary and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) consistently demonstrate that early, routine use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can decrease BPD. However, the treatment effect is small, which may be related to the high rate of CPAP failure resulting in a need for mechanical ventilation. Nonetheless, reducing CPAP failure might enhance efficacy of CPAP therapy to prevent BPD. Here, we review the evidence that supports routine use of CPAP to prevent neonatal lung injury. We discuss criteria to define CPAP failure, and review both proven and emerging therapies to optimize successful implementation of CPAP.
Photoabsorption spectra of the Ce atom encapsulated inside a C 82 fullerene

The differential oscillator strengths for the photoabsorption spectra of the Ce atom encapsulated inside C${}_{82}$ fullerene have been investigated using the time-dependent density-functional theory. The geometry optimization was performed for the C${}_{82}$ and Ce@C${}_{82}$ molecules. The final position of the Ce atom was found at 1.85 \AA{} off the center of the C${}_{82}$ molecule along the C${}_{2}$ axis. The photoabsorption spectra demonstrate a great suppression of the 4$f$ autoionization process for the encaged Ce atom. This calculation confirms the experimental result which showed no confinement resonance in the photoionization measurement of the Ce@C${}_{82}$ endohedral fullerene.
The System NaCl-AlCl3.

The system NaCl-AlCl3 has been restudied by DTA, visual observation, and x-ray diffraction powder techniques for identification of crystalline phases. It was confirmed that the system contains one intermediate compound NaAlCl4 with an incongruent mp of 153 ± 0.5 °C and a region of liquid immiseibility extending from 80.25 to 99.6 mol percent AlCl3 at 191.3 °C, the monotectic temperature.
Real-world effectiveness of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in 4,365 treatment-naive, genotype 1 hepatitis C-infected patients

Real-world effectiveness data are needed to inform hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment decisions. The uptake of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) regimens across health care settings has been rapid, but variations often occur in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess sustained virologic response (SVR) of LDV/SOF±ribavirin (RBV) in routine medical practice. This observational, intent-to-treat cohort was comprised of 4,365 genotype 1, treatment-naive, HCV-infected veterans treated with LDV/SOF±RBV. SVR rates were 91.3% (3,191/3,495) for LDV/SOF and 92.0% (527/573) for LDV/SOF+RBV (P = 0.65). African American race (odds ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.54-0.90, P = 0.004) and FIB-4 >3.25 (odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.43-0.71, P 3.25 (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.50, P < 0.001) remained. Among those without cirrhosis (defined by FIB-4 ≤3.25) and with baseline HCV RNA<6,000,000 IU/mL, SVR rates were 93.2% (1,020/1,094) for those who completed 8 weeks of therapy and 96.6% (875/906) for those who completed 12 weeks of therapy (P = 0.001). Conclusions: In this real-world cohort, SVR rates with LDV/SOF±RBV nearly matched the rates reported in clinical trials and were consistently high across all subgroups; those without cirrhosis but with HCV RNA<6,000,000 IU/mL were less likely to achieve SVR with 8 weeks compared to 12 weeks of therapy, although the numeric difference in SVR rates was small. (Hepatology 2016;64:405-414)
Vicious Sorrow: The Roots of a ‘Spiritual’ Sin in the Summa Theologiae:

The vice of acedia deserves—and rewards—a closer reading than is implied in the old rendering ‘sloth’, or even in contemporary readings of ‘spiritual sloth’. Such is at least true in Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae, the subject of the following close (re)reading of this enigmatic vice. Investigating the question on acedia (II-II.35) and its grounding in portions of I-II, I first establish acedia’s basis not in a sovereign spiritual ‘choice’ but in the sensitive appetite and the passion of sorrow. This turns the portrait of acedia’s ‘patients’ from those who avoid to those who embrace the labors of love, those who experience acedia’s sorrow in the very midst of pursuing divine joy. A third section steps back to show the entire problem of acedia, including its ‘slothful’ effects, in terms of this one fundamental sorrow that suppresses joy—real rest—in the Lord. I end with Thomas’s remedy, the hope-charged possibility of rising up in defense of the divine joy, turning back acedia’s sorrow at every point of its at...
An overview of clinical spectrum and heterogeneity of spondyloarthropathies.

