cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced practice nurses use role modelling, teaching, clinical problem solving and change facilitation to promote evidence-based practice among clinical staff nurses

Commentary on: K Gerrish, A McDonnell, M Nolan, et al.. The role of advanced practice nurses in knowledge brokering as a means of promoting evidence-based practice among clinical nurses.J Adv Nurs2011;67:2004–14.
Evaluation of a System for High-Accuracy 3D Image-Based Registration of Endoscopic Video to C-Arm Cone-Beam CT for Image-Guided Skull Base Surgery

The safety of endoscopic skull base surgery can be enhanced by accurate navigation in preoperative computed tomography (CT) or, more recently, intraoperative cone-beam CT (CBCT). The ability to register real-time endoscopic video with CBCT offers an additional advantage by rendering information directly within the visual scene to account for intraoperative anatomical change. However, tracker localization error (~1-2 mm ) limits the accuracy with which video and tomographic images can be registered. This paper reports the first implementation of image-based video-CBCT registration, conducts a detailed quantitation of the dependence of registration accuracy on system parameters, and demonstrates improvement in registration accuracy achieved by the image-based approach. Performance was evaluated as a function of parameters intrinsic to the image-based approach, including system geometry, CBCT image quality, and computational runtime. Overall system performance was evaluated in a cadaver study simulating transsphenoidal skull base tumor excision. Results demonstrated significant improvement (p <; 0.001) in registration accuracy with a mean reprojection distance error of 1.28 mm for the image-based approach versus 1.82 mm for the conventional tracker-based method. Image-based registration was highly robust against CBCT image quality factors of noise and resolution, permitting integration with low-dose intraoperative CBCT.
The ‘microflora hypothesis’ of allergic diseases

Increasingly, epidemiologic and clinical data support the hypothesis that perturbations in the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota because of antibiotic use and dietary differences in 'industrialized' countries have disrupted the normal microbiota-mediated mechanisms of immunological tolerance in the mucosa, leading to an increase in the incidence of allergic airway disease. The data supporting this 'microflora hypothesis' includes correlations between allergic airway disease and (1) antibiotic use early in life, (2) altered fecal microbiota and (3) dietary changes over the past two decades. Our laboratory has recently demonstrated that mice can develop allergic airway responses to allergens if their endogenous microbiota is altered at the time of first allergen exposure. These experimental and clinical observations are consistent with other studies demonstrating that the endogenous microbiota plays a significant role in shaping the development of the immune system. Data are beginning to accumulate that a 'balanced' microbiota plays a positive role in maintaining mucosal immunologic tolerance long after post-natal development. Other studies have demonstrated that even small volumes delivered to the nasopharynx largely end up in the GI tract, suggesting that airway tolerance and oral tolerance may operate simultaneously. The mechanism of microbiota modulation of host immunity is not known; however, host and microbial oxylipins are one potential set of immunomodulatory molecules that may control mucosal tolerance. The cumulative data are beginning to support the notion that probiotic and prebiotic strategies be considered for patients coming off of antibiotic therapy.
Machine learning approaches for metagenomics

Microbes exists everywhere. Current generation of genomic technologies have allowed researchers to determine the collective DNA sequence of all microorganisms co-existing together. In this paper, we present some of the challenges related to the analysis of data obtained from the community genomics experiment (commonly referred by metagenomics), advocate the need of machine learning techniques and highlight our contributions related to development of supervised and unsupervised techniques for solving this complex, real world problem.
Abstract 105: The Therapeutic Efficacy of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes for Postinfarction Myocardial Repair and Regeneration

Although embryonic stem cells (ESCs) hold great promise for regeneration of the heart post myocardial infarction (MI) due to their pluripotent potential, it is this same potential that poses risk for the formation of teratomas. Lately there have been reports that exosomes, 30-100nm membrane bound vesicles, are not simply used by the cell to exocytose unwanted material, but contain intact protein, mRNA, and miRNA important for intercellular communication. Here we hypothesize that ESC derived exosomes can be used to exploit an already established mechanism to shuttle ESC content intercellularly in a cell free system for physiological and anatomical repair of the myocardium following acute myocardial infarction. To test our hypothesis exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation from equal numbers of murine ESCs or primary embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). ESC exosomes had intact pluripotent transcripts similar to their parent cells in contrast the MEF exosomes. Using a double blinded acute myocardial infarction model, immediately after permanent ligation of the coronary artery, mice were injected with saline, ESC exosomes, or MEF exosomes at 3 locations in the border-zone of the left ventricle (LV). To assess the functional recovery of the LV, echocardiographical analysis was performed at Day 7, 14, and 28 following the AMI. Mice were sacrificed at D28 for histological assessments. LV fractional shortening, ejection fraction, and end systolic diameter measurements demonstrate that mice treated with ESC exosomes have improved LV function compared to mice treated with control MEF exosomes or saline alone (P
A graph-based agent-oriented model for building occupancy simulation

