cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High incidence of renal artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease.

The incidence of renal artery stenosis (RAS) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been well documented. Over a 9-month period, 196 patients who underwent coronary angiography because of clinically suspected CAD had routine nonselective renal cine or digital subtraction angiography. There were 68 females and 128 males with a mean age of 63 years (range 35-85). Angiographically significant CAD was present in 152 patients (78%). Of the total patient cohort, 29 patients (15%) had mild RAS ( or = 50%). In patients with normal coronary arteries, only three patients (7%) had RAS. Thirty-three patients (92%) with severe RAS also had CAD. Of these 33 patients, 45% had hypertension, 30% had hyperlipidemia, 24% had diabetes mellitus, 24% had renal insufficiency (creatinine > or = 1.5), and 51% were smokers. In addition, it was noted that 20 of these patients (61%) had two or more of the above-listed clinical parameters. However, univariate analysis using the chi-square test revealed that only CAD (22% P < 0.03) and renal insufficiency (29% P < 0.15) were reliable clinical predictors of RAS. In conclusion, RAS is a frequent finding in patients with CAD, particularly when renal insufficiency is also present.
ALOHA/TDM Systems with Multiple Downlink Capacity

The concept of a processing satellite with multiple slotted ALOHA uplinks to efficiently fill a TDM downlink is extended to include multiple downlinks. Throughput is derived for a general configuration with n ALOHA uplinks and m TDM downlinks. An optimization procedure is described to select the n and m which maximize throughput for a given bandwidth constraint. The ALOHA/TDM system with multiple downlink capacity is found to be up to 32% more spectrum-efficient than the conventional slotted ALOHA system. The ALOHA/TDM system also has the potential for payload power and weight savings and decreased passive intermodulation problems.
CdZnTe material uniformity and coplanar-grid gamma-ray detector performance

"Electron-only" detection techniques such as the coplanar-grid method are effective in overcoming some of the charge transport problems of CdZnTe and, consequently, have led to large-volume gamma-ray detectors with good energy resolution while operating at room temperature. A requirement for the success of these techniques is uniformity in electron generation and transport. Once large inhomogeneities in these properties caused by grain boundaries and other large-scale crystal defects are eliminated through simple material screening techniques, small variations remain and limit the gamma-ray energy resolution. In this paper we present the results from our characterization and analysis of these nonuniformities in commercially available CdZnTe, and we establish the relationship between the nonuniformities and the ultimate coplanar-grid gamma-ray detector performance through experimental measurements.
ICE: Rapid Information Extraction Customization for NLP Novices

We showcase ICE, an Integrated Customization Environment for Information Extraction. ICE is an easy tool for non-NLP experts to rapidly build customized IE systems for a new domain.
Improved glycemic control in veterans with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus using a Specialty Care Access Network-Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes model at primary care clinics:

IntroductionAn increasing number of patients with diabetes mellitus has created a need for innovative delivery of specialized care not only by diabetes specialists but also by primary care provider...
Oxidative instability of hemoglobin E (β26 Glu→Lys) is increased in the presence of free α subunits and reversed by α-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP): Relevance to HbE/β-thalassemia

When adding peroxide (H2O2), β subunits of hemoglobin (Hb) bear the burden of oxidative changes due in part to the direct oxidation of its Cys93. The presence of unpaired α subunits within red cells and/or co-inheritance of another β subunit mutant, HbE (β26 Glu→Lys) have been implicated in the pathogenesis and severity of β thalassemia. We have found that although both HbA and HbE autoxidize at initially comparable rates, HbE loses heme at a rate almost 2 fold higher than HbA due to unfolding of the protein. Using mass spectrometry and the spin trap, DMPO, we were able to quantify irreversible oxidization of βCys93 to reflect oxidative instability of β subunits. In the presence of free α subunits and H2O2, both HbA and HbE showed βCys93 oxidation which increased with higher H2O2 concentrations. In the presence of Alpha-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP), which stabilizes the α-subunit in a redox inactive hexacoordinate conformation (thus unable to undergo the redox ferric/ferryl transition), Cys93 oxidation was substantially reduced in both proteins. These experiments establish two important features that may have relevance to the mechanistic understanding of these two inherited hemoglobinopathies, i.e. HbE/β thalassemia: First, a persistent ferryl/ferryl radical in HbE is more damaging to its own β subunit (i.e., βCys93) than HbA. Secondly, in the presence of excess free α-subunit and under the same oxidative conditions, these events are substantially increased for HbE compared to HbA, and may therefore create an oxidative milieu affecting the already unstable HbE.
Copolymerization and Cycloaddition Products Derived from Coupling Reactions of 1,2-Epoxy-4-cyclohexene and Carbon Dioxide. Postpolymerization Functionalization via Thiol–Ene Click Reactions