Ankylosing spondylitis and related spondyloarthropathies form a family of rheumatic diseases that are characterized by inflammatory peripheral and axial arthritis, with predilection for sacroiliitis, and a remarkably strong association with a genetic marker, HLA-B27. The association with B27 has provided a great impetus to the epidemiologic studies of spondyloarthropathies and also helped broaden the clinical spectrum of these diseases. There are at least six subtypes of B27, and the x-ray crystallographic structure of the common B27 subtype (B*2705) is now known. Endogenous peptides bound in the B27 antigen-binding cleft have been isolated and all seem to be nonamers (i.e., nine amino acids long).
Fourier finite element model for prediction of thermal buckling in disc clutches and brakes

ABSTRACTNumerical analyses are performed on thermal buckling of annular rings using a reduced Fourier method. The stress stiffness matrix is derived from the geometric nonlinearity in the Green strains with a predefined circumferential wave number. The method is first validated through the commercial software Abaqus using an axisymmetric model. It is then implemented to solve more general nonaxisymmetric problems with multiple waves along thecircumference. It is shown that there exists a particular wave number with which the buckling temperature reaches a minimum. This research has potential applications in automotive clutch and brake designs against thermal buckling.
Acute exercise modulates feature-selective responses in human cortex

An organism's current behavioral state influences ongoing brain activity. Nonhuman mammalian and invertebrate brains exhibit large increases in the gain of feature-selective neural responses in sensory cortex during locomotion, suggesting that the visual system becomes more sensitive when actively exploring the environment. This raises the possibility that human vision is also more sensitive during active movement. To investigate this possibility, we used an inverted encoding model technique to estimate feature-selective neural response profiles from EEG data acquired from participants performing an orientation discrimination task. Participants n = 18 fixated at the center of a flickering 15 Hz circular grating presented at one of nine different orientations and monitored for a brief shift in orientation that occurred on every trial. Participants completed the task while seated on a stationary exercise bike at rest and during low-and high-intensity cycling. We found evidence for inverted-U effects; such that the peak of the reconstructed feature-selective tuning profiles was highest during low-intensity exercise compared with those estimated during rest and high-intensity exercise. When modeled, these effects were driven by changes in the gain of the tuning curve and in the profile bandwidth during low-intensity exercise relative to rest. Thus, despite profound differences in visual pathways across species, these data show that sensitivity in human visual cortex is also enhanced during locomotive behavior. Our results reveal the nature of exercise-induced gain on feature-selective coding in human sensory cortex and provide valuable evidence linking the neural mechanisms of behavior state across species.
Accounting for within species variability in growth and structure of Picea sitchensis through analysis of architectural development

There is considerable variation in growth and structure between individuals of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis). Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to this variation and an explanation for their joint effects is given based upon the dynamics of their interaction in the production and utilization of photosynthate by the growing tree. Whole tree attributes, such as high individual biomass production, can be attained by trees with different structures. This can be understood by considering the effects of different architectural and physiological properties on photosynthate production and utilization. Definitions of architecture for tree species have typically focused on branch structure and its role in supporting foliage is implicit. For Sitka spruce the foliage supported by individual modules can vary between individuals, even for modules with the same apparent position in branch hierarchy. Foliage support should be considered explicitly in architectural models that will be used in analysis of the growth process.
The exuberant imagination: blood libel and the myth of Maya ritual murder in the 1562 Sotuta confessions

This article examines the 1562 Sotuta confessions of Maya ritual murder during the Idolatry Trials orchestrated by Friar Diego de Landa in colonial Yucatan. Through an analysis of their discursive ...
Phase Field Benchmark Problems for Dendritic Growth and Linear Elasticity

Abstract We present the second set of benchmark problems for phase field models that are being jointly developed by the Center for Hierarchical Materials Design (CHiMaD) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) along with input from other members in the phase field community. As the integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach to materials design has gained traction, there is an increasing need for quantitative phase field results. New algorithms and numerical implementations increase computational capabilities, necessitating standard problems to evaluate their impact on simulated microstructure evolution as well as their computational performance. We propose one benchmark problem for solidification and dendritic growth in a single-component system, and one problem for linear elasticity via the shape evolution of an elastically constrained precipitate. We demonstrate the utility and sensitivity of the benchmark problems by comparing the results of (1) dendritic growth simulations performed with different time integrators and (2) elastically constrained precipitate simulations with different precipitate sizes, initial conditions, and elastic moduli. These numerical benchmark problems will provide a consistent basis for evaluating different algorithms, both existing and those to be developed in the future, for accuracy and computational efficiency when applied to simulate physics often incorporated in phase field models.
S-Nitrosoglutathione Reductase (GSNOR) Deficiency Results in Secondary Hypogonadism.