A building occupancy simulation simulates the behavior of the occupants and assists in recognizing occupant's behavior which can be used in energy consumption, smart assist as well as in emergency evacuation. Agent based models are widely used to represent the occupants, but suffer poorly due to increase in computation cost with the increase in agents. Graph based and cellular approaches are used to simulate large mass of occupants, but they treat the occupants as a homogeneous mass and thus, the emergent behavior due to individuality is lost in the model. This paper recognizes the limitations of the existing models that deals with the building occupancy simulation and aims to combine the benefits of agent and graph based modeling to come up with a rational and effective way of building occupancy simulation. This model departs from the existing ones through a difference in a way occupants are treated. The model sees them as entities having their own properties and decision making abilities rather than treating them as a group. This enables the model to handle evacuation systems in places with considerably larger amount of occupants like stadiums and concert arenas. As a case study, we conducted a simulation of emergency evacuation in a certain building with a selected type of agents using our model. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method, as well as the potential of simulating large mass of occupants within reasonable computational resources.
Face Diplomacy: Leaders and Norms in Foreign Policy Making

Cultural norms do not directly affect a diplomatic drama. As argued in Chapter 3, different individuals often apply different norms to their understanding and management of foreign relations. For a particular norm to affect foreign policy, there must be a particular politician or a group of politicians in power to apply the norm. The natural question, then, is what kind of people tend to apply which type of norms? One thing which needs to be re-emphasised here is that styles of politicians and the norms they apply to inter-state diplomacy are not necessarily related to ideological beliefs. Styles and norms together establish a psychocultural construct where the way a particular ideology to be pursued is formulated.
Security and Privacy in IoT Era

Trends in miniaturization have resulted in an explosion of small, low-power devices with network connectivity. Welcome to the era of Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, and automated home and industrial systems. These devices are loaded with sensors, collect information from their surroundings, process it, and relay it to remote locations for further analysis. Pervasive and seemingly harmless, this new breed of devices raise security and privacy concerns. In this chapter, we evaluate the security of these devices from an industry point of view, concentrating on the design flow, and catalogue the types of vulnerabilities we have found. We also present an in-depth evaluation of the Google Nest Thermostat, the Nike+ Fuelband SE Fitness Tracker, the Haier SmartCare home automation system, and the Itron Centron CL200 electric meter. We study and present an analysis of the effects of these compromised devices in an every day setting. We then finish by discussing design flow enhancements, with security mechanisms that can be efficiently added into a device in a comparative way.
Decreased spontaneous activity and altered evoked nociceptive response of rat thalamic submedius neurons to lumbar vertebra thrust

The thalamus is a central structure important to modulating and processing all mechanoreceptor input destined for the cortex. A large number of diverse mechanoreceptor endings are stimulated when a high velocity low amplitude thrust is delivered to the lumbar spine during spinal manipulation. The objective of this study was to determine if a lumbar thrust alters spontaneous and/or evoked nociceptive activity in medial thalamic submedius (Sm) neurons. Extracellular recordings were obtained from 94 thalamic Sm neurons in 54 urethane-anesthetized adult Wistar rats. Spontaneous activity was recorded 5 min before and after an L5 control (no thrust) and thrust (85% rat body weight; 100 ms) procedure. In a subset of responsive nociceptive-specific neurons, mean changes in noxious-evoked response (10-s pinch with clip; 795 g) at three sites (tail, contra- and ipsilateral hindpaw) were determined following an L5 thrust. Mean changes in Sm spontaneous activity (60 s bins) and evoked noxious response were compared using a mixed model repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc t tests and paired t tests, respectively. Compared to control, spontaneous Sm activity decreased 180–240 s following the lumbar thrust (p < 0.005). Inhibitory evoked responses were attenuated in the contralateral hindpaw following an L5 thrust compared to control (p < 0.05). No other changes in spontaneous or noxious-evoked Sm activity were found. A delayed, but prolonged suppression of spontaneous Sm activity along with changes in noxious-evoked inhibitory responses in the contralateral hindpaw following lumbar vertebra thrust suggest that thalamic submedius neurons may play a role in central pain modulation related to manual therapy intervention.
Gallium platinum alloys - a new material system for UV plasmonics

We describe a new material system based on alloys of gallium and platinum that is well-suited for ultraviolet (UV) plasmonics. Although gallium has previously been shown to be useful for such studies, creating a continuous, pinhole-free thin film has been technically challenging. For example, when vacuum deposition techniques are used, gallium forms as isolated spherical nanoparticles on a wide variety of substrates. We demonstrate that when a platinum wetting layer is deposited first on a substrate followed by a thick gallium layer, a Ga-Pt alloy thin film is formed near the interface. The excess surface gallium can then be removed using a focused ion beam (FIB), exposing the alloy film. Ellipsometry measurements show that the alloy largely retains the dielectric properties of solid gallium throughout the UV, although the properties of the two diverge somewhat in the visible. We fabricate periodic subwavelength aperture arrays in the alloy thin film and observe enhanced optical transmission resonances that are sharper in the UV than in the visible. The patterned films appear to be stable over time periods exceeding six months based on optical measurements.
The utility and value of the "surprise question" for patients with serious illness.

