cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies and alcohol-impaired driving

All states in the U.S. prohibit alcohol-impaired driving but active law enforcement is necessary for effectively reducing this behavior. Sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, open container laws, and media campaigns related to enforcement efforts are all enforcement-related strategies for reducing alcohol-impaired driving. We conducted surveys of all state patrol agencies and a representative sample of local law enforcement agencies to assess their use of alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies and to determine the relationship between these enforcement-related strategies and self-reported alcohol-impaired driving behavior obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We found that sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and enforcement of open container laws were associated with a lower prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving but, more importantly, a combination of enforcement-related strategies was associated with a greater decrease in alcohol-impaired driving than any individual enforcement-related activity. In addition, alcohol-impaired driving enforcement-related strategies were associated with decreased alcohol-impaired driving above and beyond their association with decreased binge drinking. Results suggest law enforcement agencies should give greater priority to using a combination of strategies rather than relying on any one individual enforcement activity.
Charter Schools: Hope or Hype?, by Jack Buckley and Mark Schneider

As I write this, President Obama has called for states to lift caps on the numbers of charter schools, but as education reforms go, are charters worth the trouble (Strauss, 2009)? 1 Answers lie jus...
Calmodulin levels in yeasts and filamentous fungi

A calmodulin-specific radioimmunoassay was used to measure the calmodulin present in 5 filamentous fungi and 14 yeasts. The filamentous organisms contained from 2.0 –6.5 μg calmodulin per mg soluble protein, whereas the yeasts contained from 0.02–0.89 μg per mg. The size of this difference suggests that the evolutionary transition to yeasts included loss of the extra calmodulin synthetic capacity necessary for mycelial growth.
Rational Design of Envelope Identifies Broadly Neutralizing Human Monoclonal Antibodies to HIV-1

Cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) are found in the sera of many HIV-1-infected individuals, but the virologic basis of their neutralization remains poorly understood. We used knowledge of HIV-1 envelope structure to develop antigenically resurfaced glycoproteins specific for the structurally conserved site of initial CD4 receptor binding. These probes were used to identify sera with NAbs to the CD4-binding site (CD4bs) and to isolate individual B cells from such an HIV-1-infected donor. By expressing immunoglobulin genes from individual cells, we identified three monoclonal antibodies, including a pair of somatic variants that neutralized over 90% of circulating HIV-1 isolates. Exceptionally broad HIV-1 neutralization can be achieved with individual antibodies targeted to the functionally conserved CD4bs of glycoprotein 120, an important insight for future HIV-1 vaccine design.
An application hierarchy for heuristic rules in automatic phonemic segmentation of continuous speech

In Automatic Recognition of Continuous Speech (ARCS), one approach is to segment the speech continuum approximately at the phoneme level as an initial step in abstracting lexical and/or sementic content. If heuristic rules are used for this segmentation, the order of rule application and the character of the data to be used by the rules become important considerations. The rationale for and some examples from an application hierarchy and a recognition-then-segmentation approach will be presented; this approach has been used fairly successfully in phonemic segmentation of continuous speech.
Recursive algorithm for the third-order model of robots

An efficient computational algorithm for a third-order robot model is derived. It is based on the Newton-Euler dynamics formulation and follows the method used in the algorithm for the second-order model by J.Y.S. Luh et al. (1980). Although the number of computations in the former increased as compared with the latter, it is still linear with respect to number of joints. This algorithm may be used in both simulation and control. >
A Re-Evaluation of Hardened Cement Paste Microstructure Based on Backscatter Sem Investigations

Backscattered electron imaging of polished cement paste specimens permits a re-evaluation of structural details of hydrated cement paste at the gim level. The primarily microstructural units comprise a highly porous groundmass and large distinct grains (“phenograins”) set in it. The groundmass is composed of several kinds of fine particles, with a significant content of easily detected gross pores. Phenograins are primarily large clinker grains hydrating in-situ, but may be distinct deposits of CH, or may be mineral admixture grains. Detailed EDS analyses indicated that hydrating cement in phenograins has a highly consistent composition, interpreted as C-S-H with a small but regular incorporation of sub-jim CH and calcium monosulfoaluminate. Groundmass particles are highly variable in composition, but appear to consist of C-S-H with variable and occasionally major contents of other hydration products on a sub-μm scale. Incorporation of fly ash does not appear to change the basic microstructure, but silica fume incorporated with superplasticizer drastically modifies the character of the groundmass. Some attempts at quantification of these features by application of image analysis are briefly described.
Opportunistic Wireless Broadcast (OWB): Dynamic redundancy detection in the wireless medium

