cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kites in the highlands: articulating Bunong Indigeneity in Cambodia, Vietnam, and abroad

Bunong people from both sides of the Cambodia–Vietnam border are increasingly self-identifying as Indigenous peoples and claiming collective human rights as Indigenous peoples at international platforms, such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. As of now the Bunong from Vietnam articulate Indigeneity from a diasporic distance, having fled the country as political refugees. The aim of this article is to compare and contrast the networks of Bunong Indigeneity that now seek cross-border and transnational connections, and examine the blockages and openings that appear as a result. The border between Vietnam and Cambodia separates Bunong communities and families spatially, politically, and culturally. Cambodia recognizes Indigenous peoples, while Vietnam does not. Through primary research with Bunong activists, combined with secondary sources, this article adopts a comparative cross-border approach to the Bunong articulation of Indigeneity, and asks where this movement may be headed.
Building a business plan to support a transplantation pharmacy practice model.

Pharmacists have been part of the multidisciplinary transplantation care team for more than four decades. The first article detailing the pharmacist’s role on the transplantation team was published in this journal in 1976.[1][1] Since the 1970s, a pharmacist’s presence within the transplantation
A Heritable Tooth Trait Varying in Two Subspecies of Microtus californicus (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Teeth with unusually long roots were observed in individuals trapped live from two populations of the California vole, Microtus californicus , and in their laboratory-born progeny. Populations of two nominal subspecies, M. c. californicus and stephensi , were sampled; the incidence of affected individuals differs in the subspecies. Affected individuals are those in which the root of any of the molars, upper or lower, is abnormally long, with distortion in the dentine at the base of the root. The trait is semi-continuous, and there is a threshold for its expression that is lower for males than females. There is also a difference in incidence between the sexes and an age effect in the severity of the anomaly. The trait has a genetic component but the mode of inheritance is not clear.
National Orthopedic Residency Attrition: Who Is At Risk?

Background National U.S. orthopedic resident attrition rates have been historically low, but no literature exists as to the characteristics of those who leave nor the circumstance of the departure. We aimed to determine factors that may place a resident at higher risk for attrition. Additionally, we planned to determine whether the 2003-work hour restriction affected attrition rate. Materials and Methods All orthopedic surgery residency program directors in the United States were surveyed on demographic data for their current resident class, the number of residents who left the program, as well as demographic description for each of the residents who left their program from 1998 to 2013. Exclusion criteria included military programs and those younger than 3 years. All data were deidentified and compared to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Data Resource book to protect against sample error in respondents. Results Of 146 programs included, the overall response rate was 54% of residency directors, representing 51% of orthopedic residents. The respondent demographic make-up of 13.7% female, and average program size of 22.3 residents, compared similarly to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education national average of 13% female and 23-resident program size. Compared to all respondents, residents who left their program were more likely to be female (27%, p = 0.0018), single (51%, p = 0.0028), and without children (80%, p = 0.0018). There was no statistical difference based on minority status or 2003-instituted work hour restriction. Of those who left, 45% transferred to another specialty, 34% were dismissed, 14% voluntarily withdrew or cited personal reasons, and 6% transferred to another orthopedic program. The most common specialties to transfer into were radiology (30%), emergency medicine (25%), and anesthesia (18%). Conclusions Orthopedic residents who are female, single, or without children are statistically more likely to undergo attrition. Consideration could be given to targeted mentoring of these resident groups.
Differences in copper status and copper metabolism among Angus, Simmental, and Charolais cattle.

Thirty-eight pregnant Angus, Charolais, and Simmental heifers and their offspring were used to determine whether differences in Cu metabolism existed among breeds. The heifers were fed either 0 or 10 mg of supplemental Cu per kilogram of DM. Calves were born between d 70 and 125 of the 280 d experiment. There were few differences among breeds in plasma Cu concentration and ceruloplasmin activity when heifers were fed supplemental Cu. When heifers were not fed supplemental Cu, Angus heifers had greater (P < .10) plasma Cu concentrations than Simmental heifers from d 0 until 140 and Charolais heifers from d 28 until 140. Angus heifers had greater (P < .10) ceruloplasmin activity than Charolais and Simmental heifers between d 28 and 196. When dams were fed supplemental Cu, Angus calves had greater (P < .10) plasma Cu concentrations than Simmental calves on all days tested and Charolais calves on d 252 and 280. Ceruloplasmin activity of Angus calves in the Cu-supplemented group was greater (P < .10) than that of Charolais calves on d 224 and 280 and Simmental calves from d 224 until 280. Angus calves born to dams not receiving supplemental Cu had greater (P < .10) plasma Cu concentrations and ceruloplasmin activities than Simmental calves on all days tested. Angus calves also had greater (P < .10) plasma Cu concentrations than Charolais calves on d 196 and greater ceruloplasmin activities than Charolais calves from d 168 until 224. Eight Angus and eight Simmental steers were used to evaluate apparent Cu absorption and retention.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
IMPROVEMENT IN COST AND EFFICIENCY IN ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY BY CARDIAC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY TO EXCLUDE LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE THROMBUS PRIOR TO ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ABLATION