Abstract Background Excess reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are implicated in male infertility and impaired spermatogenesis. Aim To investigate the effect of excess reactive nitrogen species and nitrosative stress on testicular function and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis using the S-nitrosoglutathione reductase-null (Gsnor−/−) mouse model. Methods Testis size, pup number, and epididymal sperm concentration and motility of Gsnor−/− mice were compared with those of age-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Reproductive hormones testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone were compared in Gsnor−/− and WT mice. Immunofluorescence for Gsnor−/− and WT testis was performed for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) and compared. Human chorionic gonadotropin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation tests were performed to assess and compare testicular and pituitary functions of Gsnor−/− and WT mice. Outcomes Evaluation of fertility and reproductive hormones in Gsnor−/− vs WT mice. Response of Gsnor−/− and WT mice to human chorionic gonadotropin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone to evaluate LH and T production. Results Gsnor−/− mice had smaller litters (4.2 vs 8.0 pups per litter; P 1,680 vs >1,680 ng/dL) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation increased serum LH (6.3 vs 8.9 ng/mL; P = .20) similar to WT mice. Clinical Translation These findings provide novel insight to a possible mechanism of secondary hypogonadism from increased reactive nitrogen species and excess nitrosative stress. Strengths and Limitations Limitations of this study are its small samples and variability in hormone levels. Conclusion Deficiency of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase results in secondary hypogonadism, suggesting that excess nitrosative stress can affect LH production from the pituitary gland. Masterson TA, Arora H, Kulandavelu S, et al. S-Nitrosoglutathione Reductase (GSNOR) Deficiency Results in Secondary Hypogonadism. J Sex Med 2018;15:654–661.
Anticancer activity of complexes of the third row transition metals, rhenium, osmium, and iridium

The clinical success of the platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents has prompted the investigation of coordination and organometallic complexes of alternative metal centers for use as anticancer agents. Among these alternatives, the third row transition metal neighbors of platinum on the periodic table have only recently been explored for their potential to yield anticancer-active complexes. In this Perspective, we summarize developments within the last six years on the application of rhenium, osmium, and iridium complexes as anticancer drug candidates. This review focuses on studies that discuss the potential mechanisms of action of these complexes. As reflected in this Perspective, complexes of these metal ions induce cancer cell death via a diverse range of mechanisms. Notably, small structural changes can significantly alter the mode of cell death, hindering efforts to elucidate structure–activity relationships. This property may both benefit and hinder the clinical development of these compounds.
CHOLINERGIC PATHWAYS IN THE BRAIN

Although acetylcholine (ACh) was the first neurotransmitter to be discovered, in many ways less is known about central cholinergic pathways than about many other neurotransmitters discovered much later. Reliable histochemical techniques for identifying cholinergic neurons have been slow to develop. Although excellent histochemical methods for locating acetylcholinesterase (AChE) exist, this enzyme is only a necessary, but not sufficient, means of identifying cholinergic neurons. However, with improved methods for measuring ACh, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), high affinity choline uptake, muscarinic and nicotinic receptors, and ACh turnover, more is being learned about central cholinergic pathways. In addition, the development of a possible cholinergic specific neurotoxin, ethylcholine mustard aziridinium (AF64A) holds promise for expediting the mapping of cholinergic pathways in the brain (Fisher et al., 1982).
Pulmonary Embolism Treatment

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and highly morbid illness, with an estimated 530,000 cases of symptomatic PE in the USA annually. The prognosis of acute PE varies greatly depending on the clinical presentation. Submassive PE is defined as acute right ventricular (RV) dysfunction without systemic arterial hypotension. Massive PE is defined by the presence of hemodynamic shock from PE and is frequently life-threatening, with up to 58 % mortality in this population, making it the third most common cause of death in hospitalized patients.
The Discounted Marginal Value Product – Marginal Value Product Controversy: A Note

We are all familiar with the process of discounting the future. From the earliest courses in economics we are taught that money receivable right now is not the equivalent of money receivable one year hence; that money receivable one year from now is not equivalent to money which will fall in to our clutches after a period of two years. And not just because inflation may erode part of the value, or because of the risk of never seeing the money. Even in a perfectly certain world of no inflation, where all accounts receivable were fully guaranteed, we would still value money more, the sooner we were to receive it.
Life Beyond Pediatrics: Transition of Chronically III Adolescents from Pediatric to Adult Health Care Systems