The demand for rich multimedia content is continuously increasing as exemplified by the success of sites such as YouTube, Google Video, and others. Critically, the richness of multimedia content places significant demands on the limited bandwidth available in wireless networks. To that end, this paper proposes a novel mechanism, opportunistic wireless broadcast (OWB), that opportunistically aggregates redundant content over short timescales into unified broadcasts in order to dramatically improve the efficiency of streaming media. Unlike end-to-end techniques such as application-layer multicast (ALM) or native IP multicast, OWB does not require modifications to the server or client applications, thus offering a practical transition for deployment. Experimental studies are presented showing that even with a minimal amount of redundancy, OWB can significantly improve network throughput and quality of service in terms of end-to-end delay.
Functional neurokinin 1 receptors for substance P are expressed by human vascular endothelium

Substance P (SP), a neurotachykinin, is important in a number of inflammatory processes in which the endothelial cell also plays a critical role. SP receptors have previously been identified only on arterial endothelium, and the scant in vitro evidence for direct effects of SP on human endothelium is based on studies using nonarterial cells. To better understand SP's role in inflammation, we sought to identify functional SP receptors on human endothelium in situ and in culture. Autoradiographic ligand binding to human umbilical cord sections demonstrates the presence of SP binding sites with characteristics of the neurokinin 1 (NK-1) receptor (displacement by GTP analogues and the NK-1 specific antagonist CP-96,345) on human umbilical arterial, but not venous, endothelium. In culture, human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human aortic endothelial cells express low levels of available SP binding sites. However, HUVECs, which are serum starved and refed, undergo a dramatic increase in SP binding. SP binding to starved/refed HUVECs induces a transient increase in intracellular calcium. This calcium flux is dose dependent over appropriate SP concentrations and can be blocked by NK-1 specific antagonists. The proinflammatory effects of SP may be mediated in part through the NK-1 receptor on endothelium.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Funding: A Nationwide Assessment of Effects on Rape and Assault

Although evaluations of process and implementation suggest that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding program has resulted in positive outcomes, no study has evaluated its impact on violent crime. This study examines panel data from 1996 to 2002 (10,371 jurisdictions) throughout the United States. Findings indicate that VAWA grants were associated with reductions in rape and assault. These relationships persisted after controlling for general downward crime trends and effects of other justice grants. The results provide support for continued existence of this funding stream and for additional evaluation to determine exactly which programs funded are effective in reducing crime.
A “Spoonful of Sugar” and the Realities of Diabetes Prevention!

Given the remarkable progress made to date in regard to unraveling the pathophysiology and natural history of type 2 diabetes, identifying at-risk individuals, and evaluating effective clinical interventions for diabetes prevention, it would be very logical to think that assembling the required resources and implementing the “real-world” translation of findings to prevent type 2 diabetes would be only a matter of time. There is no debate on the need for widespread dissemination of effective interventions to delay onset of type 2 diabetes. First and foremost, there is an incredible amount of data defining the factors contributing to the development of diabetes (e.g., physical inactivity, dietary intake, and obesity). Second, we are all aware of the complications and the financial and emotional costs of the disease. Third, we recognize the global burden of the diabetes epidemic given the prevalence and incidence rates of obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes reported for each region of the world. And finally, it is no longer questioned that clinical interventions that consist of both lifestyle modification and metformin appear to be effective modalities in reducing the cumulative incidence of diabetes for at least 10 years (1–3). So, is there really any further debate needed regarding this topic? As outlined in this issue of the journal, the answer may not be so clear. Given the importance of this topic, our editorial team has featured articles focused on diabetes prevention in this issue of Diabetes Care —the topics range from discussion of genetic risk and progression to diabetes to policy development (4–8). In this issue, Sullivan and colleagues, reporting on behalf of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Research Group, examined the utility of genetic risk scores (GRS) (as developed from a composite of single nucleotide polymorphisms at loci associated with type 2 …
Coincident-Current Superconductive Memory

In a continuous superconductive film memory, elements are obtained through discrete regions of circulation of persistent currents near the intersection of x-y conductors deposited on the film. Analysis and confirming experiments show that these regions are stable. The elimination of edges of discrete film dots removes the main cause of variation of critical currents. Reproducibilities better than one quarter per cent were obtained. Simplicity of construction permits high bit densities. Memory planes of one hundred cells were made. Advisable speed of operation depends mainly on addressing and sensing circuits. Write-in in 3 nsec was obtained in single elements with only 60 milliamperes drive.
Investigating Pitch Accent Recognition in Non-native Speech