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an ever-increasing problem with growing financial burden on the healthcare system. $6 billion a year has been attributed directly to AF. Peri-procedural imaging in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation (AFA) is estimated at $1,200, roughly 6% of
Respiratory problems in children with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula.

Children with congenital esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) have chronic respiratory symptoms including recurrent pneumonia, wheezing and persistent cough. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical findings of a large group of children with EA and TEF surgically corrected and the instrumental investigation to which they have undergone in order to better understand the patient’s needs and harmonize the care. A retrospective data collection was performed on 105 children with EA and TEF followed at Department of Pediatric Medicine of Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital (Rome, Italy) between 2010 and 2015. 69/105 (66%) children reported lower respiratory symptoms with a mean age onset of 2.2 ± 2.5 years and only 63/69 (91%) performed specialist assessment at Respiratory Unit. Recurrent pneumonia (33%) and wheezing (31%) were the most reported symptoms. The first respiratory evaluation was performed after surgically correction of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) at mean age of 3.9 ± 4.2 years. Twenty nine patients have undergone to chest CT with contrast enhancement detecting localized atelectasis (41%), residual tracheal diverticulum (34%), bronchiectasis (31%), tracheal vascular compression (21%), tracheomalacia (17%) and esophageal diverticulum (14%). Fifty three patients have undergone to airways endoscopy detecting tracheomalacia (66%), residual tracheal diverticulum (26%), recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula (19%) and vocal cord paralysis (11%). Our study confirms that respiratory symptoms often complicate EA and TEF; their persistence despite medical and surgical treatment of GER means that other etiological hypothesis must be examined and that a complete respiratory diagnostic work up must be considered.
Brain-state determines learning improvements after transcranial alternating-current stimulation to frontal cortex

Published in final edited form as: Brain Stimul. 2018 ; 11(4): 723–726. doi:10.1016/j.brs.2018.02.008
Does Obesity Explain the Effect of the Metabolic Syndrome on Complications Following Elective Lumbar Fusion? A Propensity Score Matched Analysis:

Study Design:Propensity score matched retrospective cohort study.Objectives:Obesity is a major confounder in determining the independent effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on complications after s...
Creep Fracture in Tempered Martensitic Steels

As long term laboratory creep data became available the original estimates of the allowable design stresses for creep strength enhanced ferritic steels CSEF were reduced Thus even in properly processed steel the long term performance and creep rupture strength reported is below that originally predicted from a simple extrapolation of short term data In addition the typical alloy compositions for these steels specified by Codes provide reasonable strength but can steels can exhibit brittle creep behavior This inherent brittle behavior results in notch weakening and the need to invoke weld strength reduction factors Moreover creep brittle behavior and the associated micro void development promotes burst rather than leak type fracture in components The existence of significant densities of voids further complicates in service assessment of condition and weld repair of these steels It is now clear that the levels of ductility required in engineering applications necessitate proper control of composition including trace elements steel making and processing and all heat treatments This paper examines background on the development of creep voids in martensitic steels and discusses metallurgical and stress state factors which promote brittle behavior
Cost-effective dialysis for the developing world.

Introduction Dialysis is an effective treatment for end-stage renal disease, but it is available to only approximately half of those who need it in the world. Methods Two prototype passive-flow dialysate delivery systems were constructed. Results Each dialysate delivery system provided a flow of dialysate in the range of 200-300 mL/minute. In one example, flow regulation was good, but ultrafiltration could not be monitored. The second prototype could monitor and regulate ultrafiltration but required repeated manual adjustment to maintain nearly constant dialysate flow. Approaches to the remaining obstacles to a fully passive dialysis system are outlined, but these will require further work to prove feasibility. Conclusion In principle, costs of providing hemodialysis could be reduced and equipment created to function without electricity by exploiting passive-flow techniques.
Propagation of Propellant-Liner Separations in Rocket Motor Grains Under Transient Thermal Loading

