cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Long Audio Communication Delays on Team Performance

Mediated communication in sociotechnical systems is quite common but the effects of long audio delays remain unexplored. In the current study, two-person teams (N=67) completed a modified NASA Multi-Attribute Task Battery with closed-loop audio communication delays 0 to 16 seconds in length. In addition to a joint fuel management task, each team member had simultaneous responsibility for either a compensatory tracking or a system monitoring task. As communication delay increased, performance on the joint task degraded in a cubic fashion while individual tasks were unaffected. These results imply that audio communication delay degrades team performance in a non-linear fashion while simultaneous tasks not requiring communication are unaffected. Implications for the design of sociotechnical systems with long audio communication delays are discussed.
Temporal integrators for fluctuating hydrodynamics

Including the effect of thermal fluctuations in traditional computational fluid dynamics requires developing numerical techniques for solving the stochastic partial differential equations of fluctuating hydrodynamics. These Langevin equations possess a special fluctuation-dissipation structure that needs to be preserved by spatio-temporal discretizations in order for the computed solution to reproduce the correct long-time behavior. In particular, numerical solutions should approximate the Gibbs-Boltzmann equilibrium distribution, and ideally this will hold even for large time step sizes. We describe finite-volume spatial discretizations for the fluctuating Burgers and fluctuating incompressible Navier-Stokes equations that obey a discrete fluctuation-dissipation balance principle just like the continuum equations. We develop implicit-explicit predictor-corrector temporal integrators for the resulting stochastic method-of-lines discretization. These stochastic Runge-Kutta schemes treat diffusion implicitly and advection explicitly, are weakly second-order accurate for additive noise for small time steps, and give a good approximation to the equilibrium distribution even for very strong fluctuations. Numerical results demonstrate that a midpoint predictor-corrector scheme is very robust over a broad range of time step sizes.
Analysis of J2EE in the Business Layer structure

Construction of enterprise information system should adapt to a strong architecture and good design to meet the user's needs.The multi-layer construction's major system Constructed by multi-layer architecture,large scale enterprise system has many good characteristics which are reusable,scalable,easy to be maitained,distributed,safe,reliable,etc.By using J2EE to Construct the enterprise information system,this paper analyzes several problems suchas the interface in business layer and using EJB to implement business logic.
Expression of Costimulatory Molecules of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Children with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura and Its Significance

Objective To explore the relationship between expression of costimulatory molecules and Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP).Methods Thirty-one inpatient children with HSP at the onset of disease from Shenzhen children′s hospital and 14 healthy controls were included in this study.No child had taken medicine or had clinical signs of infection or other diseases before taking blood sample.Flow cytometric(FCM) analysis was performed to detect the expression of costimulatory molecules CD4, CD8, CD80, CD86, CD28 and CD152 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 31 children with initial idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, and 14 healthy controls.The differences between 2 groups were compared by SPSS 12.0 software.Results Expressions of CD4, CD8, CD80, CD86, CD28 and CD152 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with HSP were (40.56±3.23)%, (30.61±4.21)%, (6.92±2.31 )%, (12.43±4.16)%, (60.38±10.12)% and (0.52±0.47)% respectively, expressions of CD4, CD8, CD80, CD86, CD28 and CD152 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy controls were (41.96±4.46)%,(30.60±4.42)%,(2.51±1.67)%,(2.34±1.43)%,(47.62±7.63)% and (0.45±0.14)% respectively.There were no significant differences between the expressions of CD4, CD8 and CD152 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with HSP and those of healthy controls.Expressions of CD28, CD80 and CD86 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with HSP were significantly higher than those of healthy controls.Expressions of CD4, CD8, CD80, CD86, CD28 and CD152 on peripherial blood mononuclear cells of children with purpura nephritis were (41.55±2.11)%,(31.55±3.17)%,(6.56±2.22)%,(11.91±4.52)%,(59.79±8.92)% and (0.46±0.31)% respectively. Expressions of CD4, CD8, CD80, CD86, CD28 and CD152 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children with non-nephritis HSP were (40.07±2.83)%,(29.52±3.58)%,(7.09±2.48)%,(12.68±3.55)%,(61.33±10.21)% and (0.58±0.40)% respectively.Expressions of CD4,CD8,CD80, CD86, CD28 and CD152 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells had no apparent difference between children with purpura nephritis and children with non-nephritis HSP.Conclusion Relatively lower expression of CD152 disturbed the balance of CD152/CD28 and over-activated immune cells may take part in the onset of HSP.
Continuing neonatal morbidity in infants of women with class A diabetes.