Acquisition of prosody, in addition to vocabulary and grammar, is essential for language learners. However, it has received less attention in instruction. To enable automatic identification and feedback on learners' prosodic errors, we investigate automatic pitch accent labeling for non-native speech. We demonstrate that an acoustic-based context model can achieve accuracies over 79% on binary pitch accent recognition when trained on within-group data. Furthermore, we demonstrate that good accuracies are achieved in cross-group training, where native and near-native training data result in no significant loss of accuracy on non-native test speech. These findings illustrate the potential for automatic feedback in computer-assisted prosody learning.
Hierarchical aggregation functions generated from belief structures

We deal with the development of tools useful for the construction of multicriteria decision functions that allow for the modeling of the types of complexity that is the hallmark of human intelligence. We first discuss the fuzzy measure, describe its potential for characterizing relationships between multiple criteria, and introduce the class of ordered aggregation functions that can be based on a fuzzy measure. We then focus on the two fuzzy measures associated with the Dempster-Shafer belief structure, plausibility, and belief, and describe the types of ordered aggregation functions obtained using these measures. This leads us to introduce a new class of aggregation functions obtained by allowing a decision maker to provide his decision imperative in terms of components (concepts) that contribute to his overall satisfaction. Each component consists of a value, a subset of criteria and an agenda for combining the criteria in the component. Finally, it is shown how these components can be combined to allow for the representation of hierarchical decision functions.
TF-ICF: A New Term Weighting Scheme for Clustering Dynamic Data Streams

In this paper, we propose a new term weighting scheme called Term Frequency -- Inverse Corpus Frequency (TF-ICF). It does not require term frequency information from other documents within the document collection and thus, it enables us to generate the document vectors of N streaming documents in linear time. In the context of a machine learning application, unsupervised document clustering, we evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed approach in comparison to five widely used term weighting schemes through extensive experimentation. Our results show that TF-ICF can produce document clusters that are of comparable quality as those generated by the widely recognized term weighting schemes and it is significantly faster than those methods.
Inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus infection in epithelial cells by alpha interferon-induced soluble secreted proteins.

Interferons (IFNs) are potent antiviral cytokines that inhibit infection by a wide spectrum of viruses by activating the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway. Several IFN-induced antiviral proteins including 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase, dsRNA-activated protein kinase and Mx play a critical role in conferring the antiviral properties of IFN. However, studies have shown that additional antiviral factors are involved in addition to these proteins during IFN-mediated antiviral action. In an effort to characterize these novel antiviral factors, the antiviral mechanism of alpha IFN (IFN-α) against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was investigated in human lung epithelial A549 cells. These studies demonstrated that soluble secreted antiviral proteins as the constituents of conditioned medium prepared from IFN-α-treated cells reduced VSV infectivity by more than 2 logs, compared with a 4 log inhibition observed following treatment of cells with IFN-α. The antiviral mechanism of these secreted proteins appeared to act at the level of cellular entry of VSV. Interestingly, the IFN-α-induced antiviral proteins were secreted independently of STAT1 (an essential component of the JAK/STAT pathway), demonstrating that the release of such extracellular soluble antiviral proteins from cells may represent an alternative mechanism of the antiviral defence strategy of IFN towards VSV infection.
Effects of calcium treatment on forest floor organic matter composition along an elevation gradient

Calcium amendment is a restorative option for nutrient-depleted, acidic soils in the forests of the northeastern United States. We studied the effects of watershed-scale wollastonite (CaSiO3) application on the structural composition of soil organic matter (SOM) and hot-water-extractable organic matter (HWEOM) at the Hubbard Brook Experiment Forest in New Hampshire 7–9 years after treatment, along an elevation gradient. Soils in the high-elevation spruce–fir–birch (SFB) zone contained significantly greater amounts of HWEOM compared with lower elevation hardwood soils, likely due to differences in litter quality and slower decomposition rates in colder soils at higher elevation. The only significant difference in hot-water-extractable organic carbon concentration between reference and calcium-treated watersheds was in Oie horizons of the SFB zone, which also exhibited the greatest degree of soil chemical change after treatment. The 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra showed no significant patterns...
Pathologic correlation of 18F-16{beta}-fluoro-5{alpha}-dihydrotestosterone (FDHT) and FDG PET in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

5016 Background: We have demonstrated the feasibility, pharmacokinetic properties, tumor targeting, and the preliminary prognostic value of FDHT as a PET tracer for prostate cancer (PCa). As part o...
Response to Dynamic Surface Pressure Distributions