Clinicians have long identified the challenges of accurately making a prognosis as being a barrier to patient access to end-of-life care,[1][1] and many tools have been developed to help clinicians with the process.[2][2] These tools generally rely on algorithms that can be complex and not easily
Prediction Error Applied to Hybrid Electric Vehicle Optimal Fuel Economy

Fuel economy (FE) improvements for hybrid electric vehicles using a predictive Optimal Energy Management Strategy (Optimal EMS) is an active subject of research. Recent developments have focused on real-time prediction-based control strategies despite the lack of research demonstrating the aspects of prediction that are most important for FE improvements. In this paper, driving-derived nonstochastic prediction errors are applied to a globally optimal control strategy implemented on a validated model of a 2010 Toyota Prius, and the FE results are reported for each type of prediction error. This paper first outlines the real-world drive cycle development, then the baseline model development that simulates a 2010 Toyota Prius, followed by an implementation of dynamic programming (DP) to derive the globally optimal control, and finally the use of the DP solution to evaluate prediction errors. FE comparisons are reported for perfect prediction, prediction errors from 14 alternate drive cycles, and prediction errors from 6 alternate vehicle parameters. The results show that FE improvements from the Optimal EMS are maintained under mispredicted stops, traffic, and vehicle parameters, while route changes and compounded drive cycle mispredictions may result in FE improvements being lost. Taken together, these results demonstrate that implementation of an Optimal EMS can result in a reliable FE improvement.
Hemodynamics of Fontan Failure: The Role of Pulmonary Vascular Disease.

Background Nonpulsatile pulmonary blood flow in Fontan circulation results in pulmonary vascular disease, but the potential relationships between pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) and Fontan failure have not been studied. The objective was to determine whether the absence of subpulmonary ventricle in the Fontan circulation would make patients more vulnerable to even low-level elevations in PVRI, and when coupled with low cardiac index, this would identify patients at increased risk of Fontan failure. Methods and Results Two hundred sixty-one adult Fontan patients underwent cardiac catheterization; age 26±3 years, men 146 (56%), atriopulmonary Fontan 144 (55%). Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with high PVRI (>2 WU·m 2 ) and low cardiac index −1 m −2 (group 1, n=70, 30%), and those with normal PVRI and normal cardiac index (group 2, n=182, 70%). Fontan failure was defined by the composite of all-cause mortality, listing for heart transplantation, or initiation of palliative care. There were 68 (26%) cases of Fontan failure during a mean follow-up of 8.6±2.4 years. When compared with group 2, freedom from Fontan failure was significantly lower in group 1: 66% versus 89% at 5 years. The combination of high PVRI and low cardiac index was an independent risk factor for Fontan failure (hazard ratio, 1.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–2.85). Conclusions When coupled with low cardiac index, even mild elevations in PVRI identify patients at high risk of Fontan failure. This suggests that pulmonary vascular disease is a key mechanism underlying Fontan failure and supports further studies to understand the pathophysiology and target treatments to pulmonary vascular tone in this population.
Chemistry of Pyrolysis of Polysaccharides and Lignocellulosics

Recent developments in understanding of the chemical mechanisms involved in pyrolysis of polysaccharides will be reviewed. Special aspects include (a) the central role of the initial heterolytic scission of the glycosidic linkages, (b) influence of volatility of subsequent products in channelling degradation pathways, (c) effect of polysaccharide architecture on channelling reaction pathways, (d) influence of trace inorganic impurities on pyrolysis products. The use of isotopically labelled synthetic glycans in the elucidation of pyrolysis mechanisms will be described.
The Impact of a Displayed Checklist on Simulated Pediatric Trauma Resuscitations.

Background Advanced Trauma Life Support resuscitation follows a strict protocolized approach to the initial trauma evaluation. Despite this structure, elements of the primary and secondary assessments can still be omitted. The aim of this study is to determine if a cognitive aid checklist reduces omissions and speeds the time to assessment completion. We additionally investigated if a displayed checklist improved performance further. Methods A series of 131 simulated trauma resuscitations were performed. Teams were randomized to 1 of 3 arms (no checklist, handheld checklist, or displayed). The scenarios were recorded and analyzed to determine time to completion and absolute completion of tasks of the primary and secondary survey. The workload of individual team members was assessed via NASA-TLX. Results There was no difference in time to completion of surveys among the 3 arms. In the primary survey, there was a nonsignificant increase in the number of completed tasks with the use of the displayed checklist. In the secondary survey, there was a significant improvement in task completion with the displayed checklists with improved evaluation of the pelvis (P = 0.011), lower extremities (P = 0.048), and covering the patient (P = 0.046). There was a significant improvement in performance in those reported among nurse documenters with use of the displayed checklist. Conclusions Despite a structured approach to trauma resuscitations, omissions still occur. The use of a displayed checklist improves performance and reduces omissions without delaying assessment. Better compliance with Advanced Trauma Life Support protocols may improve patient outcomes.
Environmental and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with West Nile Virus