Despite having implemented rigorous glucose control for women with gestational diabetes early in the third trimester, we found excessive morbidity among the neonates of these women. To accurately assess the risk of newborn complications, we did a five-year review (1977 to 1981) of infants of class A diabetic mothers to determine the incidence and scope of morbidity in these infants. Fifty-one infants of class A mothers were identified (group 1) and randomly matched with 102 infants of nondiabetic mothers (group 2). The distribution of morbidity between the two groups was as follows: hypoglycemia 9/51 (18%) vs 0/102 (P less than .001); birth injuries 4/51 (8%) vs 1/102 (2%) (P less than .05); pulmonary edema 3/51 (6%) vs 0/102 (P less than .05); respiratory distress 4/51 (8%) vs 7/102 (7%) (NS); macrosomia 18/51 (35%) vs 23/102 (23%) (NS); and hyperbilirubinemia 3/51 (6%) vs 8/102 (8%) (NS). There were two fetal deaths and three infants with major congenital anomalies among the diabetic pregnancies compared to none from the nondiabetic pregnancies. Compared to insulin-dependent diabetes, class A diabetes is accompanied by relatively mild metabolic disturbances in the mother. On the other hand, the infant of a mother with class A diabetes appears to be at risk for serious and life-threatening complications, both before and after birth. These results raise the question of whether earlier identification, subsequent meticulous diabetic management, and altered timing of delivery might reduce the complications experienced by these infants.
Theoretical Analysis of Multiple Phase Coexistence in Polyelectrolyte Blends

Advanced materials for energy storage and process technology are globally in high demand. Promising components for such materials are polymer blends and copolymers, because of their ability to self-assemble into nanostructured materials that combine desirable material properties, such as high mechanical stability with ion-selective conductivity. It remains a challenge to predict the nanoscale structure in charged polymers, because of intricate ionic correlations that can influence the structure at many length scales. Here we present a free energy analysis of charged polymer blends with electrolytes of the primitive model, by combining a Flory–Huggins-type theory with liquid-state methods, relying on the Ornstein–Zernike equation. We find that different mechanisms, driven by entropy and electrostatics, can stimulate or repress phase separation in blends. These mechanisms can enable the existence of a triple point, where three phases can coexist in an effective two-component blend. We analyze the influence ...
Evaluation of the axonics modulation technologies sacral neuromodulation system for the treatment of urinary and fecal dysfunction

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) remains one of the few effective treatments for refractory bladder and bowel dysfunction. However, SNM is associated with frequent need for surgical intervention, in many cases because of a failed battery. A rechargeable SNM system, with a manufacturer-reported battery life of 15 years or more, has entered post-market clinical testing in Europe but has not yet been approved for clinical testing in the United States.Areas covered: We review existing neuromodulation technologies for the treatment of lower urinary tract and bowel dysfunction and explore the limitations of available technology. In addition, we discuss implantation technique and device specifications and programming of the rechargeable SNM system in detail. Lastly, we present existing evidence for the use of SNM in bladder and bowel dysfunction and evaluate the anticipated trajectory of neuromodulation technologies over the next five years.Expert commentary: A rechargeable system for SNM is a ...
Iraqi Notes: A Personal Reflection on Issues of Governance in Iraq and US Involvement

The author of this article uses eyewitness account, historical narrative and personal reflection to examine governance from a dual perspective – that of an Iraqi native having suffered the oppression, violation of personal freedom and liberty administered by the regime of Saddam Hussein, and that of a US citizen that has experienced firsthand and explored the contradictions to be found in the freedom of American “democracy.”
Slutsky Meets Marschak: The First-Order Identification of Multi-Product Production

Marschak (1953) suggested that applied research should begin by determining the minimal set of assumptions and data needed to make a prediction of interest. Standard identification analyses correspond poorly to this search, as they have either stringent data (local average treatment effects/IV and non-parametric) or structure (parametric) requirements. Yet, in this spirit, much empirical (Chetty 2009) and some theoretical work has asked which effects of policy interventions may be forecast from the local observable levels and derivatives of the structure. I formalize this inquiry as the {\em first-order} identification problem and illustrate it with the case of multi-product production. Under perfect competition or monopoly, but not standard oligopoly, Slutsky conditions for firm optimization provide strategies for identifying, for example, the effects of price controls. They also test for consistency of conjectural variations.
Effect of water flow and chemical environment on microbiota growth and composition in the human colon

The human gut harbors a dynamic microbial community whose composition bears great importance for the health of the host. Here, we investigate how colonic physiology impacts bacterial growth, which ultimately dictates microbiota composition. Combining measurements of bacterial physiology with analysis of published data on human physiology into a quantitative, comprehensive modeling framework, we show how water flow in the colon, in concert with other physiological factors, determine the abundances of the major bacterial phyla. Mechanistically, our model shows that local pH values in the lumen, which differentially affect the growth of different bacteria, drive changes in microbiota composition. It identifies key factors influencing the delicate regulation of colonic pH, including epithelial water absorption, nutrient inflow, and luminal buffering capacity, and generates testable predictions on their effects. Our findings show that a predictive and mechanistic understanding of microbial ecology in the gut is possible. Such predictive understanding is needed for the rational design of intervention strategies to actively control the microbiota.
Exploratory Marker Data Analysis