Transition from pediatric to adult health care is fraught with difficulties. On the one hand, the adult care system is not properly prepared to receive patients who are survivors of the so-called childhood disorders. On the other hand, patients and families have difficulty leaving the protective environment created by pediatric caregivers, who in turn may have mixed feelings about letting the patients go. Normalization of development and social adaptation for chronically ill adolescents, however, should include a change in the environment in which health care is received. This article examines some of the issues surrounding transition and transfer from pediatric to adult health care systems and propose some avenues toward implementation of such programs.
Calculating the contribution of sleep problems to undergraduates' academic success

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study is to determine to what degree sleep disturbances predict academic success, relative to other known risk factors for decreased academic performance. Methods We performed regression analyses on data from the Spring 2009 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II dataset (n=55,322 students) to isolate the relative contribution of the frequency of sleep problems in the previous week to GPA and the likelihood of withdrawing from a course. In our estimations, we also controlled for other factors that influence academic success such as demographic and academic variables, drug and alcohol use, perceived stress, and employment hours. Results Sleep disturbances were found to be a significant independent predictor of academic problems; on average, each additional day per week that a student experienced sleep problems raised the probability of dropping a course by 10% and lowered the cumulative GPA by 0.02. Factors such as stress, binge drinking, marijuana and other illicit drug use, which typically receive more attention by university administrators, had similar or relatively smaller negative associations with academic success as compared to disturbed sleep. Approximately three quarters of students surveyed reported never receiving information about sleep from their university. Conclusions Sleep education represents an underutilized opportunity for universities to maximize retention rates and academic success.
Thermal Preference and Species Range in Mountaintop Salamanders and Their Widespread Competitors

Temperature tolerance can be a critical factor in determining amphibian species range over both latitudinal and elevational gradients; however, range limits across latitudes and elevations are not always congruent. For some mountaintop endemic and widespread salamanders in the Southern Appalachians, elevational distributions suggest the hypothesis that mountaintop species should be more cold tolerant, whereas latitudinal patterns are consistent with the hypothesis that widespread species should be more cold tolerant or tolerate a wider range of temperatures. We tested these hypotheses with year-round surveys of two mountaintop endemic species, Big Levels salamanders (Plethodon sherando) and Peaks of Otter salamanders (Plethodon hubrichti), at high- and low-elevation sites where they overlap with the widespread Eastern Redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus). We fit hierarchical Bayesian models to salamander surface counts across natural variation in soil temperature and moisture to compare temperatures that maximized surface counts (“peak activity temperature”) and the range of temperatures at which each species was active (“activity window”). We found that P. sherando and P. cinereus showed similar peak activity temperatures in areas of overlap, though P. sherando had a wider activity window as compared to P. cinereus. For P. hubrichti, we found a similar to somewhat higher peak activity temperature compared to P. cinereus, though P. cinereus had a wider activity window. We found no consistent differences in responses to soil moisture across species pairs. Our results suggest that elevational zonation in salamanders can result from a variety of processes and may not always reflect differences in relative temperature preferences.
Fairness and Inequity Aversion

Social preferences for fairness and the avoidance of inequity affect outcome valuation and decision-making. Neuroimaging studies suggest that fair outcomes and behaviors activate brain regions associated with reward processing, such as the striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, whereas neural processing of unfair behavior involves the anterior insula, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the anterior cingulate cortex. The temporoparietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex are involved in processing information about others' intentions and reactions to fairness.
Blocked force determination on plate structures using an offset interface

Abstract Blocked force determination is an alternative to the more routine method of inverse force determination using classical transfer path analysis. One advantage of determining blocked forces is that there is no need for the source to be detached or isolated from the system. Results are, in theory, valid so long as blocked forces are determined at the interface between the source and receiver system under the assumption that the interface is well defined. Another advantage is that calculated blocked forces are appropriate when modifications are made on the receiver side of the interface. This insures that the blocked forces are suitable for utilization in analysis models where receiver system modifications are considered. Difficulties in using the approach arise when interface locations are difficult to instrument. This paper demonstrates that blocked forces may also be determined along a continuous interface offset from bolted connections or isolators making the method more convenient to use. This offset interface strategy is demonstrated for plate structures using both simulation and measurement. Recommendations are made for selecting the number of forces and blocked force locations along this offset interface.
Thinking Beyond Nationalism in South Asia: Reading the Local as Postcolonial in Fault Lines: Stories of 1971

Although the idea of “postcolonial literature” has been contested by scholars like Aijaz Ahmed (1992), Arif Dirlik (1994), Tabish Khair (2001), and Graham Huggan (2001), the growing geography of gl...
Reconstituted Mining Effluent Reduces Neuronal Proliferation in the Developing Brain and Slows Growth of Body and Facial Features in Wild-Caught Wood Frog Tadpoles.