The coupling reaction of 1,2-epoxy-4-cyclohexene with CO2 in the presence of a ZnCl2/nBu4NI catalyst system was shown to provide the naturally occurring cis-cyclohexadiene carbonate. An alternative synthesis of this compound, which was characterized by X-ray structural analysis, was carried out from the cis-diol and triphosgene. Upon utilizing binary or bifunctional (salen)CrX catalysts, this coupling process resulted in the selective formation of completely alternating copolymer of 1,2-epoxy-4-cyclohexene and carbon dioxide. In the case involving the binary chromium(III)/onium salt catalyst, small quantities of both the cis and trans cyclic carbonates were also produced. The (salen)CoDNP/PPNDNP (DNP = 2,4-dinitrophenolate) catalyst system was most effective at producing high molecular weight copolymer with 100% selectivity. The Tg of this polymer (Mn = 35.9 kDa) was determined to be 123 °C, which is higher than the Tg (116 °C) of the corresponding saturated copolymer. Depolymerization of poly(cyclohexadi...
Mathematical Induction in Sets

(1957). Mathematical Induction in Sets. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 64, No. 8P2, pp. 19-22.
The Location of Memory: Diachronic and Synchronic Alibism and Hui Identity

Among China’s various Muslim groups, the Hui stand out on the basis of their ethnicity, history and location, and are considered unlike the Turkic groups in Western territories. The Hui are not confined to a definite region but are present throughout China, and exist in continuous juxtaposition with other groups. For this reason, they determine their identity by simultaneous associations to an exogenous tradition that differentiates them from other Chinese groups, and to endogenous elements that situate them as inherently Chinese. This position of the Hui at the intersection of two presumably mutually-exclusive cultural spheres, namely Muslim and Chinese, results in mode of identity-formation, which I call alibism, and in which identity is founded on the basis of perpetual deferment to an alternative location.
Let’s Intervene! But Only If They’re Like Us: The Effects of Group Dynamics and Emotion on the Willingness to Support Humanitarian Intervention

AbstractInternational relations (IR) studies on humanitarian intervention have debated both the nature and strength of intervention norms. This article contributes to this debate by exploring under what conditions individuals are willing to support military humanitarian intervention (MHI) and the psychological factors that influence whether, and the degree to which individuals support MHI. Taking a psychological approach, we hypothesized that individuals’ decision to support MHI is influenced by in-group favoritism and emotional responses to in-group suffering. We tested our theory with two experiments, each of which recruited roughly 200 American participants. Both experiments centered on the ongoing Syrian civil war and assessed Americans’ willingness to support intervention to protect different civilian groups. The results suggested that support for intervention was widespread, but not a majority view in most cases. The findings also suggested that participants exhibited slightly higher rates of suppor...
Paper Rights: The Emergence of Documentary Identities in Post-Colonial India, 1950–67

ABSTRACTThis essay contextualises the emergence of a document regime which regulated routine travel through the deployment of the India–Pakistan Passport and Visa Scheme in 1952. It suggests that such travel documents were useful for the new Indian state to delineate citizenship and the nationality of migrants and individual travellers from Pakistan. The bureaucratic and legal mediations under the Scheme helped the Indian state to frame itself before its new citizens as the sole certifier of some of their rights as Indians. In contrast, applicants for these documents viewed them as utilitarian, meant to facilitate their travel across the new borders. The contrast and contestation between such different perceptions helps us to understand the continued significance of documentary identities in contemporary India.
Conformally Reduced WZNW Theory, New Extended Chiral Algebras and Their Associated Toda Type Integrable Systems(I) General Framework

We propose and analyse a large class of conformal reductions Cons[g(H,d)] of WZNW theory based on the integral gradations of the underlying Lie algebra g. The W-bases of the associated W-algebras W[g(H,d)] are constru ted under the generalized Drinfeld-Sokolov gauge which we call O'Raifeartaigh gauge of the constrained Kac-Moody currents, and the equations of motion of the extended Toda type integrable systems corresponding to these Walgebras are derived also.
Frontotemporal dementia affecting a U.S. Air Force officer.

We present the case of a 51-year-old former U.S. Air Force officer who developed marked behavioral and personality changes over a 9-year period, ultimately leading to his discharge from the Air Force at a rank below that which he achieved during service. Clinical diagnostic features, neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging together confirmed a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. This form of presenile dementia is discussed with reference to his case.
QUANTITATIVE STUDIES OF BRUCELLA PRECIPITIN SYSTEMS : I. PRECIPITATION OF HOMOLOGOUS ANTISERA BY BRUCELLA ENDOANTIGENS.