This paper uses Biot's theory for poroelastic media to examine the response to dynamic surface pressure distribution of layered systems of fluid-filled soils or porous rock. Pressure distributions that are spacially fixed but varying harmonically with time as well as uniformly moving distributions are considered. A general solution is obtained using a Fourier integral transform technique, which is applied to a system consisting of a layer of sand over a base of porous sandstone. Calculated results for deformations, stresses filtering velocities, and fluid flow rates within the layer are presented.
Density Estimates and Markov Sequences

Estimates of the density function of a population based on a sample of independent observations have been considered in a number of papers [1,6-7]. Questions of bias, variance and asymptotic distribution of the estimates have been dealt with at greatest length. Our object is to look at such estimates of the density function when the observations are dependent. The results will not be dealt with in the most general context or under very general conditions. To obtain results in a simple and readily understandable form, the observations are assumed to be sampled from a stationary Markov sequence with a fairly strong condition on the Markov transition operator. However, the extent to which some of the conditions can be obviously relaxed will be indicated.
Physical modalities in the management of mild to moderate foot pain.

Abstract The use of physical modalities to mediate mild to moderate foot pain is a part of podiatric practice. This article focuses on the primary indications and contraindications related to pain and some components of application. Institutional, ambulatory, and home care considerations are identified and presented. The focus is also clinical and practical, i.e., based upon common foot conditions seen in clinical practice.
How To Think About the Individual as a Nonautonomous Community

In the wake of 20th-century cases of egregious human subjects abuse, the need arose for reliably identifiable moral standards to which we may appeal when drawing the line between permissible and im...
Multimode Strong Coupling in Superconducting Cavity Piezoelectromechanics.

High-frequency mechanical resonators subjected to low thermal phonon occupancy are easier to be prepared to the ground state by direct cryogenic cooling. Their extreme stiffness, however, poses a significant challenge for external interrogations. Here we demonstrate a superconducting cavity piezoelectromechanical system in which multiple modes of a bulk acoustic resonator oscillating at 10 GHz are coupled to a planar microwave superconducting resonator with a cooperativity exceeding $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1{0}^{3}$, deep in the strong coupling regime. By implementation of the noncontact coupling scheme to reduce mechanical dissipation, the system exhibits excellent coherence characterized by a frequency--quality-factor product of $7.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1{0}^{15}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{Hz}$. Interesting dynamics of classical temporal oscillations of the microwave energy is observed, implying the coherent conversion between phonons and photons. The demonstrated high-frequency cavity piezoelectromechanics is compatible with superconducting qubits, representing an important step towards hybrid quantum systems.
Host defense against nontuberculous mycobacterial infections

Human contact with the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is quite common, yet serious infections with these organisms were relatively infrequent until the advent of AIDS. Mycobacteria present an important window on the interaction of the innate (neutrophils, macrophages, NK cells) and acquired (T cells and B cells) immune systems. In their attempt to infect macrophages, the mycobacteria use their complex glycopeptidolipid cell wall to down-regulate macrophage responses. Once inside, mycobacteria are subject to the panoply of primary macrophage responses (e.g., vacuolar acidification, lytic enzymes). The infected macrophage produces cytokine signals (e.g., chemokines, interleukin [IL]-12] that recruit and stimulate lymphocytes from the innate (NK cell) and acquired (T and B cells) arms of the immune response to help kill the invading mycobacteria. Lymphocyte products that are central to the activation of macrophages to increased mycobacterial killing include tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The precise mechanisms by which these cytokines work remains unknown. Rare patients who have refractory disseminated NTM infection without HIV infection probably have underlying immune defects in critical pathways for control of mycobacteria. We have recently characterized one such family and found abnormal IL-12 regulation. Interferon-gamma, the cytokine primarily elicited by IL-12, has been used successfully with antimycobacterials for treatment of these patients. The window on the interaction of the innate and acquired immune systems that mycobacteria afford is being opened. Understanding the cell-cell interactions and cytokines involved in NTM infections will lead to new therapeutic approaches.
Congenital diverticulum of the right ventricle.