Several areas in a given grain design often require special consideration other than the usual strength analysis. Linear elastic stress analysis often predicts infinite stresses at material discontinuities and notches associated with bond end terminations, roots of release flaps, and defects such as cracks and localized unbond regions in a rocket motor grain. Many of the limitations of strength analyses may be overcome by the application of the energy balance concept of fracture mechanics. The energy balance concept is based on an exchange of strain energy stored in a propellant grain under a specified loading condition and the energy expended due to the formation of new surface area by fracture and/or crack growth.
NEW APPROACHES TO CONTROLLING THE ACTIVITY OF PHENYLETHANOLAMINE N-METHYLTRANSFERASE IN STRESS

Publisher Summary Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) is the enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) to norepinephrine in the final step of the biosynthesis of epinephrine. The enzyme has been isolated and purified from the adrenal medulla, where it is localized. Evidence shows that adrenal PNMT activity increases after exposure of animals to stress conditions, such as immobilization, cold, psychosocial stimulation, or after attack by another animal. This increase in adrenal PNMT activity is controlled by neural and endocrine regulators. The increased levels of epinephrine under stress conditions appear to be in part because of increased PNMT activity. A specific inhibitor of PNMT in the adrenal medulla could suppress the formation of epinephrine without directly interfering with the biosynthesis of other catecholamines. Several classes of inhibitors of this enzyme have been identified from in vitro studies.
Compromise vs. Compromises: What Does 'Bipartisanship' Really Mean to Americans?

Public opinion surveys regularly assert that Americans want political leaders to work together and to engage in bipartisan compromise. Why has Congress become increasingly acrimonious even though the American public wants it to be “bipartisan”? Many scholars claim that this is simply a breakdown of representation. We offer another explanation: although people profess support for “bipartisanship” in an abstract sense, what they desire procedurally out of their party representatives in Congress is to not compromise with the other side. To test this argument, we conduct three experiments in which we alter aspects of the political context to see how people respond to parties (not) coming together to achieve broadly popular public policy goals. Specifically, we investigate preferences for bipartisanship and attitudes toward Congress and its output by portraying bipartisanship as either an equal compromise or a capitulation by one side; by altering the partisan distribution of roll call votes on specific pieces of legislation; and by examining how partisan control of a chamber affects preferences for bipartisanship. In all cases, we find that citizens’ proclaimed desire for bipartisanship in actuality reflects self-serving partisan desires. Consequently, members of Congress do not have electoral incentives to reach across to aisle to build costly bipartisan coalitions.
Chapter Six Situational Perceptions of Control in the Aged

Abstract Control is an issue of importance throughout the life span. Generalized perceptions of having control have been associated with such positive outcomes as greater life satisfaction and increased physical and psychological well-being. A number of studies suggest these generalized expectancies do not significantly decrease with age. However, individuals also form perceptions of their degree of control in specific situations based on their personal abilities, the resources available to them from the environment, and the demands of the situation. Situational perceptions of control are subject to modification as abilities, resources, and demands fluctuate. The aged are particularly susceptible to decreases in situational perceptions of control. Two primary factors are the real changes associated with aging, so-called status passages, and the cultural youth bias and dread of aging so pervasive in this society. Status passages occur throughout life, but such passages are frequently terminal events for the aged including deterioration of health, retirement, and loss of significant others. Cultural biases are based on negative images of aging as a time of nonproductivity, decreased social worth and decline. A conceptual framework based on the theory of person-environment fit is utilized for examining situational perceptions of control in the aged. Person-environment fit is defined as a relational concept derived from the interactions of environmental properties and individual characteristics. It is argued that the individual is more likely to experience positive consequences when his/her abilities are consistent with environmental demands and when his/her needs are consistent with environmental supplies. A high degree of congruence would be associated with feelings of being in control and well-being, and over time, with health, adaptive behavior and growth. If misfit should occur to a sufficient degree, feelings of lack of control, helplessness and dissatisfaction may develop immediately. If the discrepancy persists over time, dysfunction, maladaptive behavior, or illness may result. Dimensions of congruence which are particularly salient to the aged are discussed and approaches to intervention consistent with the conceptual framework are presented.
Independent or codependent?-industry, academics, and the publication of medical research.

Collaboration between professionals employed by biomedical companies and academic scientists can be mutually beneficial. Academics provide expertise in the conduct of clinical trials and the ability to recruit patients, while industry provides expertise in converting scientific findings to viable business products.
Factors Influencing Athletic Trainers' Professional Development through Continuing Education.