Abstract Environmental and socioeconomic risk factors associated with West Nile Virus cases were investigated in the Northern San Joaquin Valley region of California, a largely rural area. The study included human West Nile Virus (WNV) cases from the years 2011-2015 in the three county area of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties, and examined whether factors were associated with WNV using census tracts as the unit of analysis. Environmental factors included temperature, precipitation, mosquitoes positive for WNV, and habitat. Socioeconomic variables included age, education, housing age, home vacancies, median income, population density, ethnicity, and language spoken. Chi-squared independence tests were used to examine whether each variable was associated with WNV in each county, and then also used for the three counties combined. Logistic regression was used for a three-county combined analysis, to examine which environmental and socioeconomic variables were most likely associated with WNV cases. The chi-squared tests found that the variables associated with WNV varied in each of the three counties. The chi-squared tests for data combined from the three counties found that WNV cases were significantly associated with mosquitoes positive for WNV, urban habitat, higher home vacancies, higher population density, higher education, and ethnicity. Logistic regression analysis revealed that overall, the environmental factors precipitation, mean temperature, and WNV positive mosquitoes were the strongest predictors of WNV cases. Results support efforts of mosquito control districts, which aim for source reduction of mosquito breeding sites. In addition, findings suggest that residents with higher income and education may be more aware of WNV and its symptoms, and more likely to request testing from physicians. Lower income and education residents may not be aware of WNV. Public health education might increase its prevention messages about vector-borne disease in the various languages of the region, which would contribute overall to public health in the region.
Statistics and Chemistry, and the Linear Calibration Problem

Statistics is the study of how we learn from data: how data can be collected efficiently and analyzed effectively. In this paper, the role of statistics in chemistry is discussed. After model-building and Bayesian analysis are briefly described, a Bayesian analysis of the linear calibration problem is presented.
97 : Silencing MicroRNA-21 ameliorates Th17 mediated autoimmune inflammation

IL-17 producing Th17 cells are the key participants in various autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Although differentiation of Th17 cells are known to be regulated by specific transcription factors and cytokines, the role of microRNAs that control this inflammatory T cell subset and whether targeting microRNAs can have therapeutic effects are not understood well. We found that microRNA-21 expression is elevated in Th17 cells and Mir-21-/- mice show a defect in Th17 differentiation and are resistant to EAE. Mir-21-/- T cells fail to induce known factors required for Th17 differentiation, such as transcription factor RORgt and the cytokine IL-21. However, Mir-21-/- mice have normal Th1, Th2 and Treg differentiation. The T cell intrinsic function of Mir-21 was clearly demonstrated by the sensitivity to EAE of the Mir-21-/- mice into which WT CD4+ T cells were transferred. Mir-21 promoted Th17 differentiation by targeting Smad-7, a negative regulator of TGF-beta signaling and Th17 differentiation. Finally, we found that anti-Mir-21 treatment reduced clinical severity of EAE associated with decrease in Th17 cells. These findings demonstrate that Mir-21 confers susceptibility to EAE by affecting inflammatory Th17 responses and identify Mir-21 as a new target for therapeutic intervention in MS.
E-Mycin® (Upjohn)

Erythromycin, from the macrolide group of antibiotics, inhibits bacterial protein synthesis. It is widely used as an alternate to penicillin and is one of the safest antibiotics currently in use. Besides its use as an alternate to penicillin, erythromycin is the recommended drug in many disease states. It diffuses readily into most body fluids, but only low concentrations are achieved in the spinal fluid. The oral forms are preferred though these are inactivated to varying degrees by gastric juice; however, E-Mycin tablets are enteric coated and are not inactivated by the acid milieu of the stomach.
Chronic treatment with N-acetylcysteine decreases extinction responding and reduces cue-induced nicotine-seeking.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a promising glutamatergic therapeutic agent, has shown some clinical efficacy in reducing nicotine use in humans and has been shown to reverse drug-induced changes in glutamatergic neurophysiology. In rats, nicotine-seeking behavior is associated with alterations in glutamatergic plasticity within the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore). Specifically, cue-induced nicotine-seeking is associated with rapid, transient synaptic plasticity (t-SP) in glutamatergic synapses on NAcore medium spiny neurons. The goal of the present study was to determine if NAC reduces nicotine-seeking behavior and reverses reinstatement-associated NAcore glutamatergic alterations. Rats were extinguished from nicotine self-administration, followed by subchronic NAC administration (0 or 100 mg/kg/d) for 4 days prior to cue-induced reinstatement. NAcore synaptic potentiation was measured via dendritic spine morphology and mRNA and protein of relevant glutamatergic genes were quantified. Nicotine-seeking behavior was not reduced by subchronic NAC treatment. Also, NAcore transcript and protein expression of multiple glutamatergic genes, as well as spine morphological measures, were unaffected by subchronic NAC. Finally, chronic NAC treatment (15 days total) during extinction and prior to reinstatement significantly decreased extinction responding and reduced reinstatement of nicotine-seeking compared to vehicle. Together, these results suggest that chronic NAC treatment is necessary for its therapeutic efficacy as a treatment strategy for nicotine addiction and relapse.
Reconstruction of Lumbar Spinal Defects: Case Series, Literature Review, and Treatment Algorithm