Genetic data sets available to breeders are increasing in size, both in numbers of markers and in numbers of breeding individuals or lines genotyped. The scale of the data sets requires breeders to use software to perform quality control checks, visualize, and manipulate data. Breeders will often want to combine genetic marker data with physical or linkage map information, phenotypic data, and pedigree information. In this chapter we demonstrate the use of base R and the synbreed package of R to process an example data set from a maritime pine breeding population. The synbreed package defines the gpData object class, which can hold phenotypes, genotypes, pedigree, and genetic map information. This package is particularly useful to streamline data manipulation and analyses that combine genotype and phenotype data. Readers should be aware that algorithm and software developments for genomic data are areas of active research, more efficient and powerful methods are constantly being developed.
Characterizing Crowdsourced Data Collected Using DESIM (Descriptive to Executable Simulation Modeling)

Across many case studies, the Descriptive to Executable Simulation Modeling (DESIM) method has demonstrated the ability to capture and model qualitative knowledge from multiple subject-matter exper...
Development of the Survey of Parent/Provider Expectations and Knowledge (SPEAK):

This study reported the development and initial validation of the Survey of Parent/Provider Expectations and Knowledge (SPEAK), a self-administered questionnaire assessing expectations and knowledge about early childhood cognitive and language development. Development of the SPEAK was guided by the theory emphasizing the role of language input quality in young children’s language development. Items were refined through cognitive interviews (N = 29), expert consultations, and the first field test (N = 131). Rasch analysis following the second field test (N = 346) resulted in a 17-item SPEAK (α = .84); expert review confirmed its content validity. A third field test with low-income caregivers (N = 103) showed that higher SPEAK scores were correlated with higher education, receptive language ability, stronger endorsement of incremental mindset, and more language stimulation available to the child at home, supporting its concurrent validity. Findings provided preliminary evidence supporting the reliability an...
Locating the Social in Social Justice

A concept of social justice in which the social names a subset of justice suggests that the social constitutes a distinct sphere within which a distinctively social justice is produced and experien...
Narrative Manhood Acts: Batterer Intervention Program Graduates' Tragic Relationships

We analyze how twenty graduates of a Batterer Intervention Program constructed autobiographical stories about their relationships with women they assaulted. We focus on the presentation of gendered selves via narrative manhood acts, which we define as self-narratives that signify membership in the category “man” and the possession of a masculine self. We also show how graduates constructed self-narratives as a genre that was oppositional to organizational narratives: rather than adopting the program's domestic violence melodrama or preferred conversion narrative, graduates used the larger culture—especially “bitch” imagery and sometimes racialized discourse—to construct tragedies. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of narrative analysis for research on batterers' accounts and manhood acts, and also shows how oppositional genre-making can be a method to resist organizational narratives.
Application prospect of controllable switch type metal oxide surge arrester in UHV AC transmission system

In order to meet the needs of large capacity, long distance power transmission and nationwide power grid interconnection, China is making great efforts to develop UHV transmission project. Switching overvoltage directly influences the construction cost and operation reliability of UHV transmission system, how to reduce the switching overvoltage deeply is one of the key technical problems that need to be solved urgently. As a new equipment to reduce the switching overvoltage flexibly in UHV Transmission system, the controllable metal oxide surge arrester is being a research hotspot. In this paper, the research status of controllable metal oxide surge arrester technology was introduced, the structure and working principle of controllable switch type metal oxide surge arrester was mainly presented, and the research keystones and application prospect of controllable switch type metal oxide surge arrester in UHV Transmission system were discussed.
Four dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) impacts on WRF performance in simulating inversion layer structure and distributions of CMAQ-simulated winter ozone concentrations in Uintah Basin

Abstract Four-dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) was applied in WRF-CMAQ model sensitivity tests to study the impact of observational and analysis nudging on model performance in simulating inversion layers and O3 concentration distributions within the Uintah Basin, Utah, U.S.A. in winter 2013. Observational nudging substantially improved WRF model performance in simulating surface wind fields, correcting a 10 °C warm surface temperature bias, correcting overestimation of the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) and correcting underestimation of inversion strengths produced by regular WRF model physics without nudging. However, the combined effects of poor performance of WRF meteorological model physical parameterization schemes in simulating low clouds, and warm and moist biases in the temperature and moisture initialization and subsequent simulation fields, likely amplified the overestimation of warm clouds during inversion days when observational nudging was applied, impacting the resulting O3 photochemical formation in the chemistry model. To reduce the impact of a moist bias in the simulations on warm cloud formation, nudging with the analysis water mixing ratio above the planetary boundary layer (PBL) was applied. However, due to poor analysis vertical temperature profiles, applying analysis nudging also increased the errors in the modeled inversion layer vertical structure compared to observational nudging. Combining both observational and analysis nudging methods resulted in unrealistically extreme stratified stability that trapped pollutants at the lowest elevations at the center of the Uintah Basin and yielded the worst WRF performance in simulating inversion layer structure among the four sensitivity tests. The results of this study illustrate the importance of carefully considering the representativeness and quality of the observational and model analysis data sets when applying nudging techniques within stable PBLs, and the need to evaluate model results on a basin-wide scale.
Ectopic pregnancy: Pregnancy after ectopic pregnancy