A functioning right ventricular diverticulum associated with a left ventricular-right atrial communication was observed in an 11-year-old boy. This case and 3 others that have been described previously are discussed.
Triggers of Aortic Dissection

Aortic dissection is the most common and highly lethal aortic emergency. Multiple studies have described the epidemiology, natural history, and management strategies of aortic dissection; however, few studies have addressed the question—What triggers the aorta to dissect? It is generally considered that aortic dissection is a random event that can occur at any day and point in time. However, there is evidence to suggest that aortic dissection is indeed not random; rather, we now believe that aortic dissection is programmed genetically and occurs at a specific moment as a result of a very specific sequence of events. In this chapter we review our current understanding of the predisposing and inciting events that trigger aortic dissection.
Hysteroscopic evacuation of retained products of conception.

Retained products of conception (RPOC) could be encountered after spontaneous abortion or elective termination, and after normal vaginal or caesarean delivery (Smorgick et al. 2014; Rock and Thomps...
Sample size determination for the fluctuation experiment

The Luria-Delbruck fluctuation experiment protocol is increasingly employed to determine microbial mutation rates in the laboratory. An important question raised at the planning stage is "How many cultures are needed?" For over 70 years sample sizes have been determined either by intuition or by following published examples where sample sizes were chosen intuitively. This paper proposes a practical method for determining the sample size. The proposed method relies on existing algorithms for computing the expected Fisher information under two commonly used mutant distributions. The role of partial plating in reducing sample size is discussed.
Improving water quality in a dialysis unit using root cause analysis.

Background Water quality levels from hemodialysis (HD) and reverse osmosis (RO) machines in dialysis units must meet standards set by the American Association of Medical Instrumentation. Researchers used a root cause analysis (RCA) approach to identify and address factors affecting water quality in the HD and portable RO machines at our institution. Methods A multidisciplinary team reviewed processes, interviewed staff members, and identified opportunities to improve the current sampling and machine disinfection processes. The RCA team identified and implemented 5 interventions, of which 3 were process (changes in water sampling technique, machine disinfection processes, and allocation of machine maintenance duties) and 2 were structural (regular cleaning of water sampling tubes and spigots and addition of new water sampling sites in the system) measures. Results Postimplementation of new protocols, 100% of water cultures of HD and RO machines consistently met the required regulatory standards as recorded over a period of 8 months. Conclusions RCA approach helped improve patient safety, quality of care, streamlined processes, and improved efficiencies of work for staff within the HD program.
The glass transition and enthalpy recovery of a single polystyrene ultrathin film using Flash DSC.

The kinetics of the glass transition are measured for a single polystyrene ultrathin film of 20 nm thickness using Flash differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Tg is measured over a range of cooling rates from 0.1 to 1000 K/s and is depressed compared to the bulk. The depression decreases with increasing cooling rate, from 12 K lower than the bulk at 0.1 K/s to no significant change at 1000 K/s. Isothermal enthalpy recovery measurements are performed from 50 to 115 °C, and from these experiments, the temperature dependence of the induction time along the glass line is obtained, as well as the temperature dependence of the time scale required to reach equilibrium, providing a measure of the shortest effective glassy relaxation time and the longest effective equilibrium relaxation time, respectively. The induction time for the ultrathin film is found to be similar to the bulk at all temperatures presumably because the Tg values are the same due to the use of a cooling rate of 1000 K/s prior to the enthalp...
Addressing Zika in the United States: Polarization, Fragmentation, and Public Health.

An editorial is presented which addresses America's public health funding in relation to a Zika virus outbreak, and it mentions how it took the U.S. Congress 220 days to respond to then-American President Barack Obama's request for emergency Zika virus funding in 2016. Political polarization and the transmission of the Zika virus in Florida and Puerto Rico are examined, along with the fragmentation of the U.S. public health system. A potential fund for public health emergencies is assessed.
Dioxin Exposure Alters Molecular and Morphological Responses to Thyroid Hormone in Xenopus laevis Cultured Cells and Prometamorphic Tadpoles.

Amphibian metamorphosis is driven by thyroid hormone (TH). We used prometamorphic tadpoles and a cell line of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) to examine immediate effects of dioxin exposure on TH. Gene expression patterns suggest cross-talk between the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling pathways. In XLK-WG cells, expression of Cytochrome P450 1A6 (cyp1A6), an AHR target, was induced 1000-fold by 100 nM TCDD (2, 3, 7, 8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin). Kruppel-Like Factor 9 (klf9), the first gene induced in a cascade of TH responses tied to metamorphosis, was upregulated over 5-fold by 50 nM triiodothyronine (T3) and 2-fold by dioxin. Co-exposure to T3 and TCDD boosted both responses, further inducing cyp1A6 by 75% and klf9 about 60%. Additional canonical targets of each receptor, including trβa and trβb (TR) and udpgt1a (AHR) responded similarly. Induction of TH targets by TCDD in XLK-WG cells predicts that exposure could speed metamorphosis. We tested this hypothesis in two remodeling events: tail resorption and hind limb growth. Resorption of ex vivo cultured tails was accelerated by 10 nM T3, while a modest increase in resorption by 100 nM TCDD lacked statistical significance. Hind limbs doubled in length over four days following 1 nM T3 treatment, but limb length was unaffected by 100 nM TCDD. TCDD co-exposure reduced the T3 effect by nearly 40%, despite TCDD induction of klf9 in whole tadpoles, alone or with T3. These results suggest that tissue-specific TCDD effects limit or reverse the increased metamorphosis rate predicted by klf9 induction.
Stochastic synapse reinforcement learning (SSRL)