It has been shown that the precipitation by the endoantigens of the three species of brucella of their homologous antibodies may be described by equations developed from the law of mass action. The endoantigens may be used for the accurate calibration of brucella antisera. The nitrogen-containing constituent of the endoantigens does not always seem to be intimately connected with the ability to precipitate the specific antibodies.
Loose Anagen Syndrome: A Retrospective Chart Review of 37 Cases.

Background/Objectives Loose anagen syndrome (LAS) is a disorder of abnormal anchorage of the hair to the scalp. Its symptoms include an inability to grow hair long and hair that is easily pulled out. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with LAS over the last 10 years at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and found 37 cases. Results LAS was more common in females and was found in all hair colors and skin types. Conclusion Diagnosis of LAS should be made based on history, microscopic findings, and hair bulb and shaft features.
The Role of Environmental Exposures in Preterm Birth

Preterm birth is a significant yet poorly understood public health problem that may arise in part from maternal exposure to chemicals in the environment. This review explores the state of the knowledge on prematurity in relation to: (1) Organic pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls, and perfluorinated compounds, disinfection byproducts, such as trihalomethanes, non-persistent pesticides, such as atrazine, and non-persistent organics of emerging concern, such as phthalates and bisphenol-A; (2) Metals and metalloids, including lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury; and (3) Air pollutants, including EPA criteria air contaminants, environmental tobacco smoke, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We also highlight pervasive study limitations as well as important directions for future research.
A Purview of Being: The Ontological Structure of World, Reference (Verweisung) and Indication (Indikation)

This paper examines another crucial step in the development and unfolding of Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenology. In this essay, an attempt is made to outline the “projecting-opening” of world as the key to a phenomenological access to being. This projecting-opening makes explicit both the error of the attempt by “pragmatism” to reduce world to the totality of the self’s dealings with equipment on the one hand, and, on the other, the importance of translating Heidegger’s key phrase of “das Seiende im Ganze” in a manner recalling Dasein’s situation within the world, that is, as “beings in a whole” rather than “beings as a whole.”
Modeling of Metal-Fill Parasitic Capacitance and Application to On-Chip Slow-Wave Structures

Modern integrated circuit manufacturing processes generally require the insertion of a large amount of metal fill in layout regions of low metal density to reduce manufacturing defects. We present a general, process-independent, and scalable modeling technique for the computation of distributed capacitance of on-chip transmission lines in the presence of metal fill. The technique reduces the complex 3-D problem to a set of 2-D problems and solves using an effective length and an effective dielectric constant approach. We obtain speedups of about 12 fold for solving the set of 2-D reduced problems compared with a 3-D problem. We verify the accuracy of the technique by comparison with electromagnetic simulations in three process technologies and measurements in a 0.18- $\mu \text{m}$ BiCMOS process. The maximum error in self-capacitance and mutual capacitance is <6% and <10%, respectively, over a wide range of processes and physical parameters. The root-mean-square error between measured and modeled capacitance is 9.5%. To further demonstrate the effectiveness of our modeling method, we apply it to various transmission-line structures in the presence of floating conductors.
Characterization of micronized wood and energy-size relationship in wood comminution

Abstract Mechanical milling demonstrates potential in the pretreatment arena to valorize lignocellulosic biomass because it eliminates chemicals and simplifies processing. The development of physical properties and energy consumption for generating micronized particles are key factors affecting potential use. This study investigated the effect of input moisture content, and feedstock particle size on developing physical characteristics of micronized particles and the resultant specific energy consumption in the milling process. Wood particles with different sizes were effectively comminuted to 2
The South China Sea Arbitration Decision and a Plan for Peaceful Resolution of the Disputes

After the Philippines contested Chinese claims and actions in the South China Sea, a five-man panel of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 handed down a judgment that is surely the most important set of jurisprudential rulings in the modern history of the international law of the sea. The tribunal's judgment provides convincing interpretations of many UNCLOS articles that are important, not only in the context of the South China Sea, but generally in other maritime areas as well. The tribunal's judgment enhances freedom of navigation in ocean areas and provides guidelines for enforcing international law to protect the marine environment. But the tribunal's judgment is unlikely to have much effect with regard to settlement of the South China Sea disputes. Although China technically is bound by the judgments of the tribunal, China did not participate in the proceeding and will never expressly affirm the rulings' correctness. The paper puts forth a three-point plan to allow China to save face in this controversy. It is hoped that taking these steps the tribunal's important rulings may be accepted for what they are—the basis for a settlement of the South China Sea controversy.
Systolic arrays for SVD downdating