Background Lumbar spinal defects present a distinct challenge for the reconstructive surgeon and are often complicated by previous spinal surgery, the presence of hardware, and prior radiation. There are a variety of reconstructive options described but no clear treatment algorithm for these challenging defects. Methods A literature search was performed to review the described treatment options for lumbar spinal soft-tissue defects. Treatments for myelomeningocele or pressure ulcers were excluded. In addition, a retrospective case review was performed for patients with lumbar defects treated with pedicled superior gluteal artery perforator (SGAP) flap reconstruction. Results A literature review revealed 2,022 articles pertaining to lumbar defect reconstruction, of which 56 met inclusion criteria. These articles described 13 individual reconstructive techniques for this anatomic area. The most commonly described techniques were evaluated and a treatment algorithm designed based on patient and wound characteristics. The clinical course of 5 patients with radiated lumbar spinal defects treated with SGAP flaps is presented. Conclusions There are many treatment options for lumbar spinal defects and treatment should be tailored to the patient and the characteristics of the defect. For large or radiated lumbar wounds, the pedicled SGAP flap is an excellent reconstructive choice, as it has reliable anatomy that is outside the zone of injury, adequate bulk, and minimal donor-site deficits.
Thermal Conductivity Studies and Free-Standing Liquid-Crystal Film Calorimetry as Two Applications of the AC Calorimetric Technique

As extensions of the original ac calorimetric technique by Sullivan and Seidel, we have developed suitable experimental techniques and have successfully carried out thermal conductivity studies of bulk samples and heat-capacity measurements of free-standing liquid-crystal films.
Comparative Effectiveness of Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Versus Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for Diabetes Treatment: A Claims-based Cohort Study.

MiniWe used commercial insurance claims data to compare vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with respect to diabetes treatment outcomes. In matched cohorts of patients, RYGB patients were more likely than patients with VSG to come off all diabetes medications up to
CROSS-LINKING STUDIES OF MONOOXYGENASE ENZYMES

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the results of studies with purified monooxygenase enzymes and a reconstituted system. Cross-linking offers an experimental approach for studying the molecular organization of P-450 and reductase. Results obtained in a study with dimethylsuberimidate (DMS) and dimethyl-3,3′-dithiobispropionimidate (DTBP) described in the chapter indicate that purified P-450 and reductase can be readily crosslinked. When P-450 was treated with 2 mM DMS for 1 min, oligomers P1, P2, P3, and P4 were seen on the gels. Cross-linked oligomers up to octamers for P-450 and pentamers for reductase have been observed. Gel-filtration analysis indicates that purified P-450 exists as a micelle of molecular weight 520,000. The reductase also exists as micelles or aggregates. The present results are believed to be because of cross-linking within protein micelles. With a mixture of P-450 and reductase—in the presence or absence of dilauroylphosphatidylcholine—the predominant cross-linked species is a mixed dimer PR. This suggests that the two enzymes can form a stable complex under these conditions.
The Presence of Gender Bias in Letters of Recommendations Written for Urology Residency Applicants

Abstract Objectives To determine whether implicit gender bias exists in the urology residency application process, we compared linguistic differences in letters of recommendation submitted for male and female applicants. Methods Letters of recommendation were abstracted from residency applications to a urology residency program. Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, a validated text analysis software program, characterized the linguistic content of the letters. Analyzed letters were compared according to gender of the applicant using multivariable analysis, examining the association of applicant gender, letter writer and letter characteristics. Multivariable analysis was also performed to determine the association of letter characteristics with matching into a urology residency. Results Of 460 letters evaluated, letters for male applicants are written in a more authentic tone compared to letters written for female applicants. Letters written for male applicants contain significantly more references to personal drive, work, and power than letters written for female applicants. Significant differences are maintained on multivariable analysis when controlling for race and Step 1 score of the applicant. Letters with references to power were significantly more likely to be associated with an applicant who matched into urology than an applicant who didn't match. Conclusions Significant linguistic differences exist among letters of recommendation written for men and women applying into urology, suggesting that gender bias may permeate resident recruitment. These differences may affect the likelihood of women matching into urology.
Estimating child linguistic experience from historical corpora