Context Continuing education (CE) is a form of professional development intended to improve knowledge and skill beyond entry-level practice; however, we lack data to understand how athletic trainer...
Campaigning for the 'Protection Rights' of Children in Sri Lanka

For more than a decade, the cause of children who are exploited and abused has been championed by Senior Ashoka Fellow Prof. Harendra de Silva whose term as the Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has just ended. His success in pursuing the perpetrators of these heinous crimes has resulted in widespread awareness among the public on child abuse resulting in the prompt reporting of abuse cases. The perpetrators range from foreign paedophiles, School Teachers/ School Principles, Clergy, to the uncle next door or the parents. Child abuse and exploitation cover a range of crimes that violate the basic human rights of children, which include child labour, torture and cruel treatment, rape, incest, domestic violence, trafficking, abduction and sale of children, slavery, child prostitution, child pornography and other unlawful sexual practices.
A Comparative Study of Dynamic Fracture of Soda-Lime Glass Using Photoelasticity, Digital Image Correlation and Digital Gradient Sensing Techniques

The dynamic fracture of high-stiffness and low-toughness materials such as soda-lime glass (SLG) typically involves crack initiation and growth prior to branching, underlying mechanics of which is not yet fully understood. Investigation of this issue using full-field optical techniques face numerous spatio-temporal challenges since crack speeds in these materials reach 1500 m/s or more and are accompanied by highly localized deformations. However, often it is tacitly assumed that most optical methods are equally capable of studying this challenging problem and it turns out not to be true. To this end, three prevalent optical techniques - transmission photoelasticity, 2D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and transmission Digital Gradient Sensing (DGS) - are implemented concurrently to visualize crack-tip fields and quantify fracture characteristics associated with crack initiation, crack growth and macroscopic crack bifurcation in SLG plates subjected to nominally identical loading in three separate experiments. Each method is implemented in conjunction with ultrahigh-speed (1 Mfps) photography, flash/pulse illumination, and a modified-Hopkinson pressure bar for impact loading of specimens. The feasibility of measuring fracture parameters and imposed force histories along with the pros and cons of each approach for this material system are examined.
Biomarkers and Precision Medicine in Oncology Practice and Clinical Trials

Biomarker testing, which is now often the standard of care for patients diagnosed with cancer, can be used by physicians to assess cancer risk, diagnose a particular cancer, select treatment, and/or assess treatment response. In this summary of a keynote address, Edith Perez, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, discusses basic concepts and issues of biomarker-based precision medicine in clinical trials and oncology practice. She describes the general features of well-designed biomarker-driven clinical trials and offers specific suggestions for designing clinical trials to support FDA approval. Perez predicts that in the near future, tumor sequencing will become standard clinical practice; liquid biopsies will become available to sample circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA); tumor classification will become molecular-based, and tumor-agnostic biomarker strategies may be used to manage patients; and clinical trials in oncology will use sequencing at both enrollment and follow-up. Additionally, she describes some basic concepts and challenges in the use of cancer immunotherapy (CIT) biomarkers, which are revolutionizing oncology. A new Program for Accelerated Cancer Therapies (PACT) was cited as an example of a multidisciplinary collaboration with NIH, NCI, and biopharma that aims to support the development of standardized biomarkers for immunoprofiling and exploratory biomarkers of high relevance to patient care. Finally, Perez explains why bringing biomarker-based trials to patients is challenging and predicts that large collaboratives such as PACT will move precision medicine and oncology forward by linking clinical retrospective and prospective cancer genomic and proteomic data with longitudinal clinical outcomes.
The control of nocifensive movements in the caterpillar Manduca sexta