Mining, whether current or inactive, generally increases salt concentrations in catchment watersheds due to precipitation on and through exposed rock surfaces. Practices like mountaintop removal mining have exacerbated this issue, with measurements of salt concentrations in nearby catchment systems well above normal levels. Nevertheless, the impact of the ionic composition of mining effluent on aquatic animal health is not well understood. This is a particularly important issue in Appalachia because it is home to an enormous diversity of organisms, including a huge array of amphibians that live in streams that receive mining effluent from operating and abandoned mines. To investigate this issue, we examined the effects of reconstituted mining effluent on the development of wild-caught wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles. We collected day-old fertilized eggs from a creek near Blacksburg, VA in early March, 2018 and raised them to hatch. Tadpoles were then assigned to either sulfate or chloride-based reconstituted mining effluent diluted to six different conductivities (100 μS/cm - 2,400 μS/cm). After 7 or 14 days of treatment, tadpoles were euthanized and fixed in paraformaldehyde. We imaged the heads and bodies of tadpoles for morphometric analysis before dissecting out brains and immunostaining them for phospho-histone H3, which labels dividing progenitor cells in the brain. We found that sulfate-based reconstituted mining effluent significantly lowered progenitor cell division at 1200 μS/cm at Day 7 and at 600 μS/cm at Day 14 relative to control. Chloride-based reconstituted mining effluent was less impactful, with no significant differences observed at Day 7 and significantly lowered progenitor cell division at 2400 μS/cm at Day 14. In addition, both treatments slowed growth of some head morphological features, including head size and interocular distance. Chloride treatment slowed growth of body length at Day 14 at 600 μS/cm, whereas sulfate-based reconstituted mining effluent had no effect on body length. These data show that sulfate-based mining effluent has a substantial impact on aspects of neural development, whereas chloride-based reconstituted mining effluent had less effect. In contrast, chloride-based reconstituted mining effluent had a much greater impact than sulfate on body morphology and growth. These experiments demonstrate that the chemical composition of salts in mining effluent can have divergent effects on the development of amphibians.
Optimal Coordination of Energy Storage and Generation Flexibility in Transmission Networks

This paper proposes a continuous-time optimization model to coordinate the flexibility of generating units and ES devices for providing the flexibility requirements of load at minimum cost, while minimizing congestion in transmission network. The proposed model accurately captures the flexibility of generating units and ES devices as continuous-time power and ramping trajectories that are optimized to compensate the variability of nodal load trajectories in transmission network. The proposed continuous-time problem is then converted into a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem by projecting the decision trajectories and operation constraints into Bernstein function space, where the projection coefficients of trajectories act as the decision variables of the resulting MILP problem. The numerical results of implementing the proposed model on the 24-bus IEEE-RTS demonstrate higher cost saving from ES utilization and less congestion periods as compared to the prevailing discrete-time scheduling model.
Risk-informed simulation for sustainable product design decision making

Abstract This paper presents a risk-informed Monte-Carlo simulation approach for effective decision making by considering optimal product configuration design and the risk models for the product design. The proposed approach is demonstrated through an industrial case study by assessing the influence of inaccuracy in demand forecast identified as a high likelihood risk event on the total lifecycle profit for different optimal designs of a toner cartridge. The result provides valuable information to product designers and decision makers on the sensitivity of total lifecycle cost benefits feasible from different optimal designs in the event of a perceived high risk.
60 muertos en la escalera, novela de Carlos Droguett

Obra desconcertante para muchos, estructuralmente poco armonica para otros; sin embargo se le reconocio una originalidad y una audacia formal poco comun en el ambito novelistico nacional. Como ocurre con la mayoria de la critica de Droguett, las opinioones se reparten entre detractores e incondicionales que terminan defendiendo o atacando al autor, dejando la obra en segundo plano, de la que solo quedan impresiones.
Indirect effect of mindfulness on psychological distress via sleep hygiene in division I college student athletes.