Child language acquisition is often identified as one of the primary drivers of language change, but the lack of historical child data presents a challenge for empirically investigating its effect. In this work, I observe the relationship between lexicons extracted from modern child-directed speech and those drawn from modern and historical literary corpora in order to better understand when language acquisition can be modeled over historical and non-child corpora as it is over child corpora. The type frequencies of morphophonological and syntactic-semantic patterns occur at similar type frequencies in these corpora among high token frequency items, and furthermore, when a learning algorithm is applied to lexicons sampled from these sources, it consistently achieves the same learning outcomes in each. With appropriate care and pre-processing, modern and historical text corpora are effectively interchangeable with child-directed speech corpora for the purpose of estimating child lexical experience, opening a path for modeling language acquisition where child-directed corpora are not available.
Using locally adjustable hand-eye calibrations to reduce robot localization error

Accurate pose of a robot end effector is required in many applications. Typically, this is achieved by robot calibration and then, registration of the robot frame to the world frame. In this paper, the registration of a poorly calibrated robot to a world frame was performed using many local hand-eye registrations and using one global registration. Both approaches were evaluated using a set of target poses. The use of the properly chosen local transformation applied to each target led to a tenfold reduction in the orientation and position error in comparison with a use of one global transformation. The median orientation error was reduced to 0.029° and the median position error was reduced to 0.221 mm which is approximately four times larger than robot specified position repeatability.
Increased Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein and Vimentin in Vitreous Fluid as a Biomarker for Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

Purpose Glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and vimentin are type III intermediate filament proteins, ubiquitously expressed in retinal glial cells. Under retinal stress, both GFAP and vimentin are well-known sensitive markers for retinal gliosis. However, little is known about whether these proteins are released into the vitreous body in response to retinal gliosis or are related to the severity of retinal gliosis seen in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Methods Vitreous fluids were collected from 44 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for macular hole (Group 1; n = 8), epiretinal membrane (Group 2; n = 8), or retinal detachment (RD) with various degrees of PVR (Group 3; n = 28). The severity of PVR was determined by cumulative scores using PVR classification. GFAP, vimentin, and total protein levels from the vitreous samples were measured. Results Both GFAP and vimentin levels were significantly elevated in vitreous fluid from Group 3 (RD) compared with Groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.01). GFAP levels (ng/mL) were 12.4 ± 9.8, 17.5 ± 17.7, and 572.0 ± 11659.7, and vimentin levels (ng/mL) were 40.8 ± 61.9, 88.6 ± 86.8, and 3952.8 ± 8179.5 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Total protein levels were not significantly different among the three groups. Elevated GFAP and vimentin levels in Group 3 were positively correlated with the areas of RD (P < 0.01, r = 0.53 in GFAP and P < 0.05, r = 0.46 in vimentin) and PVR scores (P < 0.05, r = 0.46 in GFAP and P < 0.00001, r = 0.76 in vimentin). Conclusions Our data suggest that human vitreous GFAP and vimentin are protein biomarkers for PVR, and reactive gliosis may play a part in PVR formation.
Framing pregnancy-related smoking cessation messages for women of reproductive age

Abstract Introduction Communicating harms of smoking and benefits of quitting to tobacco users to motivate cessation is critical to reduce the burden of tobacco-related disease. Most messaging strategies focus on health risks of smoking using loss-framing; yet, gain-framed messages to increase confidence in quitting have shown promise for smokers with lower self-efficacy. This study examined the impact of message framing on perceived effectiveness of targeted, pregnancy-related smoking cessation messages among pregnant and not-pregnant smoking women of reproductive age. Methods An obstetrics-gynecological clinic-based sample of female, current smokers of reproductive age (18–44 years old) was recruited during January to May 2019 (n = 135). Participants self-reported ratings for 10 pregnancy-related cessation messages (half gain-framed) on a validated perceived effectiveness scale. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering by message themes. Results Gain-framed messages were rated significantly higher (0.20; p Conclusions Gain-framed health messages about cessation were deemed to be more effective than loss-framed messages among adult female smokers. Targeted, positively framed messages to highlight the benefits of quitting to women of reproductive age show promise as a strategy to promote smoking cessation.
Modular motion control software development to support a versatile, low-cost aerosol jet platform for printed electronics

Abstract A wide variety of digital fabrication methods rely on computer numerical control motion systems for positioning and synchronization of complex functions. Although low-cost microcontrollers have supported widespread adoption of 3D printing and greatly reduced barriers to market entry, higher precision printing methods such as aerosol jet printing continue to rely on expensive, purpose-built motion control platforms. Advances in low-cost and versatile microcontrollers present a compelling opportunity for the design of inexpensive, simple, and modular motion control applications suitable for precision printing modalities that require multitasking. Here, an aerosol jet printer is developed with an inexpensive 32-bit microcontroller using real-time operating system features. Multitasking enables robust synchronization of the motion system with a variety of peripheral hardware devices necessary for functional patterning. This is demonstrated for electronic inks with competitive performance compared to high-end commercial printing platforms, while maintaining a modular, accessible, and versatile framework to support portability for hybrid manufacturing capabilities.
Thrombospondin 1 polymorphism associated with decreased expression and increased risk of pterygium.