In response to a noxious stimulus on the abdomen, caterpillars lunge their head towards the site of stimulation. This nocifensive “strike” behavior is fast (∼0.5 s duration), targeted, and usually unilateral. It is not clear how the fast strike movement is generated and controlled, because caterpillar muscle develops peak force relatively slowly (∼1 s) and the baseline hemolymph pressure is low (
The mindful shield: The effects of mindfulness training on resilience and leadership in military leaders.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to address military leader perceptions of their resilience, transformational leadership behaviors, and leadership effectiveness before and after experiencing Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT). Methods Participants were formal and informal leaders in the Kansas Air National Guard. The study used a mixed-methods sequential exploratory design. Phase I involved analyzing pretest and posttest results obtained from a Jha Lab study for three self-report assessments in an intervention group (n = 36) vs a control group (n = 37). The qualitative data in phase II was obtained from individual interviews of participants (n = 12) following the Jha Lab study. Results The phase I quantitative results confirmed the null hypotheses-no significant differences found-for all research questions. Phase II resulted in eight thematic codes, six of which were central to the experiences described by participants (Halting, Sensing, Being, Shielding, Considering, and Engaging) and two that were not (Obstructing, and Escaping). Conclusions The key finding was that the descriptions of mindful thoughts and behaviors were consistent across participants indicating that MBAT accurately presents mindfulness during the course and the training had positive effects on participant mindfulness, primarily in the areas of being present to self, shielding the self through reperceiving, and then consciously altering behavior based on the new perspective. Results should direct future resiliency course development, leadership course curricula, and aid understanding of how leaders mentally conceptualize stress, incorporate resilient behaviors and then apply that knowledge to their own leadership behaviors.
Impact of a Streamlined Trauma-Focused Smartphone Application on Protocol Compliance and Delivery of Care.

Abstract Background In November 2015, an institution-specific mobile application (app) was created to provide rapid access to trauma protocols. The app was tested, and the results suggested that the app was difficult to use as it linked to web-based databases. In June 2018, the app was redesigned with protocol infographics and algorithms that are available offline, eliminating the need to scroll through web pages. We tested the redesigned app's ability to provide information quickly, in a user-friendly manner. Methods This was a prospective, experimental analysis of a streamlined, institution-specific trauma app. Participants included general surgery residents, advanced practice providers, and attending trauma surgeons. The primary outcomes of measure were time to complete an exam with trauma scenarios and the number of questions answered correctly. The primary exposure of interest was access to the app during the exam. Results There were 35 study participants: 17 with the 2018 version of the app to complete the quiz and 18 without app access. The group with access scored higher than those without access (70% versus 50%, P = 0.0005) as well as those with the old version of the app in the 2015 study (70% versus 55%, P = 0.0250). App access eliminated a significant difference in exam scores between residents and attendings that was present without the app. Conclusions A mobile app with offline access to protocol infographics and algorithms gives providers access to recommended practices and may improve delivery of trauma care. The app is helpful to residents and helps bridge the knowledge gap between groups when the app is not available. Level of Evidence Level III.
Correction to: Rigid Religious Faith Promotes Selective Exposure to Attitude-Congruent Political Information

The original version of this article unfortunately missed to add the "Dependent Variable" note is Table 3 footnote. The note is given below: "The dependent variable is the quantity of pro-gun-control items viewed (which is equal to 8 minus the quantity of anti-gun-control items viewed). Gun-control attitude is a continuous measure ranging from -1 (strongly oppose) to +1 (strongly support). Rigid religious conviction ranges from 0 to 36." The original article has been corrected.
Reference-Guided Metagenomics Reveals Genome-Level Evidence of Potential Microbial Transmission from the Iss Environment to an Astronaut's Microbiome

Monitoring microbial communities aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is essential to maintaining astronaut health and the integrity of life-support systems. Using assembled genomes of ISS-derived microbial isolates as references, recruiting metagenomic reads from astronaut nasal microbiome samples of one astronaut revealed no recruitment to a Staphylococcus aureus isolate from 5 samples prior to launch and up to 7 days aboard the ISS, yet systematic recruitment across the entire genome when sampled at 90 and 180 days aboard the ISS. This suggests that either a highly similar S. aureus colonized the astronaut’s nasal microbiome while the astronaut was aboard the ISS, or that this nasal bacterium may have been in relative abundances below detection before spaceflight – instead supporting a shift in community composition rather than colonization. This work highlights the value in generating genomic libraries of microbes from built-environments such as the ISS and demonstrates one way we can utilize them to facilitate the tracking and monitoring of astronaut microbiomes and health.
Cardiac Work: A New Parameter to Asses the Ventricular Arterial Interaction in Patients with Repaired Congenital Heart Disease

BACKGROUND: The left ventricle (LV) systolic function is usually assessed by the cardiac output (CO) parameters such as ejection fraction and shortening fraction. However, these parameters do not take into consideration the role of afterload on LV contractility. Cardiac work (CW) is a parameter which combines the afterload and LV cardiac output to assess the cardiac contractility and the ventricular arterial interaction. CW is measured as the product of CO and mean arterial pressure (MAP). In adult patients with chronic heart failure, low resting CW has been associated with poorer outcomes and higher mortality. However, the role of CW in patients with …
The Effects of Virtual Reality Based Rehabilitation on Upper Extremity Function in a Child with Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report.