Over the past several decades, reinforcement learning has emerged as one of the major paradigms in machine learning because it allows an agent to learn through interaction with its environment, so long as there is some mechanism by which the agent can gain evaluative feedback on the effects of its actions. However, there are still many open questions as to the most appropriate reinforcement learning approach, particularly for difficult problems such as those dealing with delayed reward, unknown reward structures, continuous state and/or action spaces, perceptual aliasing, and/or environmental change. Here we present a new learning algorithm for these types of difficult problems. It combines the eligibility traces approach to reinforcement learning with artificial neural networks for generalization and pushes the idea of stochastic computations down to the level of the synapse. A proof-of-concept experiment in the domain of robotics demonstrates that the approach has promise.
Behavior of the Roots of the Taylor Polynomials of Riemann’s \(\xi \) Function with Growing Degree

We establish a uniform approximation result for the Taylor polynomials of Riemann’s \(\xi \) function valid in the entire complex plane as the degree grows. In particular, we identify a domain growing with the degree of the polynomials on which they converge to Riemann’s \(\xi \) function. Using this approximation, we obtain an estimate of the number of “spurious zeros” of the Taylor polynomial that lie outside of the critical strip, which leads to a Riemann–von Mangoldt type formula for the number of zeros of the Taylor polynomials within the critical strip. Super-exponential convergence of Hurwitz zeros of the Taylor polynomials to bounded zeros of the \(\xi \) function are also established. Finally, we explain how our approximation techniques can be extended to a collection of analytic L-functions.
The Information Systems name game revisited: Still muddled 20 years later

The Information Systems (IS) field has long suffered from an identity crisis. Academic programs in the field are represented with a multitude of names. For potential students interested in the fiel...
Studying Discourse as Social Interaction: The Potential of Social Network Analysis for Discourse Studies:

Education researchers have extensively studied classroom discourse as a way to understand classroom structures and learning. This article proposes the use of social network analysis (SNA) as a meth...
Vector-valued functions of several variables

In this chapter we study the differential calculus of functions of several variables with values in E n . Among the main results are the theorems about composition and inverses and the implicit function theorem. Later in the chapter, subsets of E n that are smooth manifolds are considered, and the spaces of tangent and normal vectors at a point of a smooth manifold are found. These ideas are then applied to obtain the Lagrange multiplier rule for constrained extremum problems.
Self Health Management Mobile Application for Diabetic Patients and the Impact on Treatment Adherence

Treatment non adherence is a growing concern for health care providers and policy makers. Mobile health (mhealth) has the potential to reduce treatment non adherence, cut the costs of providing healthcare, maintain and improve the quality of care. This research discusses the design of a mobile phone application to improve diabetic patients’ adherence to treatments. This research follows design science research guidelines and takes into account patients’ personal traits to develop personalized motivational messages. The application sends reminders and motivational messages to patients, tracks patients’ blood sugar level and generates reports. The application will be tested and evaluated by a group of diabetic patients on the effectiveness of promoting adherence, motivational messages and interface design.
Recovery from Severe Oligospermia After Exposure to Dibromochloropropane

Screening studies of 71 petrochemical workers indicated that 15 men employed between January 1975 and July 1977 in the production of a widely used nematocide, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), were oligospermic. Fourteen oligospermic men underwent extensive evaluation of their reproductive systems. Seven men had extratesticular abnormalities (epididymal obstruction, varicoceles, previous herniorrhaphies) which may have impaired their reproductive potential (group I); the remaining seven men (group II) had no other explanation for impaired testicular function. In neither group could the degree of impairment of semen quality be correlated with the calculated hours of exposure to DBCP. Chemical markers of accessory sex gland function revealed minimal deficiencies in patients with no extratesticular abnormalities (group II). Thirteen of the 14 men had normal basal serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and a normal LH response following the administration of LH-releasing hormone. However, basal and stimulated concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone were elevated in two patients in group I and in one worker in group II. Serum concentrations of testosterone in all men studied were within the normal range, but mean concentrations were reduced in group I ( P P P
A STOCHASTIC APPROACH TO CHEMICAL DOSAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL TREATMENT PLANTS