To assess the potential association of a thrombospondin 1 gene (THBS1) single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs1478604) with thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) mRNA expression, as well as the risk of pterygium, in a pilot study. DNA and RNA were isolated from peripheral blood samples collected from normal volunteer subjects (n = 39). In addition, DNA was isolated from conjunctival tissue samples collected during pterygium excision surgeries (n = 42). Relative expression of TSP-1 mRNA was measured by quantitative RT-PCR, and rs1478604 genotype was determined using a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. Genotype frequencies were compared with mRNA expression and between pterygium samples and normal controls. Expression of TSP-1 mRNA was significantly lower in the peripheral blood of normal subjects who were homozygous for the C allele of rs1478604 (CC) compared to TT and CT genotypes (p = 0.004). When we compared rs1478604 genotypes between normal and pterygium patients, we found that the CC genotype was also associated with an increased risk of pterygium compared to TT (odds ratio (OR) = 5.39, 95% CI [1.26–22.99], p = 0.028), CT (OR = 7.86, 95% CI [1.92–32.17], p = 0.003), and combined CT and TT genotypes (OR = 6.67; 95% CI = [1.75–25.37]; p = 0.003). We found that the C allele of rs1478604 was associated with both lower TSP-1 expression and higher risk of pterygium, possibly implicating TSP-1 in the pathogenesis of pterygium.
Is there something distinctive about psychotherapy clients’ dishonesty about self-destructive behaviors?

This study explored the nature of disclosure in psychotherapy among respondents who reported particular difficulty being honest in psychotherapy about their self-harm, substance abuse, or disordere...
Acute Rehabilitation in a Lung Transplant Recipient Infected with Covid-19: Case Report

We report a case of a 68-year-old female with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who underwent bilateral lung transplantation with concurrent Covid-19 infection. Physical and Occupational therapy were i...
Selected movement and force pattern differences in rail- and rung-climbing of fire apparatus aerial ladders at 52.5° slope.

Abstract This study compares human climbing performance, including climbing speed and movement and force patterns, between rail- and rung-climbing styles for a moderate aerial ladder slope (52.5°). Hand and foot movements and forces were recorded for 9 male and 10 female firefighters as they ascended and descended a 3.4-m ladder using elevated handrails (rail-climbing) or rungs (rung-climbing) for hand support. The results indicated that climbers used three or more points of contact 54% of the time for rung-climbing and 100% of the time for rail-climbing. Furthermore, rail-climbing was 10% faster than rung-climbing. In rail-climbing, the lateral hand forces were mostly directed away from the body; while during rung-climbing, they were alternated in lateral and medial directions. Overall, the results suggested that rail-climbing provides better control over body positioning and faster climbing speed. Furthermore, the continuous contact of both hands in rail-climbing may reduce the fall risk by facilitating the recovery from a slip or perturbation.
Double resistive superconducting transition in Sm 2 − x Ce x CuO 4 − y

We report a systematic study of the double resistive superconducting transition in carefully prepared polycrystalline samples of the electron-doped superconducting series ${\mathrm{Sm}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ce}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{y}}$ for 0.12\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.20. From high-resolution x-ray-diffraction measurements, the solubility limit of Ce in this series is slightly greater than 0.16. An intrinsic double resistive transition present in all superconducting compounds is attributed to the granularity of these polycrystalline samples. There is a partial transition when the grains become superconducting at a temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}1}$, and coupling between grains at a lower temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}2}$ apparently completes the transition. Only the transition associated with coupling between grains is observed in magnetic-susceptibility measurements due to inhomogeneous grains and large penetration depths. From compositional dependences of resistive and magnetic measurements, the superconducting volume fraction increases linearly with increasing dopant concentration up to the solubility limit, while the best coupling between grains is at a dopant concentration of 0.15. Thus, there is a subtle relationship between doping and coupling in this series. Also, arguments for a true thermodynamic phase transition at ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}2}$ are given.
Late Quaternary glaciation of northern India