Introduction In this chapter we shall consider the outcome after treatment for ectopic pregnancy in terms of rates of conception, live births, abortions and recurrent ectopic pregnancy. One of the problems of reviewing reproductive performance after ectopic pregnancy is that there are numerous comparisons to be made, e.g. conservative versus radical surgery, laparoscopic versus open procedures at laparotomy, laser versus endoscopic techniques, salpingotomy versus segmental tubal resection or fimbrial expression. As elegantly described by Kadar (1990), many of the studies purporting to address this issue confuse these comparisons, such that meaningful conclusions cannot be easily drawn. In essence, what the practitioner needs to know is which procedure gives the best results in terms of future fertility, after allowance for other factors (quite apart from the surgical variables listed above) which are known to influence prognosis. Precautions to be taken when analysing the results Several precautions should be taken in analysing reproductive outcome data. These will be described by reference to the results of fimbrial evacuation (Langer et al ., 1987; Sherman et al ., 1987). First, two treatment modalities should be compared by intention to treat, rather than by actual treatment used. This principle is not always followed. For example, in the study by Sherman et al . (1987), 31 patients underwent successful fimbrial evacuation in a 13-year period; however, in an unspecified number the procedure was attempted but failed because of technical difficulties.
The Eclipse of Civic Virtue: Recalling the Place of Public Education

I Alexander Sidorkin is not alone in his belief “that the institution of public schooling will outlive its usefulness within the next few decades.” However, the end of schooling — an expensive and inefficient relic of its time — is not the end of education. Cultural and economic forces will open new ways of energizing and focusing on the interests and increasingly diverse options open to learners, certainly enhanced and accelerated by technological developments of many kinds. The implications for teaching are profound. For Sidorkin, teaching “must stop being a wholesale operation, and instead become flexible, on-demand, and right-on-time service. Teaching will become a service profession; only those who need and want teaching will receive it, and those who can learn on their own will be left alone.”
ZnO nanoflakes-based mediator free flexible biosensors for the selective detection of ethylglucuronide (EtG) and lactate

We report on highly sensitive and flexible biosensors for noninvasive lactate and alcohol monitoring in human perspiration based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures that does not require linker layer for surface functionalization due to the high isoelectric point of ZnO. Towards fabrication of the biosensors, two-dimensional (2D) ZnO nanoflakes (NFs) were synthesized on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates employing single step sonochemical method after which lactate oxidase (LOx) and anti-body for ethyl glucuronide (EtG)-a metabolite of ethanol were immobilized atop without a linker layer. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements in the concentration range of 10pM-10μM for lactate and 4.5 μM-0.45 M for EtG yielded minimum limit of detection of 10 pM and 4.5 μM, respectively for the electrode area of 0.5 × 0.5 cm2. Moreover, lactate sensor with ZnO NF electrodes demonstrated four times higher sensitivity compared to the ones with gold electrode that required DTSP linker layer for surface functionalization. High isoelectric point allows a direct, stable pathway for rapid electron transport without any mediator when an analyte is immobilized on NFs and improves electron transfer rate.
Evaluation of a New Cesium Ion Source for SIMS

Cesium is commonly used as the primary ion beam constituent in the SIMS analysis of many species to chemically enhance their negative secondary ion yields and thereby to improve their detection sensitivities. The detection sensitivity depends also on other properties of the ion beam, such as current density, beam diameter, and neutral content. These parameters are determined by the brightness of the ion source and the characteristics of the probe-forming optics. In this paper, the design and operation of a new surface ionization-type cesium ion source is described, and its performance is evaluated in conjunction with the optical column of the PHI Model 6050 Microbeam Ion Gun.
The Value of Intellectual Capital

Financial capital is easy to measure, being reported in terms of monetary units, say dollars. Other financial units, say Euros, have known conversion rates for any point in time. The essential value of money is what it can purchase in the future. While intellectual capital is diverse it can also be valued according to its future benefits. The shared metric for our purpose is its contribution to future corporate earnings. The concepts introduced in this chapter are a prerequisite to the valuation methods described in Chap. 5.
A Versatile Group of Investigative The ater Practitioners: An Examination and Analysis of "The Civilians"