Publisher Summary In many applications it is required to adaptively compute the singular value decomposition (SVD) of a data matrix whose size nominally increases with time. In situations of high nonstationarity, the window of choice is a constant amplitude sliding window. This implies that whenever new samples are appended to the data matrix, outdated samples must be dropped, raising the need for a downdating operation. Hyperbolic transformations can be used for downdating with only minor changes with respect to the updating algorithms, but they can be successfully used only on well conditioned matrices. Orthogonal downdating algorithms which exploit the information contained in the orthogonal matrices of the decomposition are less prone to instabilities. This chapter considers hyperbolic and orthogonal downdating procedures applied to two algorithms for SVD computation, and discusses the respective implementational issues.
Acute Compensatory Responses to Interrupting Prolonged Sitting With Intermittent Activity in Preadolescent Children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of intermittent activity performed at varying intensities and of prolonged sitting on physical activity compensation. Methods: A total of 33 children (14 boys and 19 girls; age 7–11 y; 24% overweight/obese; 61% nonwhite) completed 4 experimental conditions in random order: 8 hours of sitting interrupted with 20 two-minute low-, moderate-, or high-intensity activity breaks or 20 two-minute sedentary computer game breaks. Physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was assessed via accelerometry to establish baseline PAEE and throughout each condition day (8-h in-lab PAEE, out-of-lab PAEE, and 3-d postcondition). Results: Compared with baseline PAEE, total daily PAEE was significantly higher during the high-intensity condition day (153 ± 43 kcal, P = .03), unchanged during the low-intensity (−40 ± 23 kcal, P > .05) and moderate-intensity condition days (−11 ± 18 kcal, P > .05), and decreased in response to prolonged sitting (−79 ± 22 kcal, P = .0...
Ocular dynamics and control

Abstract Eye movement systems are ideal for studying human control of movement since they are of relatively low dimension and easier to control than other neuromuscular systems. In this paper, a model of the ocular motor plant is developed for the purpose of simulating saccadic eye movement. The system that is presented incorporates muscle mass, general nonlinear musculotendon dynamics and activation dynamics that couple neural controls that are appropriate for saccadic movements to the muscle mechanics. Eye position, velocity and muscle tension are illustrated by numerical simulation of the model. By scrutinizing the trajectories of the eye movements it is possible to infer the effects of motoncuronal activity, deduce the central nervous system's control strategy, and systematically observe the effects of perturbations in the controls.
The Pharmacologic Properties of Various Forms of Interferon

Several forms of human interferons were compared for their abilities to distribute systemically following various routes of inoculation in animals and for their survival in the circulatory system. Human leukocyte-derived interferons (HuIFN-α) were much more efficient at entering the blood than were fibroblast-derived interferons (HuIFN-β); the latter were unstable in tissue suspensions which were without effect on the former. While all forms of HuIFN-α isolated as distinct molecular species were similarly efficient at entering the blood following intramuscular injection, these HuIFN-α forms differed in the clearance rates from the blood. Thus, HuIFN-α (21K) was cleared much more rapidly than HuIFN-α (18K) or Namalva lymphoblastoid cell-derived HuIFN-α, which were in turn less stable in the bloodstream that the HuIFN-α (15K). Therefore, while HuIFN-α appears to have pharmacologically advantageous properties in comparison to HuIFN-β, each distinct molecular form of HuIFN-α can have different pharmacokinetic properties. Such evaluations will be important for each of the HuIFN-α forms produced by transformed E. coli clones.
Survey and analysis of crystal polymorphism in organic structures

With the intention of producing the most comprehensive treatment of the prevalence of crystal polymorphism among structurally characterized materials, all polymorphic compounds flagged as such within the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) are analysed and a list of crystallographically characterized organic polymorphic compounds is assembled. Classifying these structures into subclasses of anhydrates, salts, hydrates, non-hydrated solvates and cocrystals reveals that there are significant variations in polymorphism prevalence as a function of crystal type, a fact which has not previously been recognized in the literature. It is also shown that, as a percentage, polymorphic entries are decreasing temporally within the CSD, with the notable exception of cocrystals, which continue to rise at a rate that is a constant fraction of the overall entries. Some phenomena identified that require additional scrutiny include the relative prevalence of temperature-induced phase transitions among organic salts and the paucity of polymorphism in crystals with three or more chemical components.
Ultrasound diagnosis of molar pregnancy

IntroductionThe primary aims of this study were to establish what proportion of ultrasonically suspected molar pregnancies were proven on histological examination and what proportion of histologically diagnosed molar pregnancies were identified by ultrasound pre-operatively. The secondary aim was to review the features of these scans to help identify criteria that may improve ultrasound diagnosis.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study conducted in the Early Pregnancy Unit at King’s College Hospital London over an 11-year period. Cases of ultrasonically suspected molar pregnancy or other gestational trophoblastic disease were identified and compared with the final histopathological diagnosis. In addition, cases which were diagnosed on histopathology that were not suspected on ultrasound were also examined. In discrepant cases, the images were reviewed unblinded by two senior sonographers. Statistical analysis for likelihood ratio and post-test probabilities was performed.ResultsOne hundred eig...
Examining the Impact of Computational Creativity Exercises on College Computer Science Students' Learning, Achievement, Self-Efficacy, and Creativity