This case report was designed to assess the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation on improving upper extremity function for a child with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy.In addition to c...
Fast Quantum Property Prediction via Deeper 2D and 3D Graph Networks.

Molecular property prediction is gaining increasing attention due to its diverse applications. One task of particular interests and importance is to predict quantum chemical properties without 3D equilibrium structures. This is practically favorable since obtaining 3D equilibrium structures requires extremely expensive calculations. In this work, we design a deep graph neural network to predict quantum properties by directly learning from 2D molecular graphs. In addition, we propose a 3D graph neural network to learn from low-cost conformer sets, which can be obtained with open-source tools using an affordable budget. We employ our methods to participate in the 2021 KDD Cup on OGB Large-Scale Challenge (OGB-LSC), which aims to predict the HOMO-LUMO energy gap of molecules. Final evaluation results reveal that we are one of the winners with a mean absolute error of 0.1235 on the holdout test set. Our implementation is available as part of the MoleculeX package (this https URL).
Quadratic Hedging and Optimization of Option Exercise Policies

Quadratic hedging of option payoffs generates the variance optimal martingale measure. When an option features an exercise policy and its cash flows are hedged according to this approach, it may be tempting to optimize such a policy under this measure. Because the variance optimal martingale measure may not be an equivalent probability measure, focusing on American options we show that the resulting exercise policy may be unappealing. This drawback can sometimes be remedied by imposing time consistency on exercise policies, but in general persists even in this case, which compounds the familiar issue that valuing an option using this measure may not result in an arbitrage free value. An alternative and known approach that bypasses both of these pitfalls consists of optimizing option exercise policies under an equivalent martingale measure and anchoring quadratic hedging to the resulting value of this policy. Additional research may assess on realistic applications the magnitude of the limitations associated with optimizing option exercise policies based on the variance optimal martingale measure.
Evaluation of a New Observationally Based Channel Parameterization for the National Water Model

Abstract. Accurate representation of channel properties is important for forecasting in hydrologic models, as it affects height, celerity, and attenuation of flood waves. Yet, considerable uncertainty in the parameterization of channel geometry and hydraulic roughness (Manning’s n) exists within the NOAA National Water Model (NWM), due largely to data scarcity: only ~2,800 out of the 2.7 million river reach segments in the NWM have measured channel properties. In this study, we seek to improve channel representativeness by updating channel geometry and roughness parameters using a large, previously unpublished hydraulic geometry (HyG) dataset of approximately 48,000 gages. We begin with a Sobol’ sensitivity analysis of channel geometry parameters for 12 small semi-natural basins across the continental U.S., which reveals an outsized sensitivity of simulated flow to Manning’s n relative to channel geometry parameters. We then develop and evaluate a set of regression-based regionalizations of channel parameters estimated using the HyG dataset. Finally, we compare the model output generated from updated channel parameter sets to observations and the current NWM v2.1 parameterization. We find that, while the NWM land surface model holds the most influence over flow given its control over total volume, the updated channel parameterization leads to improvements in simulated streamflow performance relative to observed flows, with a statistically significant mean R2 increase from 0.479 to 0.494 across approximately 7,400 gage locations. HyG-based channel geometry and roughness provide a substantial overall improvement in channel representation over the default parameterization, updating the previous set value for most reaches of Manning’s n = 0.060 to a new range between 0.006 and 0.537 (median 0.077). This research provides a more representative, observationally based channel parameter dataset for the NWM routing module, as well as new insight into the influence of the routing module within the overall modeling framework.
Peripheral Vascular Neurologic Injuries

There are many aspects to consider when it comes to nerve injuries and repair. The mechanism of injury as well as the involved nerve results in a wide variety of choices in treatment from conservative to operative management and the type of procedure indicated. Sharp transection of the nerve is more amenable to repair and functional recovery compared to blunt trauma. Traction injury leading to significant stretch of the nerve can lead to a combination of neuropraxia and axonotmesis. While many of these injuries do not require operative management, functional recovery is often limited. Compression injury, such as from compartment syndrome, can lead to ischemic damage to the nerve that eventually leads to permanent disability. There is no substitute for an accurate, detailed history and physical examination when it comes to nerve injury. Knowledge of the anatomy and innervations for the affected nerve is important in localization of lesions. Electromyography can be helpful to determine the location of the lesion as well as progress of motor function over the recovery period. Post-injury follow-up and rehabilitation are important for recovery. Coordinating multisystem trauma that involves the nerves with a neurosurgeon can help optimize surgical planning and avoid unnecessary morbidity and mortality.
WE-AB-BRA-10: Systematic Assessment of a Novel Image Similarity Parameterization Metric for Fully Automated Quantification of Deformable Image Registration Accuracy