This thesis analyzes The Civilians, a New York-based theater company that creates interview-based cabaret/theater works, specifically examining the group's organizational structure and creative and administrative processes. The goal of this thesis is to provide insight into how this organization functions, and the lens of organizational structure and processes is used because, as business scholars have noted, structure and process are fundamental elements of any organization. Additionally, this study is framed using Gaetan Morency and Jane Needles's analysis of Cirque du Soleil, Francois Colbert's analysis of the Piccolo Teatro of Milan, and Celia Wren's article, "Dissolving the Barriers," which investigates eliminating the barricades between administrative and creative realms of theater companies. Through interviews with associates of The Civilians and research of the group's online presence (e.g., blogs and websites), this study finds two main themes within The Civilians' organization: a strong and diverse network of collaborators, and flexibility that infuses all aspects of the organization. Individual artists and theater companies alike could use this study of The Civilians as a model for how alternative documentary theater/cabaret is produced, and artists could also use the methods described herein to create accessible, educational, and thought-provoking new works
The pattern of stem cell repopulation in heavily irradiated mice receiving transplants of fetal liver.

Pluripotential cells derived from fetal liver had a lower plating efficiency than adult marrow cells, but estimates of the generation time derived from the growth curve are significantly shorter and may account for the earlier erythroid population.
Multiple Gastric Ulcers

Only 2.3% of patients admitted to this study had multiple gastric ulcers. There was no difference between patients with single and multiple ulcers with respect to race, age, associated duodenal ulcer, degree of acid output, size of ulcer, or frequency of recurrence. In one instance, lymphoma of the stomach was associated with multiple ulcers. The individual ulcers may heal as frequently in patients with multiple ulcers as in patients with single gastric ulcer; however, on the simple basis of probability, the more ulcers there are the greater is the chance that at least one of them will not heal.
Immunotherapy in Gynecologic Cancers: What We Know Now and Where We Are Headed

Immunotherapy, mainly in the form of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has been transformative in both solid tumor and hematologic malignancies. Patients with previously terminal illnesses have experienced profound responses of great durability with these agents, fueling excitement among patients and providers regarding their use. Unfortunately, the gains seen in some solid tumors have not been replicated in a large percentage of patients with gynecologic cancer. This review focuses on the clinical benefits seen to date, toxicities and management when using ICIs, ways to improve prediction of who should receive immunotherapy, and a discussion of next-generation immunotherapy with cellular therapeutics and how these might relate to gynecologic cancers.
A landscape of overlapping risks for wolf-human conflict in Wisconsin, USA

Abstract Managing risk requires an adequate understanding of risk-factors that influence the likelihood of a particular event occurring in time and space. Risk maps can be valuable tools for natural resource managers, allowing them to better understand spatial characteristics of risk. Risk maps can also support risk-avoidance efforts by identifying which areas are relatively riskier than others. However, risks, such as human-carnivore conflict, can be diverse, multi-faceted, and overlapping in space. Yet, efforts to describe risk typically focus on only one aspect of risk. We examined wolf complaints investigated in Wisconsin, USA for the period of 1999–2011. We described the spatial patterns of four types of wolf-human conflict: livestock depredation, depredation on hunting hounds, depredation on non-hound dogs, and human health and safety concerns (HHSC). Using predictive landscape models and discriminant functions analysis, we visualized the landscape of risk as a continuous surface of overlapping risks. Each type of conflict had its own unique landscape signature; however, the probability of any type of conflict increased closer to the center of wolf pack territories and with increased forest cover. Hunting hound depredations tended to occur in areas considered to be highly suitable wolf habitat, while livestock depredations occurred more regularly in marginal wolf habitat. HHSC and non-hound dog depredations were less predictable spatially but tended to occur in areas with low housing density adjacent to large wildland areas. Similar to other research evaluating the risk of human-carnivore conflict, our data suggests that human-carnivore conflict is most likely to occur where humans or human property and large carnivores co-occur. However, identifying areas of co-occurrence is only marginally valuable from a conservation standpoint and could be described using spatially-explicit human and carnivore data without complex analytical approaches. These results challenge our traditional understanding of risk and the standard approach used in describing risk. We suggest that a more comprehensive understanding of the risk of human-carnivore conflict can be achieved by examining the spatial and non-spatial factors influencing risk within areas of co-occurrence and by describing the landscape of risk as a continuous surface of multiple overlapping risks.
The Effects of Skin-to-Skin Care on Late Preterm and Term Infants At-Risk for Neonatal Hypoglycemia

Background: Neonatal hypoglycemia (NH) is a common disorder affecting 5 to 15% of otherwise healthy infants, such as late preterm, small or large for gestational age, or born to mothers with diabetes. Early management of NH in these at-risk infants is often achieved with administration of formula and/or intravenous (IV) dextrose, which may potentially impair normal metabolic adaptation. Multiple studies have demonstrated that early infant skin-to-skin contact with …
The 2015 Riots in Baltimore

This chapter examines the Baltimore Police Department’s response to the demonstrations and riots in Baltimore, Maryland in April 2015 and the problems that arose from a lack of leadership and direction. The chapter will provide the background and context in which the riots occurred and outlines a chronology of the April 2015 events. It also discusses the police response in detail and provides a critique of the response under 11 headings which relate to the weaknesses in the Baltimore Police Department’s response. The final section of the chapter discusses the weaknesses within an operational context.
Low advance directive completion rates in hospitalized oncology patients: Room for improvement.