The purpose of the present study was to investigate how the inclusion of computational creativity exercises (CCEs) merging computational and creative thinking in undergraduate computer science (CS) courses affected students' course grades, learning of core CS knowledge, self-efficacy, and creative competency. CCEs were done in lower- and upper-division CS courses at a single university. Students in CCE implementation courses were compared to students in the same courses in different semesters. Propensity score matching was used to create comparable groups (control and implementation) based on students' GPA, motivation, and engagement. Results showed that implementing CCEs in undergraduate CS courses enhanced grades, learning of core CS knowledge, and self-efficacy for creatively applying CS knowledge. However, CCEs did not impact creative competency. The effect of the CCEs was consistent across upper- and lower-division courses for all outcomes. Unlike previous studies that only established the support for CCEs, such as positive dosage effects, the results of this study indicate that CCEs have a causal effect on students' achievement, learning, and self-efficacy, and this effect is independent of general academic achievement, motivation, and engagement. These findings establish the CCEs as a validated, evidence-based instructional method.
Superconducting Intermetallic Compounds — The A15 Story

Twenty years ago the phenomenon of superconductivity was the exclusive property of the low temperature physicist and was regarded as the major unsolved problem of solid state physics. Today one reads and hears that superconductivity is well understood and that most solid state theoreticians regard it as a “solved problem” no longer worthy of their full attention. I believe that, due to the technological promises of applied superconductivity, there are currently more metallurgists, engineers and electronic specialists involved with superconductivity than there are physicists, or at least physicists who are engaged in the “physics” of superconductivity.
Control of a Batch Reactor Using a Multivariate Statistical Controller Design

Abstract Batch processes play an important role in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries. However, the main characteristics of batch processes, flexibility, finite duration, and nonlinear behavior are associated with both their success and their incompatibility with the usual techniques for control. The batch reactor studied indirectly controls the extent of reaction by using reactor pressure to control temperature which is as an inferential measurement of extent of reaction. The manipulated variable is the flow of the heating or cooling medium through a split range valve. However, just controlling to a reactor temperature profile will not necessarily reduce product nonuniformity and batch-to-batch variability. In this paper, it is proposed to control the reactor via control actions calculated in a reduced representation space of a principal component representation, the score space. This space is determined by the interrelationships among the process variables using Multi-way Principal Component Analysis (MPCA); the control action that will regulate the scores to the nominal score trajectories are calculated. The development of the MPCA representation of the process and the associated controller based on score space data are presented. The performance of this controller formulation in the face of a typical heat transfer disturbance is illustrated.
Hospitalizations After Heart Failure Diagnosis: A Community Perspective

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the lifetime burden and risk factors for hospitalization after heart failure (HF) diagnosis in the community. Background Hospitalizations in patients with HF represent a major public health problem; however, the cumulative burden of hospitalizations after HF diagnosis is unknown, and no consistent risk factors for hospitalization have been identified. Methods We validated a random sample of all incident HF cases in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1987 to 2006 and evaluated all hospitalizations after HF diagnosis through 2007. International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision codes were used to determine the primary reason for hospitalization. To account for repeated events, Andersen-Gill models were used to determine the predictors of hospitalization after HF diagnosis. Patients were censored at death or last follow-up. Results Among 1,077 HF patients (mean age 76.8 years, 582 [54.0%] female), 4,359 hospitalizations occurred over a mean follow-up of 4.7 years. Hospitalizations were common after HF diagnosis, with 895 (83.1%) patients hospitalized at least once, and 721 (66.9%), 577 (53.6%), and 459 (42.6%) hospitalized ≥2, ≥3, and ≥4 times, respectively. The reason for hospitalization was HF in 713 (16.5%) hospitalizations and other cardiovascular in 936 (21.6%), whereas over one-half (n = 2,679, 61.9%) were noncardiovascular. Male sex, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anemia, and creatinine clearance Conclusions Multiple hospitalizations are common after HF diagnosis, though less than one-half are due to cardiovascular causes. Comorbid conditions are strongly associated with hospitalizations, and this information could be used to define effective interventions to prevent hospitalizations in HF patients.
Diagnostic performance of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers for predicting portal hypertension in children and young adults with autoimmune liver disease

Primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis and autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis are forms of chronic, progressive autoimmune liver disease (AILD) that can affect the pediatric population. To determine whether quantitative MRI- and laboratory-based biomarkers are associated with conventional imaging findings of portal hypertension (radiologic portal hypertension) in children and young adults with AILD. Forty-four patients with AILD enrolled in an institutional registry underwent a research abdominal MRI examination at 1.5 tesla (T). Five quantitative MRI techniques were performed: liver MR elastography, spleen MR elastography, liver iron-corrected T1 mapping, liver T2 mapping, and liver diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI, quantified as apparent diffusion coefficients). Two anatomical sequences were used to document splenomegaly, varices and ascites. We calculated aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) scores — laboratory-based biomarkers of liver fibrosis. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses to establish the diagnostic performance of quantitative MRI and laboratory biomarkers for indicating the presence of radiologic portal hypertension. Twenty-three (52%) patients were male; mean age was 15.2±4.0 years. Thirteen (30%) patients had radiologic portal hypertension. Liver and spleen stiffness demonstrated the greatest diagnostic performance for indicating the presence of portal hypertension (area-under-the-ROC-curve [AUROC]=0.98 and 0.96, respectively). The APRI and FIB-4 scores also demonstrated good diagnostic performance (AUROC=0.87 and 0.88, respectively). MRI-derived measures of liver and spleen stiffness as well as laboratory-based APRI and FIB-4 scores are highly associated with imaging findings of portal hypertension in children and young adults with AILD and thus might be useful for predicting portal hypertension impending onset and directing personalized patient management.
Training for Manufactured Construction (TRAMCON) – Benefits and Challenges for Workforce Development at Manufactured Housing Industry

Manufactured Housing (MH) is the process of producing building units or entire buildings in an offsite factory and transporting them to the site for installation and assembly. The application of advanced manufacturing technologies into the housing process not only will increase productivity, but also can provide a safer work environment, stable work location, long-term growth opportunities, and career progression for employees. Today, the MH workforce is facing problems with worker quality and retention. The rising demand for MH indicates the need for training a multi-skilled labor force for this industry. This paper evaluates the essence of an educational program for MH industry and discusses the rationale for training the MH workforce in comparison to conventional training programs. In response to the stated problem of Inadequate training programs, the curriculum for Training Manufactured Construction (TRAMCON) was developed by the University of Florida and delivered throughout Florida by the TRAMCON Consortium. While the quantitative results in labor performance improvement in the factory plants have not yet been established, the major strengths and challenges of the program are discussed.
Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about dining out with food allergies: A cross-sectional survey of restaurant customers in the United States

Abstract For the increasing number of consumers with food allergies in the United States, dining out may pose serious health threats. Both restaurateurs and consumers need to be vigilant to prevent food allergy reactions in restaurants, but empirical studies that explored knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of consumers with food allergies are limited. Therefore, this research aimed to examine food allergy knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of customers with food allergies or parents or guardians with children with food allergies by conducting focus groups and a cross-sectional survey. Customers with food allergies (n = 63) and parents or guardians of children with food allergies (n = 257), who were members of a food allergy social networking website, participated in the survey. Due to the nature of the website, in which members share their dining experience and recommendations, only 2.8% of participants indicated that they have never eaten at a restaurant. The average knowledge score of participants was 24.7 out of 30 (82.3%), and they well recognized typical causes of food allergy reactions in restaurants (i.e., hidden allergens, cross-contacts, and restaurant employees’ lack of knowledge, care, and communication about food allergies). Customers with food allergies took a variety of actions to prevent food allergy reactions before or during their visits to restaurants. Depending on the types of food allergens and previous dining experiences, respondents voiced diverse concerns about different types of restaurants. Restaurateurs may benefit from recognizing and addressing these concerns to improve their service for customers with food allergies.
Exact and/or Fast Nearest Neighbors.

Prior methods for retrieval of nearest neighbors in high dimensions are fast and approximate--providing probabilistic guarantees of returning the correct answer--or slow and exact performing an exhaustive search. We present Certified Cosine, a novel approach to nearest-neighbors which takes advantage of structure present in the cosine similarity distance metric to offer certificates. When a certificate is constructed, it guarantees that the nearest neighbor set is correct, possibly avoiding an exhaustive search. Certified Cosine's certificates work with high dimensional data and outperform previous exact nearest neighbor methods on these datasets.
Supervised Encoding for Discrete Representation Learning

Classical supervised classification tasks search for a nonlinear mapping that maps each encoded feature directly to a probability mass over the labels. Such a learning framework typically lacks the intuition that encoded features from the same class tend to be similar and thus has little interpretability for the learned features. In this paper, we propose a novel supervised learning model named Supervised-Encoding Quantizer (SEQ). The SEQ applies a quantizer to cluster and classify the encoded features. We found that the quantizer provides an interpretable graph where each cluster in the graph represents a class of data samples that have a particular style. We also trained a decoder that can decode convex combinations of the encoded features from similar and different clusters and provide guidance on style transfer between sub-classes.
eSNAP: Enabling Sensor Network Automatic Positioning in IoT Lighting Systems