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that the knowledge of the Quaternary glacial history of northern India is still in its infancy and a systematic study of the region is required. The glacial chronologies have been established and glacial geological research projects generally have concentrated on relatively small and accessible areas of the Himalaya. It reviews that few of the established glacial chronologies have been defined by numerical dating. However, where detailed and comprehensive programmes of numerical dating have been undertaken, such as in the Lahul Himalaya, it appears that on millennial time scales, glacier oscillations in the Himalaya reflect periods of positive mass-balance coincident with times of increased insolation. The rapid and possibly differential tectonic uplift of some mountain ranges, such as the Pir Panjal and/or the Greater Himalaya, may have significantly influenced the style of glaciation throughout the region. The chapter also reviews that the glacial systems of northern India have a profound influence on the hydrology of the great rivers of India that, in turn, provide waters for one of the most highly populated regions of the world. Therefore, understanding the nature and dynamics of glacial fluctuations is essential for effective sustainable development and hazard mitigation. A systematic reconstruction of the extent and timing of glaciation in northern India is urgently needed.
Computability and Logic

Part I. Computability Theory: 1. Enumerability 2. Diagonalization 3. Turing computability 4. Uncomputability 5. Abacus computability 6. Recursive functions 7. Recursive sets and relations 8. Equivalent definitions of computability Part II. Basic Metalogic: 9. A precis of first-order logic: syntax 10. A precis of first-order logic: semantics 11. The undecidability of first-order logic 12. Models 13. The existence of models 14. Proofs and completeness 15. Arithmetization 16. Representability of recursive functions 17. Indefinability, undecidability, incompleteness 18. The unprovability of consistency Part III. Further Topics: 19. Normal forms 20. The Craig interpolation theorem 21. Monadic and dyadic logic 22. Second-order logic 23. Arithmetical definability 24. Decidability of arithmetic without multiplication 25. Non-standard models 26. Ramsey's theorem 27. Modal logic and provability.
Confirming universal generalizations

The purpose of this paper is to make a simple observation regarding the Johnson-Carnap continuum of inductive methods (see Johnson 1932, Carnap 1952). From the outset, a common criticism of this continuum was its failure to permit the confirmation of universal generalizations: that is, if an event has unfailingly occurred in the past, the failure of the continuum to give some weight to the possibility that the event will continue to occur without fail in the future. The Johnson-Carnap continuum is the mathematical con-sequence of an axiom termed “Johnson’s sufficientness postulate”, the thesis of this paper is that, properly viewed, the failure of the Johnson-Carnap continuum to confirm universal generalizations is not a deep fact, but rather an immediate consequence of the sufficientness postulate; and that if this postulate is modified in the minimal manner necessary to eliminate such an entailment, then the result is a new continuum that differs from the old one in precisely one respect: it enjoys the desideratum of confirming universal generalizations.
The Solution of Linear Probabilistic Recurrence Relations

Linear probabilistic divide-and-conquer recurrence relations arise when analyzing the running time of divide-and-conquer randomized algorithms. We consider first the problem of finding the expected value of the random process T(x) , described as the output of a randomized recursive algorithm T . On input x , T generates a sample (h1,···,hk) from a given probability distribution on [0,1]k and recurses by returning g(x) + Σi=1kciT(hi x) until a constant is returned when x becomes less than a given number. Under some minor assumptions on the problem parameters, we present a closed-form asymptotic solution of the expected value of T(x) . We show that E[T(x)] = Θ( xp + xp∈t1x(g(u)/ up+1 ) du) , where p is the nonnegative unique solution of the equation Σi=1kciE[hip] = 1 . This generalizes the result in [1] where we considered the deterministic version of the recurrence. Then, following [2], we argue that the solution holds under a broad class of perturbations including floors and ceilings that usually accompany the recurrences that arise when analyzing randomized divide-and-conquer algorithms.
Star Formation in Cooling Flows

Star formation, probably with an abnormal initial mass function, represents the most plausible sink for the large amounts of material being accreted by cD galaxies from cooling flows. There are three prominent cases (NGC 1275, PKS 0745–191, and Abell 1795) where cooling flows have apparently induced unusual stellar populations. Recent studies show that about 50% of other accreting cD’s have significant ultraviolet excesses. It therefore appears that detectable accretion populations are frequently associated with cooling flows. The questions of the form of the IMF, the fraction of the flow forming stars, and the lifetime of the flow remain open.
Indexing incomplete databases

Incomplete databases, that is, databases that are missing data, are present in many research domains. It is important to derive techniques to access these databases efficiently. We first show that known indexing techniques for multi-dimensional data search break down in terms of performance when indexed attributes contain missing data. This paper utilizes two popularly employed indexing techniques, bitmaps and quantization, to correctly and efficiently answer queries in the presence of missing data. Query execution and interval evaluation are formalized for the indexing structures based on whether missing data is considered to be a query match or not. The performance of Bitmap indexes and quantization based indexes is evaluated and compared over a variety of analysis parameters for real and synthetic data sets. Insights into the conditions for which to use each technique are provided.