The unique demands placed on Division I student athletes (SAs) puts them at risk of experiencing poor sleep and increased psychological distress. Researchers have found that mindfulness improves we...
Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer (IBOT) Strategy Twenty Years Later: Tales from the Balkans and Africa

Telemedicine systems increase access to care, particularly in remote and developing countries. Nationwide telemedicine programs of Cabo Verde and Albania, built by the International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation (IVeH) and based on the award-winning Initiate-Built-Operate-Transfer (IBOT) strategy, have become an important healthcare provider modality in these countries. The aim of this chapter is to review and compare the clinical results between the two programs and examine the relationship between the clinical teleconsultations as an indicator of healthcare system needs and the contribution of local telemedicine champions within the framework of IBOT.
Sensor impact evaluation and verification for fault detection and diagnostics in building energy systems: A review

Abstract Sensors are the key information source for fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) in buildings. However, sensors are often not properly designed, installed, calibrated, located, and maintained, which negatively impacts FDD performance. Several sensor-related FDD topics have been widely studied, covering a wide range of fault types and applications. However, it is difficult to get a clear picture of the technical development of sensor-related topics in FDD. A systematic review of sensor topics is needed to summarize the existing research in a logical way, draw conclusions on the current development, and predict the future development of sensors in building FDD. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive literature review of more than 100 FDD-sensor-related papers. In this article, we subdivide the FDD tasks into building-level, system-level, and component-level FDD, and review sensor-related topics in each category. Our major conclusions are: (a) current data-driven FDD research focuses more on FDD algorithms than sensors, (b) sensor “hardware” research topics are less studied than sensor “software” topics, (c) very few papers focus on sensor engineering as an integral aspect of FDD development, and (d) some important sensor topics, such as sensor cost-effectiveness and sensor schema/layout/location, are not well studied. Finally, we discuss the need for a systematic framework of FDD sensors and models to integrate sensor design/selection, sensor data analysis/mining, feature selection, physics-based or data-driven algorithm development, sensor fault detection, sensor calibration, and sensor maintenance. Finally, expert interviews are conducted to validate the above findings and conclusions.
Battle of the Appraisals: Pain-Related Injustice Versus Catastrophizing as Mediators in the Relationship Between Pain Intensity and 3-Month Outcomes in Adolescents with Chronic Pain

Abstract Pain appraisals are closely tied to pain and functional outcomes. Pain-related injustice and pain catastrophizing appraisals have both been identified as important cognitive-emotional factors in the pain experience of youth. Although pain-related injustice and catastrophizing have been linked to worse pain outcomes – as primary predictors and intermediary variables – little is known about whether they operate as independent or parallel mediators of the relationship between pain and functioning in youth. We tested pain-related injustice and catastrophizing appraisals as candidate mediators of the relationship between baseline pain intensity and 3-month functional outcomes in adolescents. Youth with chronic pain (N = 89, 76% female, 89% White, average age = 15 years) completed measures assessing pain intensity, pain-related injustice, and catastrophizing at baseline, as well as measures assessing functional disability and overall quality of life 3 months later. Multiple mediation analyses indicated that injustice mediated the relationship between pain intensity and 3 month quality of life. Exploratory analyses of specific quality of life domains indicated that injustice mediated the relationship between pain intensity and 3 month emotional functioning, whereas catastrophizing mediated the relationship between pain intensity and 3 month social functioning. The findings suggest these pain-related appraisals play different intermediary roles in the relationships among pain and future psychosocial outcomes. Perspective Pain-related injustice and catastrophizing appraisals play different intermediary roles in the relationships among pain and future psychosocial outcomes in youth with chronic pain. Treatments targeting pain-related injustice appraisals in pediatric populations are needed to complement existing treatments for catastrophizing.
A data mining course for computer science and non-computer science students

A Data Mining course has been offered twice during the last two years at Missouri State University. The course is designed for both computer science and non-computer science majors with minor prerequisites. Moreover, the course is designed for both undergraduate and graduate students. In this article, the design and evaluation of this course are discussed.
Improving Audio Watermark Robustness Using Stretched Patterns against Geometric Distortion

One of the problems for audio watermarks is robustness against signal processing causing de-synchronization of the pseudo-random sequences. To tackle the problem, we previously introduced an audio watermarking method using a two-dimensional pseudo-random array, which is robust against pitch shifting and random stretching to some extent. In this paper, we explain a modification to the detection algorithm to improve the robustness against excessive distortion. The method uses multiple pseudo-random arrays each of which is stretched assuming a certain amount of distortion. Since most of the detection process for the multiple arrays is shared, the additional computational cost is limited.
Generic nodeless Larkin-Ovchinnikov states due to singlet-triplet mixing in organic superconductors