The configuration of sensor nodes in Internet-of-Things (IoT) systems is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, often due to the lack of user interfaces in embedded sensor devices or the large number of nodes in a network. A crucial step in configuring an IoT node is mapping its identification (ID) to its physical location within the deployment area. This step is more pronounced in lighting systems, where both lighting control and sensing data need to be supported. In this article, we propose, eSNAP , an ID-location mapping method that enables the automatic configuration of wireless sensor nodes in connected lighting systems. Such mapping allows setting up and maintaining a secure and reliable IoT network with little human intervention, while providing valuable contextual information for the sensor data, which is critical in most IoT applications, including lighting. Our proposed method combines available digitized building planning/design information with theories of the Euclidean distance matrices and combinatorial optimization to enable the automatic configuration of IoT nodes. Furthermore, we leverage the channel and time diversities of the received signal measurements obtained by off-the-shelf wireless RF modules to enhance the positioning accuracy over time. We evaluate and validate the proposed method using state-of-the-art wireless mesh networking standards on two real-world setups: 1) a 30-node lab setup implemented using the Bluetooth mesh standard-compliant embedded platform and 2) a real-world connected lighting system based on ZigBee mesh in a corporate office building.
TRANSPORT THROUGH MEMBRANE JUNCTIONS

Abstract A wide variety of animal tissues consist of interconnected cells. The cell junctions are so structured as to allow passage of molecules directly from one cell interior to another. When cells are experimentally dispersed, the entire cellular surface is a strong diffusion barrier. When cells, at least of certain kinds, are brought together, the regions of membrane contact (junctional membranes) become several orders of magnitude more permeable than the rest of the membrane and the junctional margins are sealed off from the exterior. Membrane bound Ca ++ appears to play a key role in this permeability transformation. The junctional membrane permeability depends on the Ca ++ concentration in the cytoplasm in contact with the junctional membranes. The permeability is high in the low concentrations ( − 6M) normally prevailing in cytoplasm. It falls when cytoplasmic [Ca ++ ]rises, as in intracellular injection of Ca ++ , influx of Ca ++ through mechanically or chemically produced leaks in (nonjunctional) cell membrane or in junctional seal, substitution of extracellular Na by Li, or inhibition of cell metabolism on which Ca ++ influx depends. The minimal effective Ca ++ concentration for permeability depression in Chironomus salivary gland cells is 4-8 × 10 −5 M. Other divalent cations also depress junctional membrane permeability, but with much less potency. The order of potency is Ca>Mg>Sr>Ba. Because of the high junctional permeability, the connected cells form systems with a common intracellular milieu. (In many epithelia, all cells of a given tissue are interconnected). Aside from the small inorganic ions, many metabolites, hormones and other cellular substances fall within the size range of molecules permeating the junction. Some of the possible functional roles of this form of communication are discussed, in particular, those involving cellular growth control and differentiation.
The Market for Reverse Mortgages among Older Americans

This paper examines the usage of reverse mortgages among mortgage borrowers, as well as rejected applicants for new mortgage credit who are age 62+. We find that 17-27 percent of actual and rejected borrowers would have qualified for a HECM reverse mortgage, or nine to 14 times the size of the actual HECM market. The existence of a large number of seniors with an existing mortgage or taking out a new mortgage with quite high LTVs (57-65%, depending on the product) suggests that many seniors do, in fact utilize home equity in order to fund their retirement. Yet they choose products that require monthly payments lasting decades into retirement and rising as a share of (declining) income as they age. We consider a number of possible explanations for why seniors in the US do not spend home equity and rely on loans with high payments, including precautionary savings for health shocks, bequest motives, high costs of reverse mortgages, and the lack of brand name institutions in the reverse mortgage business.
Word to the Wise: Feedback Interventions to Moderate the Effects of Stereotype Threat and Attributional Ambiguity on Law Students

The academic underachievement of minority students in law school can be explained, in part, by a psychological phenomenon called stereotype threat--a form of identity threat that occurs when a negative group stereotype exists, and the possibility exists that an individual member of a stereotyped group can be devalued by a stereotype because of membership in the group. Because negative stereotypes about the intellectual and academic ability of Black and Latina students persist, these students are susceptible to stereotype threat in any academic environment, including law school. Providing critical feedback to students facing negative stereotypes about their group’s intellectual capacity presents a unique challenge to educators. When receiving critical feedback a stereotype threatened student’s decision to respond to negative feedback by increasing effort carries more than the possibility of failing to meet the standard; for the stereotype threatened student failure also threatens to confirm the stereotyped limitation, both in the eyes of others, and potentially in the eyes of the student. Rather than expose themselves to such a possibility, the student may diminish the importance of the task, reduce their effort, and disengage from the task, and even from the domain itself - i.e., law school because of a reluctance to invest effort in an area where they may be subjected to biased treatment, or because the risk of confirming the negative stereotype comes at too great of an emotional and psychological cost. This article provides specific strategies law school faculty can employ in their written and verbal feedback statements to improve outcomes for their students. Known as "wise feedback" in the social psychology literature, this two-faceted intervention assures students both that critical feedback is the result of high standards, and that the student is capable of meeting the standards. By employing "wise" techniques, faculty can convey critical feedback in a manner that encourages effort and persistence, and minimizes or eliminates the negative motivational effects of stereotype threat, thereby achieving the goal of improving performance and retention of minority law students and takings steps to close the minority achievement gap in law school.
How the Government Created and Sustains the Private Pharmaceutical Industry