1Background: Advance care planning (ACP), which includes advance directive (AD) completion, ensures that patients receive care that is consistent with their beliefs and preferences. ACP is particul...
Interfacial Shear Bond Strength between Steel H-Piles and Polymer Concrete Jackets:

Steel H-piles have been used widely in bridge construction throughout the U.S. because of their relatively large load-carrying capacity while occupying a small area. However, many H-piles suffer fr...
Bilateral Adrenalectomy: Differences between Cushing Disease and Ectopic ACTH-Producing Tumors

Bilateral adrenalectomy (BA) is a curative treatment for hypercortisolism in patients with corticotropin (ACTH)-dependent Cushing syndrome. Indications include refractory Cushing’s disease (CD) following failed pituitary surgery, and occult or unresectable ectopic ACTH-producing neoplasms (EA). This was a single-center, retrospective review (1995–2017) of patients undergoing BA for CD or EA. Demographics, laboratory findings, and intraoperative and postoperative variables were analyzed. Of 137 patients, 83 (61%) had CD and 54 (39%) had EA; 87% of CD patients were female versus 46% of EA patients (p < 0.0001). Mean age at diagnosis was 40 ± 15 years for CD and 49 ± 18 years for EA (p = 0.004). Preoperative serum cortisol concentrations were higher in the EA cohort (63 ± 40 μg/dL) versus the CD cohort (33 ± 19 μg/dL) [p < 0.001], with no significant differences in serum ACTH. Time from diagnosis until adrenalectomy was 54 ± 69 months for CD versus 4 ± 13 for EA (p = 0.002). Most patients underwent minimally invasive surgery (MIS; 86% CD vs. 75% EA; p = 0.19). There was no difference between the rates of conversion to an open approach, intraoperative blood loss, or operative time between groups, and no difference between complications in CD versus EA (p = 1.0). Five-year survival was significantly shorter among the EA cohort (30% for EA vs. 80% for CD; p < 0.001). Patients with EA presented with higher serum cortisol levels compared with patients with CD. EA patients were more likely to require intraoperative transfusion and postoperative intensive care. BA in patients with CD and EA can be performed safely in an MIS fashion, with similar morbidity; however, survival at 5 years was significantly less in the EA cohort.
Management of the Ulnar Nerve in Throwing Athletes

During overhead throwing, there are tremendous forces placed on the medial elbow that can result in injury to the ulnar nerve. The purpose of this article is to review the anatomy, biomechanics, and appropriate clinical care of an overhead throwing athlete suffering from injury to their ulnar nerve. The authors preferred clinical work-up; non-operative and operative care are included in this review. More recent findings support the use of subcutaneous transposition instead of the submuscular transpositions and only to perform a transposition in the setting of specific pre-operative findings. Subcutaneous transpositions have led to decreased rates of post-operative symptoms and complications. Understanding the complexity of the medial elbow is essential to making an accurate diagnosis of ulnar neuritis/neuropathy in the overhead throwing athlete. In general, non-operative management has shown to be successful; however, in those refractory or recurrent cases of ulnar neuritis, ulnar nerve decompression with or without transposition provides these athletes with a surgical procedure that has shown to provide patients with excellent outcomes. Continued refinement surgical indications and surgical technique will allow for a high percentage of athletes who return to competitive sports following surgery for ulnar neuropathy.
Quality monitoring in milling of unidirectional CFRP through wavelet packet transform of force signals

Abstract Machining of CFRP is challenging and necessitates efficient and robust process monitoring techniques to minimize the machining induced damage such as fiber pullouts and delamination. In this study, wavelet packet transform of forces signals was used to monitor the surface quality of CFRP subjected to conventional edge trimming. Conventional milling experiments were performed on unidirectional CFRP machined at differ fiber orientation angles - 0°, 45°, 90° and 135°. The feed rate was varied between 0.025 and 0.75 mm/tooth. Depending on the fiber orientation, the ten point average roughness Rz varied between 2.9 and 104.1 µm. A novel algorithm using Wavelet Packet Decomposition was proposed to identify the signal features that could effectively establish a correlation between signal features, process variables (feed and speed) and surface roughness Rz. A bank of 35 different mother wavelets with decomposition levels up to 10 was explored. Seven different features were calculated for the wavelet packets obtained upon decomposition. Optimal wavelet parameters were identified based on the regression statistics. Among others, two features – standard deviation and energy-entropy coefficient were identified as primary candidates which resulted in roughness prediction with R2>91%. In addition, the morphology and removal mechanisms of the machined surfaces was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The nexus between those surfaces and signals was established which corroborated the utility of the proposed algorithm.
A-QED Verification of Hardware Accelerators