Purpose: To propose and test a cost function, which parameterizes image similarity metrics (ISMs) to provide a robust quantification of deformable image registration (DIR) accuracy. The gold standard for quantitatively assessing registration accuracy is manually placed landmarks. However, placing landmarks are time consuming, user dependent, and suffers from small sample size. ISMs provide a mathematical formulation for quantifying the similarity of two intensity fields but provide little value without proper context. Method: We present a novel formulation for computing a normalized, reliable and robust ISM. We consider the given image pairs to be the source and target images, and the image deformed from the source using the deformation vector field (DVF) as the warp image. A variety of ISMs were calculated for three sets of images: source-target (IST), source-warp (ISW), and target-warp (ITW). For an ‘accurate’ registration, the target-warp pair should have high similarity (ITW approaches 1), while the source-target and source-warp similarities should be equal ((IST – ISW) approaches 0). Combining these expectations, a cost function was designed to measure the registration performance. To test the sensitivity of the proposed cost function, errors were introduced into the registration results by applying systematic perturbations to the DVF. Results: We employed 10 head and neck biomechanical models for generating the image sets. The cost function had strong correlation to the L2 norm of the perturbation field, displaying sensitivity to errors in the registration. The best results were seen using normalized mutual information, with improved sensitivity achieved by optimizing the cost functions weighting factors between the two expectations. Conclusions: The cost function proposed provides a method for quantifying registration accuracy using ISMs, displaying results as a single normalized value. This user-independent, mathematical evaluation allows fast and simple comparison between registrations and would be useful for automating an iterative optimization of registration parameters.
Series of Noncontrast Time-of-Flight Magnetic Resonance Angiographies to Identify Problems with Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation

Background Successful maturation of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) remains a challenge for those managing patients with end-stage renal disease. Time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MR) can be used to evaluate AVFs without the risk of radiation exposure, intravenous contrast, or reliance on the operator-dependent modality of color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS). The objective of our study was to assess the utility of TOF-MR in the evaluation of nonmaturing AVFs and to identify the best clinical situations to use this technology. Methods Consecutive patients with abnormal findings on CDUS or physical examination after AVF creation underwent 3-dimensional (3D) TOF-MR. Imaging was performed at 3 T with a scan acquisition time of approximately 15 min. The technique was similar to head and neck magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), except presaturation bands were not used, thereby allowing simultaneous visualization of both arterial and venous flow. A total of 19 TOF-MR studies were performed. Results Nineteen patients underwent imaging and were the focus of this study. Seventeen of 19 TOF-MR studies were of diagnostic quality and yielded findings which enabled the vascular surgeon to take corrective measures. Findings included inflow stenosis, anastomotic narrowing, venous outflow stenosis, and hemodynamically significant venous tributaries. Twelve of 17 patients required conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The congruence rate between TOF-MR and DSA was 83.3%. Four patients (21%) avoided DSA and went directly to definitive surgical treatment including branch ligation (3) or new access (1). Conclusions This is the first report in the literature of successful implementation of 3D TOF-MR to assist in identifying AVF maturation problems. This unique noninvasive imaging modality provides actionable images without contrast or radiation exposure and can obviate the need for invasive diagnostic procedures or provide an anatomic map for planning corrective intervention.
Customer Service System — past, present and future

BT‘s Customer Service System (CSS) is the core operational support system for BT and brings in 70% of BT‘s income. It was rolled out nationally in 1989 and provided an integrated system for telephony — order handling, repair handling and billing. It continues to grow in size and scope to handle new products and services and increasingly is interfaced to other systems to facilitate automation of business processes. The need to overcome its limitations drives an evolution process for the system which is leading to the development of complementary platforms with which CSS must interwork and which will eventually replace it.
Effectiveness and safety of computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation of renal cancer: a 14-year single institution experience in 203 patients