Larkin-Ovchinnikov (LO) states typically have a singlet gap that vanishes along real-space lines. These real-space nodes lead to Andreev midgap states which can serve as a signature of LO pairing. We show that at these nodes, an odd-parity, spin-triplet component is always induced, leading to a nodeless LO phase. We find the two-dimensional weak coupling, clean limit $s$ wave phase diagram when this spin-triplet part is included. The triplet component is large and increases the stability of the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) phase. We also show that the spin-triplet contribution pushes the midgap states away from zero energy. Finally, we show how our results can be explained phenomenologically though Lifshitz invariants. These invariants provide a simple approach to understand the role of unconventional pairing states, spin-orbit coupling, and inhomogeneous mixed singlet-triplet states that are not due to an FFLO instability. We discuss our results in the context of organic superconductors.
A Screening Test for Pole Vaulting and Selected Gymnastic Events

(1973). A Screening Test for Pole Vaulting and Selected Gymnastic Events. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 44, No. 5, pp. 71-74.
Processor architecture for trustworthy computers

We propose that computer architects need to design more trustworthy computers that protect a user’s information, computations and communications from attacks by malicious adversaries. This is in addition to providing current engineering goals of higher performance, lower cost, lower power consumption and smaller footprint.
Predicting natural base-flow stream water chemistry in the western United States

[1] Robust predictions of stream solute concentrations expected under natural (reference) conditions would help establish more realistic water quality standards and improve stream ecological assessments. Models predicting solute concentrations from environmental factors would also help identify the relative importance of different factors that influence water chemistry. Although data are available describing the major factors controlling water chemistry (i.e., geology, climate, atmospheric deposition, soils, vegetation, topography), geologic maps do not adequately convey how rocks vary in their chemical and physical properties. We addressed this issue by associating rock chemical and physical properties with geological map units to produce continuous maps of percentages of CaO, MgO, S, uniaxial compressive strength, and hydraulic conductivity for western United States lithologies. We used catchment summaries of these geologic properties and other environmental factors to develop multiple linear regression (LR) and random forest (RF) models to predict base flow electrical conductivity (EC), acid neutralization capacity (ANC), Ca, Mg, and SO4. Models were derived from observations at 1414 reference-quality streams. RF models were superior to LR models, explaining 71% of the variance in EC, 61% in ANC, 92% in Ca, 58% in Mg, and 74% in SO4 when assessed with independent observations. The root-mean-square error for predictions on validation sites were all temperature > precipitation > soil = atmospheric deposition > vegetation > amount of rock/water contact > topography.
Moondust and More

The materials available on the lunar surface suggest that construction there may not require the delivery of massive payloads from Earth. In fact, through ingenuity and resourcefulness human colonization might be accomplished more easily than previously thought.
Correlates of heroin and methamphetamine use among homeless male ex-jail and prison offenders

Homeless men exiting California State jails and prisons are a heterogeneous community with varied childhood, incarceration and drug use histories. This cross-sectional study assessed whether homeless men who were discharged from either jail or prison into a residential substance abuse treatment program, differed in terms of methamphetamine and heroin use. This study utilized baseline data collected on 540 recently paroled men randomized to one of three programs that assessed the impact of a peer coaching intervention on subsequent drug use and re-incarceration. We found that younger ex-offenders exiting prisons and jails were more likely to have used methamphetamine alone, whereas African American ex-offenders were less likely to have used methamphetamine alone when compared to other ethnic groups. Further, ex-offenders exiting jails and self-reporting use of heroin only at baseline were significantly more likely than their counterparts to have been removed from home before age 18. For men exiting jails, there was an association between lower self-esteem and having used methamphetamine but not heroin. However, having used both heroin and methamphetamine was associated with both violent crime and cognitive problems in both jail and prison samples. Our findings showcase the need to understand unique correlates of both heroin and methamphetamine as they relate to jail and prison populations.
In Vivo Induction of Hepatic P4502E1 by Ethanol: Role of Increased Enzyme Synthesis