ABSTRACT To aid operators at small treatment utilities, a stochastic method for determining alum dosing is presented. Using a multiple regression analysis, it was found that the alum dosage level can be predicted from previous alum doses, raw turbidity, and seasonal effects. From the fitted model it is also possible to assign dosage levels based upon the risk of underdosing. By basing treatment decisions on statistical models of previous successful treatment operation, plant efficiency will be maximized resulting in fewer plant upsets and more consistent water quality.
TAPP vs. TEP vs. rTAPP: What Does the Evidence Show?

Laparoscopic surgery for repair of inguinal hernias with mesh has been used for over 25 years, since it was first described in 1991 by Shultz. The aim of this chapter is to look at the current data and evidence available comparing the TEP and TAPP techniques for inguinal hernia repair with mesh, as well as a comparison of the laparoscopic repairs to the rTAPP. While there are several studies, including randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, comparing open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs, there is less data directly comparing the two laparoscopic techniques. There are even fewer studies comparing laparoscopy to the newer rTAPP. In addition to landmark papers, the most current published data will be discussed in this chapter to see what evidence is available to help choose the right minimally invasive technique for both the surgeon and patient.
Developing surrogate ANN for selecting near-optimal building energy renovation methods considering energy consumption, LCC and LCA

Abstract Buildings are responsible for more than 30% of the total energy consumption and an equally large amount of related greenhouse gas emissions. Improving the energy performance of buildings is a critical element of building energy conservation. Furthermore, renovating existing buildings’ envelopes and systems offers significant opportunities for reducing Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and minimizing negative environmental impacts. This approach can be considered as one of the key strategies for achieving sustainable development goals at a relatively low cost, especially when compared with the demolition and reconstruction of new buildings. One of the main methodological and technical issues of this approach is selecting a desirable renovation strategy among a wide range of available options. The main idea and motivation behind this study relies on trying to bridge the gap between Simulation-Based Multi-Objective Optimization (SBMO) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). For a whole building simulation and optimization, current SBMOs often need thousands of simulation evaluations. Therefore, the optimization becomes unfeasible because of the computation time and complexity of the dependent parameters. To this end, one feasible technique to solve this problem is to implement surrogate models to computationally imitate expensive real building simulation models. The objective of the research focuses on developing a robust ANN to explore vast and complex data generated from the SBMO model. More specifically, this research aims to propose an accurate ANN to predict energy consumption using data from the SBMO model. The proposed model will potentially offer new venues to predict Total Energy Consumption (TEC), LCC, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for different renovation scenarios, and select the optimum scenario. To illustrate the applicability of the model, a case study was developed and the accuracy of the proposed model was evaluated. Results show that models constructed using ANNs are considerably less time-consuming than the conventional Building Energy Model (BEM) while achieving acceptable accuracy.
The solid state oxidation of methionine containing peptide: a preliminary study using time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Purpose. A surface sensitive mass spectrometric technique: Time ofFlight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was introducedto study the solid state instability of a methionine containing peptidecaused by the oxidation of the methionine residue.
The development of zones of active plasticity during mode I steady-state crack growth in thin aluminum sheets

Abstract Cracks grow in millimeter-scale, ductile metal sheets when a transverse neck fracture process zone fails by microvoid coalescence. Here we showed that the crack growth mechanism changed to a different steady-state process when sheet thicknesses were ⪅100 μm. We experimentally quantified the shape, extent, and evolution of the process zones in 1235 Al and showed that three zones were operating: A large, uncontained plastic zone (PZ) ahead of the crack tip had an embedded, steady-state zone of active plasticity (ZAP) that surrounded a transverse neck fracture process zone (FPZ) which failed via a microvoid-free shear mechanism.
Transitioning a Research Tool Into a Consumer Product: The Wheelchair In-Seat Activity Tracker

Pressure ulcers remain a significant secondary complication for many wheelchair users, having significant adverse impacts on the health, function and independence of wheelchair users. Research suggests that both the magnitude and duration of loading on tissues can lead to tissue necrosis. This motivated research to measure the in-seat movement of wheelchair users as a means to characterize time of loading. During these research activities, the consistent finding was that persons were not adhering to their weight shift regimens as taught during rehabilitation. This served as motivation to develop a consumer product to inform users of their activities. The transition from a research tool to a consumer product is endowed with challenges. This paper describes the technology as well as the activities required to make this transition. Specific design challenges included attention to usability and device engagement and the need for near real-time data management and analysis to inform users of their in-seat movements.Copyright © 2019 by ASME
Migration and investments in the health of children left behind: the role of remittances in children's healthcare utilization in Cambodia.