We present A-QED (Accelerator-Quick Error Detection), a new approach for pre-silicon formal verification of stand-alone hardware accelerators. A-QED relies on bounded model checking -- however, it does not require extensive design-specific properties or a full formal design specification. While A- QED is effective for both RTL and high-level synthesis (HLS) design flows, it integrates seamlessly with HLS flows. Our A-QED results on several hardware accelerator designs demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness: 1. A-QED detected all bugs detected by conventional verification flow. 2. A-QED detected bugs that escaped conventional verification flow. 3. A-QED improved verification productivity dramatically, by 30X, in one of our case studies (1 person-day using A-QED vs. 30 person-days using conventional verification flow). 4. A-QED produced short counterexamples for easy debug (37X shorter on average vs. conventional verification flow).
Printability study of self-supporting graphene oxide-laponite nanocomposites for 3D printing applications

Graphene, a two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotrope, has been widely used in various fields due to its excellent inherent properties. Graphene and its derivatives usually possess poor printability, which makes it challenging to create three-dimensional (3D) structures. The objective of this work is to investigate a nanoclay-assisted 3D printing approach to print 3D structures from self-supporting graphene oxide (GO)-laponite nanocomposites. Due to the physical crosslinking between nanoclay and GO, the resulted nanocomposites can be directly printed into complex geometries in air. A significantly large range of laponite to GO mass ratio (5.00 to 32.00) was achieved by a mixing and centrifuging method as compared to previously reported GO-laponite composites made by the solvent evaporation method. It is found that the concentrations of nanoclay additives and GO can significantly affect the extrudability. In addition, the formability of the extruded filaments was studied by assessing the filament shapes/dimensions as well as the filament deflections when printing between supporting structures. Our results show that operating conditions such as dispensing pressure, path speed, nozzle diameter, and stand-off distance can be used to control the width of printed filaments on a substrate. Due to the self-supporting property of the proposed GO-laponite nanocomposites, it is possible to form continuous filaments with negligible deflections between supporting structures. Thus, 3D scaffolds with well-defined shape and controllable geometries have been successfully fabricated, which proves the proposed nanoclay-assisted 3D printing technology to achieve complex 3D graphene structures is feasible.
The Splanchnic Circulation

The current stock of ideas basic to an understanding of splanchnic physiology has evolved from an unthinkably long and complex process of trial and error. Recognition of animal parts that are discrete and unchanging and the realization of their relevance to antecedents and effects must have required thousands of centuries during which men developed the means of communicating with one another.
Homicide: A Leading Cause of Death for Black Non-Hispanics in Wisconsin.

Importance Wisconsin has the second-highest Black homicide rate in the country, reporting a rate of 37.57 deaths per 100,000 Black non-Hispanic Wisconsinites. Meanwhile, White non-Hispanics experience a homicide rate of 2.0 deaths per 100,000. Objective This data identifies a public health disparity that deserves further investigation. This study seeks to detail the mortality rate of all-cause homicide, firearm-related homicide, non-firearm-related homicide, and legal intervention firearm-related homicide; leading causes of death; average age of death; and years of potential life lost (YPLL) between White non-Hispanics and Black non-Hispanics in Wisconsin during 2000-2017. Design Wisconsin homicide rates, ranked leading causes of death, and average age of death were obtained through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services via the Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health (WISH) Query System. National data were obtained through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). Homicide rates, ranked leading causes of death, average age of death, and YPLL were compared by mechanism of injury, county of residence, and race and ethnicity. Participants and exposures The entire population of Black non-Hispanic Americans and White non-Hispanic Americans during 2000-2017 was included. For comparison, this was narrowed to the population of Black non-Hispanic Wisconsinites and White non-Hispanic Wisconsinites during 2000-2017. Exposure groups include all homicide victims during 2000-2017. Main outcomes and measures We hypothesized that Black non-Hispanic Wisconsinites would have a significantly worse burden of disease compared to White non-Hispanic Wisconsinites, as well as Black non-Hispanic Americans. Results This study found that firearm-related homicide rates for Black non-Hispanics compared to White non-Hispanics were 14.6 times greater in Milwaukee, 29.9 times greater in Wisconsin, and 13.0 times greater in urban counties of the United States. Firearm-related homicide is the second-leading cause of death for Black non-Hispanics in Milwaukee and the fourth-leading cause of death in Wisconsin. YPLL per person for Black non-Hispanic victims of firearm-related homicide are 36.83 years in Milwaukee and 37.04 years in Wisconsin. Conclusion and relevance Our findings strongly suggest that Black non-Hispanic Wisconsinites endure a significantly worse burden of firearm-related homicide compared to White non-Hispanic Wisconsinites and Black non-Hispanic Americans. This study demonstrates a significant disparity in firearm-related homicide that should inspire policy discussion.
The Comps of Mexico. A Systematic Account of the Family Asteraceae. Chapter 22 TRIBE MILLERIEAE Lindl.