The private pharmaceutical industry is perennially one of the most profitable in the United States. Its success is built on a cascade of products, some of which generate billions of dollars in sales each year. New ones continually enter the market to replenish the supply. Companies that ultimately market new drugs are visible to all. Their partners in research and clinical testing are known in the industry and throughout the investment community. What is not as readily apparent is the partner that creates the foundation for the entire drug development process.
Slow oscillations provide the spatio-temporal framework for long-range neural communication during sleep

Slow oscillations (SOs, <1Hz) during non-rapid eye movement sleep are thought to reflect sleep homeostasis and support memory consolidation. Yet, the fundamental properties of SOs and their impact on neural network communication are not understood. We used effective connectivity to estimate causal information flow across the electrode manifold during SOs and found two peak of information flow in specific phases of the SO. We show causal communication during non-rapid eye movement sleep peaks during specific phases of the SO, but only across long distances. We confirmed this prediction by cluster analysis demonstrating greater flow in global, compared with local, SOs. Finally, we tested the functional significance of these results by examining which SO properties supported overnight episodic memory improvement, with the underlying assumption that memory consolidation would engage global, long-range communication. Indeed, episodic memory improvement was predicted only by the SO properties with greatest causal information flow, i.e., longest distances between sinks and sources and global, but not local, SOs. These findings explain how NREM sleep (characterized as a state of low brain connectivity) leverages SO-induced selective information flow to coordinate a wide network of brain regions during memory formation.
Intelligent approach for accurately predicting fatigue damage in overhead highway sign structures

Abstract Full-span overhead sign support structures can be found along any major highway across the US. Such structures experience different wind loading scenarios varying with time. As a result, these structures start to build up fatigue cracks within their members near the end of their fatigue life. Due to economic realities, the needed routine fatigue inspections on such highway structures can not be performed regularly. This paper is intended to present a comprehensive tool to accurately predict the remaining fatigue life of full-span overhead highway sign support structures subjected to a long and sustained wind fluctuation. Synthetic wind time histories were developed by superimposing cosine waves over a range of frequencies of 3–300 Hz and randomly generated phase angles. Kaimal spectrum was utilized to build a database of wind time histories for each daily mean wind speed along a period of 45 years in the State of Kansas. Moreover, each wind time history was modified to capture both the mean speed and high speed in each given day. After that, the wind speed vs. the number of cycle relationship, for a given time span, was extracted from the synthetic wind time history using the Rain Flow counting technique. Fatigue evaluations were conducted using axial truss member stresses extracted from a finite element solution corresponding to each wind speed in any given time range. Potential fatigue failure was assessed for each structural member after amplifying the stress range using an average dynamic amplification factor generated by integrating the frequency-response curve of harmonic excitations. These assessments evaluate the ratio of consumed fatigue cycles to ultimate fatigue cycles using Miner’s rule to estimate the fatigue life. A computationally affordable simulation package was developed to carry out the generation of wind time histories, cycle counting, structural modeling, and fatigue life calculations. This package was used to evaluate the fatigue life of a non-cantilever sign structure in Wichita, Kansas. The software predicted the end-of fatigue life of two members in this structure. Accordingly, inspections of these two members revealed the existence of unnoticed severe fatigue cracks while other members did not show any sign of distress.
Why Sacagawea Deserves the Day Off and Other Lessons from the Lewis and Clark Trail

Review of: "Why Sacagawea Deserves the Day Off & Other Lessons from the Lewis & Clark Trail," by Stephanie Ambrose Tubbs.
Depression and satisfaction with health coverage and medical care in the 1998 NRC Healthcare Market Guide survey.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships among ratings for depression and health-plan and medical-care satisfaction using data from the 1998 National Research Corporation Healthcare Market Guide® (HCMG) survey (N=120,855). Respondents in families in which one or more members had depression (self-report) gave lower satisfaction ratings than those in families in which no member had depression on four global and four composite satisfaction measures. Although satisfaction ratings, generally, were high and depression effects were small, the authors nevertheless recommend efforts to improve access and quality of mental health care.
Liouville Equation of Motion

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Operators and Operator Bases 3 Some Commonly Used Bases 4 The Density Operator 5 Superoperators 6 Biographical Sketch Related Article