Remittances, financial support from family members who have migrated for work, are an increasingly important source of income for households left behind in many lower- and middle-income countries. While remittances have been shown to affect the health status of children left behind, evidence is very limited as to whether and how they affect children's healthcare utilization. Yet, this is an important consideration for policymakers seeking to improve equitable access to quality care in settings where migration is common. I examine whether children under age five whose household receives remittances are more likely to utilize higher quality healthcare providers than those without remittances in Cambodia, a country with high rates of migration and a pluralistic health system. The analysis includes 2230 children reporting recent illness in three waves of the Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey with data on migration, remittances and children's health expenditures. I use mixed-effects and fixed-effects regression analysis to estimate the effect of remittances on children's likelihood of entering care with a formally trained provider, and among those attending a formally trained provider, likelihood of using a public-sector facility. Treatment expenditures are lower among households with remittances, while transportation expenditures do not vary significantly by remittance status. In mixed-effects and fixed-effect regression models, children who receive remittances have a lower likelihood of utilizing qualified providers (adjusted OR = 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.44-0.98), though this effect is attenuated in fixed-effects models, and there is no association between remittances and attending a public-sector facility. These findings underscore that remittances alone are not sufficient to increase children's utilization of qualified providers in migrant-sending areas, and suggest that policymakers should to address barriers to care beyond cost to promote utilization and equity of access to higher quality care where remittances are a common source of income.
Microstructures amplify carotenoid plumage signals in colorful tanagers

Red, orange, and yellow carotenoid-colored plumages have been considered honest signals of condition. We comprehensively quantified carotenoid signals in the social, sexually-dimorphic tanager genus Ramphocelus using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) optical modeling, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and spectrophotometry. Despite males having significantly more saturated color patches, males and females within a species have equivalent amounts and types of carotenoids. Male, but not female, feathers have elaborate microstructures which amplify color appearance. Expanded barbs enhance color saturation (for the same amount of pigment) by increasing the transmission of optical power through the feather. Dihedral barbules (vertically-angled, strap-shaped barbules) reduce total reflectance to generate "super black" plumage, an optical illusion to enhance nearby color. Dihedral barbules paired with red carotenoid pigment produce "velvet red" plumage. Together, our results suggest that a widely cited index of honesty--carotenoid pigments--cannot fully explain male appearance. We propose that males are selected to evolve amplifiers of honest signals--in this case, microstructures that enhance appearance-- that are not necessarily themselves linked to quality.
Post-fire debris flow modeling analyses: case study of the post-Thomas Fire event in California

There is an increased risk in post-fire debris flow (DF) occurrences in the western USA with recent increase in wildfire frequencies. DFs are destructive, causing high loss to lives and infrastructure. A lot of effort is going into possible preventive and/or mitigation measures. Recent research efforts in this niche focus on developing statistical models that assist emergency responders in isolating high-hazard locations after fires. There are two general approaches to this statistical modeling: linear and nonlinear. This study has looked into applying a linear-based logistic regression model and a nonlinear-based C5.0 decision tree model to assess the strength of each in predicting the locations within the Thomas Fire boundary that produced DFs. To do this, DF scars were delineated by running a change detection protocol known as delta normalized difference vegetation index (dNDVI), using high spatial resolution data from Planet Labs. These scars were further validated with data gathered by Santa Barbara County officials on affected areas. Results from the two statistical models were then overlain on the delineated DF scars and compared against each other to determine predictive strengths. The results revealed both models to perform well in predicting high probabilities for locations that were shown to produce DFs. The logistic regression model predicted an overall ~ 44,800 ha (49%) more high-hazard coverage compared to the C5.0 tree and therefore showed greater urgency. However, a closer look at the basin predictions with the delineated DF scars showed that most of these high-hazard basins identified by the logistic regression did not to have any discernible scars. It was projected that most of these locations were likely false positives and further fine-tuning of the model was recommended. Further recommendation was made concerning the development of additional models to predict potential DF inundation paths. Combining origination and inundation models will be most beneficial since the greatest associated danger with DFs is not necessarily where they start, but rather further downstream where most communities and infrastructure are situated.