Billie L. Turner. 2016. The Comps of Mexico. A Systematic Account of the Family Asteraceae. Chapter 22 TRIBE MILLERIEAE Lindl. (ISBN-13: 978-0-9981557-0-8, pbk; Phytologia Memoirs Vol. 26A). Texensis Publishing, P.O. Box 727, Gruver, Texas 79040, U.S.A. (Orders: www.phytologia.org). $35.00 US, 85 b/w figures, 7" × 10".
Tuning force field parameters of ionic liquids using machine learning techniques

Abstract The ability to estimate the force field parameters of materials is critical for calculating the properties of materials using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The density functional theory and empirical methods are used to calculate the force field parameters. These force filed parameters must be tuned in order to accurately capture the properties of materials using MD simulations. For performing MD simulations in ionic liquid systems, we tuned the force field parameters using Machine Learning techniques. We have specifically provided an example for tuning partial charges derived from the general Amber force field (GAFF) parameters for ionic liquids (ILs). We have performed equilibrium MD simulations with various partial charges at varied temperatures and pressures, and we obtained density of ILs at each temperature and pressure. We then use this MD simulation data to train several ML models to predict partial charges based on the experimental features of ILs. We employ several renowned techniques such as LASSO, Elastic Net, Partial Least Squares Regression, and Random Forest along with two stacked models using Mean Stacking and Linear Stacking. The predictions from our ML-based models follow the experimental data closely with the stacked models displaying the best overall predictive performance. The prediction model presented here is general and could be used to tune the force field parameters for a wide variety of application systems.
Effect of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony assessed pre-renal transplantation on cardiovascular death post transplantation.

BACKGROUND SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) provides an assessment of LV mechanical dyssynchrony (LVMD) which correlates with CVD outcomes in diverse populations including those awaiting renal transplant (RT). The current study examines the association of LVMD on pre-transplant MPI with long-term CVD mortality post RT. METHODS We identified consecutive patients who underwent RT at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between 2008 and 2012 from our prospectively collected database. 675 patients in the database underwent MPI and had images amenable for phase analysis. A blinded investigator retrieved the studies and derived LVMD indices including histogram bandwidth (BW), standard deviation (SD), phase peak, phase skewness, and phase kurtosis. The primary outcome was CVD death after RT. RESULTS The study cohort had a median age of 54 years, 56% were men, 43% had diabetes, and 7% had prior myocardial infarction. Patients were on dialysis for a median of 3.4 years prior to RT and 34% received living donor transplants. During a median follow-up time after RT of 4.7 years (IQR 3.5 to 6.3 years) 59 patients (9%) succumbed to CVD death. Patients with wider BW, wider SD, lower skewness, and lower kurtosis had an increased risk of CVD death. On multivariate adjustment, BW and skewness remained as independent predictors of CVD deaths. CONCLUSIONS LVMD by phase analysis of gated SPECT MPI is associated with increased risk of CVD death after RT. This association is independent of demographics, comorbidities, and traditional findings on MPI and added incremental prognostic information. Assessment of LVMD should be considered for risk stratification in these patients.
Efficient allocation of attentional sensitivity gain in visual cortex reduces foveal sensitivity in visual search.

Summary The human visual system has a high-resolution fovea and a low-resolution periphery. When actively searching for a target, humans perform a covert search during each fixation, and then shift fixation (the fovea) to probable target locations. Previous studies of covert search under carefully controlled conditions provide strong evidence that for simple and small search displays, humans process all potential target locations with the same efficiency that they process those locations when individually cued on each trial. Here, we extend these studies to the case of large displays, in which the target can appear anywhere within the display. These more natural conditions reveal an attentional effect in which sensitivity in the fovea and parafovea is greatly diminished. We show that this "foveal neglect" is the expected consequence of efficiently allocating a fixed total attentional sensitivity gain across the retinotopic map in the visual cortex. We present a formal theory that explains our findings and the previous findings.
Moore's Law, the Life Cycle of Scientific Computing Codes and the Diminishing Importance of Parallel Computing

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the typical life cycle of scientific computing codes. Particular relevance is placed on the number of users, their concerns, the machines on which the codes operate as they mature, as well as the relative importance of parallel computing. It is seen that parallel computing achieves the highest importance in the early phases of code development, acting as an enabling technology without which new scientific codes could not develop. Given the typical times, new applications tend to run at their inception, Moore's law itself is perhaps the biggest incentive for new scientific computing codes. Without it, computing time would not decrease in the future and the range of applications would soon be exhausted. One of the most remarkable constants in the rapidly changing world is the rate of growth for the number of transistors that are packaged onto a square inch. This rate, commonly known as Moore's law, is approximately a factor of 2 every 18 months that translates into a factor of 10 every 5 years.