Abstract P4502E1 (2E1), an ethanol-inducible P450 enzyme, plays an important role in the bioactivation of certain hepatotoxins and chemical carcinogens. Different mechanisms of 2E1 induction by ethanol and other agents (e.g., acetone) have been proposed, ranging from enhanced de novo enzyme synthesis caused by an increase in 2E1 mRNA and/or the efficiency with which it is translated to decreased enzyme degradation stemming from substrate stabilization. To evaluate these mechanisms, we first examined the time course of hepatic 2E1 protein induction in rats pair-fed liquid diets containing 36% of total calories as either ethanol or dextrin-maltose (controls) for 28 days. Western blot analysis with anti-2E1 immunoglobulins revealed that 2E1 reached a new steady-state level (eightfold greater than that found with controls) after ethanol feeding for 10 days and remained elevated for the duration of treatment. Microsomal p-nitrophenol hydroxylation, a 2E1-catalyzed reaction, exhibited a similar induction time course, with the maximal increase in enzyme activity also observed on Day 10 of ethanol administration. We then determined steady-state 2E1 protein turnover in ethanol-fed and control animals that were given [35S]methionine plus [3H]aminolevulinate to radiolabel 2E1 apoprotein and the prosthetic heme group, respectively. Monophasic exponential decay curves showed that hepatic 2E1 protein and heme half-lives (27-28 h and 17 h, respectively) did not differ between the treatment groups. However, rates of 2E1 synthesis, assessed by measuring initial rates of incorporation of [35S]methionine and [3H]aminolevulinate into 2E1 apoprotein and heme, were increased in animals fed ethanol. Our results indicate that the in vivo induction of hepatic 2E1 protein by ethanol involves increased enzyme synthesis rather than decreased enzyme degradation. This enhancement of de novo 2E1 synthesis most likely entails the ethanol-mediated increase of steady-state levels of 2E1 mRNA and/or the stimulation of its translational efficiency.
Single x-ray absorptiometry method for the quantitative mammographic measure of fibroglandular tissue volume.

Purpose: This study describes the design and characteristics of a highly accurate, precise, and automated single-energy method to quantify percent fibroglandular tissue volume (%FGV) and fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV) using digital screening mammography. Methods: The method uses a breast tissue-equivalent phantom in the unused portion of the mammogram as a reference to estimate breast composition. The phantom is used to calculate breast thickness and composition for each image regardless of x-ray technique or the presence of paddle tilt. The phantom adheres to the top of the mammographic compression paddle and stays in place for both craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique screening views. We describe the automated method to identify the phantom and paddle orientation with a three-dimensional reconstruction least-squares technique. A series of test phantoms, with a breast thickness range of 0.5–8 cm and a %FGV of 0%–100%, were made to test the accuracy and precision of the technique. Results: Using test phantoms, the estimated repeatability standard deviation equaled 2%, with a ±2% accuracy for the entire thickness and density ranges. Without correction, paddle tilt was found to create large errors in the measured density values of up to 7%/mm difference from actual breast thickness. This new density measurement is stable over time, with no significant drifts in calibration noted during a four-month period. Comparisons of %FGV to mammographic percent density and left to right breast %FGV were highly correlated ( r = 0.83 and 0.94, respectively). Conclusions: An automated method for quantifying fibroglandular tissue volume has been developed. It exhibited good accuracy and precision for a broad range of breast thicknesses, paddle tilt angles, and %FGV values. Clinical testing showed high correlation to mammographic density and between left and right breasts.
Monotonicity of regression functions in structural measurement error models

Abstract We study monotonicity properties of E(T|X = x) when E(T|U = u) is monotone and X = U + Z, where Z is independent of U and T. Sufficient conditions for monotonicity of E(T|X = x) have been given by Efron (1965) and Lehmann (1966). We show that for a general class of heavy-tailed measurement-error densities E(T|X = x) is not monotone.
Synthesis of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s by ring-opening copolymerization of (R)-β-butyrolactone with other four-membered lactones using a distannoxane complex as a catalyst

The reaction of optically active β-butyrolactone with other four-membered lactones in the presence of 1-ethoxy-3-chlorotetrabutyldistannoxane as a catalyst at 100°C gave a series of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s with high molecular weight in good yields.
Efficient syntheses of enantiomerically pure 1,2-dicyclohexenyl- and 1,2-dicyclohexyl-1,2-ethanediol using B-2-cyclohexen-1-yl-diisopinocampheylborane

Abstract The reaction of (+)- B -2-cyclohexen-1-yldiisopinocampheylborane with glyoxal at −78°C yields 98% stereoisomerically pure (1 S ,2 S ,1′ R ,1′′ R )-(+)-1,2-bis(2-cyclohexenyl)-1,2-ethanediol in 81% yield. A simple crystallization of the above diol from hexane followed by hydrogenation over Raney Ni provides an essentially quantitative yield of enantiomerically pure ( S , S )-1,2-dicyclohexyl-1,2-ethanediol.