To define effectiveness and safety of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of renal tumours and prognostic indicators for treatment success. Patients with a single treatment of a solitary, biopsy-proven renal tumour with intent to cure over a 14-year period were included (n = 203). Probability of residual disease over time, complication rates and all-cause mortality were assessed in relation to multiple variables. Mean tumour size was 2.5 cm (range 1.0–6.0). Mean follow-up was 34.1 months (range 1–131). There was an increase in likelihood of residual disease for tumours ≥3.5 cm (P < 0.05), clear cell subtype of renal cell carcinoma (P ≤ 0.005) and maximum treatment temperature ≤70 °C (P < 0.05). There was a decrease in likelihood of residual disease for exophytic tumours (P = 0.01) and no difference based on age, gender, tumour location or type of radio freqency (RF) electrode used. Major complications occurred in 3.9 %. Median post-treatment survival was 7 years for patients with tumours <4 cm, and 5-year overall survival was 80 %. Probability of minor complication increased with tumour size (P = 0.03), as did all-cause mortality (P = 0.005). CT-guided RFA is safe and effective for early-stage renal cancer, particularly for exophytic tumours measuring <3.5 cm. Overall 5-year survival with tumours <4 cm is comparable to partial nephrectomy. • Prognostic indicators for success of CT-guided RFA of renal tumours are reported. • Tumour size ≥3.5 cm confers an increased risk for residual tumour. • Clear cell renal cell carcinoma subtype confers increased risk for residual tumour. • Tmax <70 °C within the ablation zone confers increased risk for residual tumour. • Exophytic tumours have a lower probability of residual disease.
Constrained scheduling of robot exploration tasks

In order for an autonomous service robot to provide the best service possible for its users, it must have a considerable amount of knowledge of the environment in which it operates. Service robots perform requests for users and can learn information about their environment while performing these requests. We note that such requests do not take all of the robot's time, and propose that a robot could schedule additional exploration tasks in its spare time to gather data about its environment. The data gathered can then be used to model the environment, and the model can be used to improve the services provided. Such additional exploration is a constrained form of active learning, in which the robot evaluates the knowledge it can acquire and chooses observations to gather, while being constrained by its navigation and the time underlying the user requests it receives. We create a schedule of exploration tasks that meets the given constraints using a hill-climbing approach on a graph of tasks the robot can perform to gather observations. We test this method in simulation of a CoBot robot and find that is able to learn an accurate model of its environment over time, leading to a near-optimal policy when scheduling user requests.
INFORMATION DISCLOSURE IN MAIL ORDER CATALOGUES

Catalogue mail order shopping has become a common mode of shopping for many consumers. Despite Federal Trade Commission rules as well as federal statutes designed to protect consumers in mail order transactions, consumers continue to experience problems with shopping by mail. Some problems may stem from limited availability or clarity of information in mail order catalogues. Resolution of problems is also more difficult when complete information is not available. In a survey of 139 catalogues distributed in the United States the authors found that, with the exception of refund policies, the majority contained no (or vague) information on the companies' policies. Additionally, when information was provided it was usually located on the order form rather than in the catalogue itself. Recommendations for improved information disclosure in mail order catalogues are discussed in the final section of this paper.
Determination of Adiabatic Flame Speeds by Boundary Value Methods

Abstract Abstract–We discuss a numerical method for determining the flame speed and the structure of freely propagating, adiabatic flames. The method uses a finite difference procedure in which the nonlinear difference equations are solved by a damped, modified, Newton method. This approach is in contrast to the traditional approach of solving a related transient problem until a steady-state solution i5 achieved. Our method is computationally faster than other methods, and it is potentially more accurate because it employs an adaptive gridding strategy. We demonstrate its use for the determination of hydrogen-air flame speeds.
The Getting To Outcomes Demonstration and Evaluation: An Illustration of the Prevention Support System

Communities are increasingly being required by state and federal funders to achieve outcomes and be accountable, yet are often not provided the guidance or the tools needed to successfully meet this challenge. To improve the likelihood of achieving positive outcomes, the Getting To Outcomes (GTO) intervention (manual, training, technical assistance) is designed to provide the necessary guidance and tools, tailored to community needs, in order to build individual capacity and program performance. GTO is an example of a Prevention Support System intervention, which as conceptualized by the Interactive Systems Framework, plays a key role in bridging the gap between prevention science (Prevention Synthesis and Translation System) and prevention practice (Prevention Delivery System). We evaluated the impact of GTO on individual capacity and program performance using survey- and interview-based methods. We tracked the implementation of GTO and gathered user feedback about its utility and acceptability. The evaluation of GTO suggests that it can build individual capacity and program performance and as such demonstrates that the Prevention Support System can successfully fulfill its intended role. Lessons learned from the implementation of GTO relevant to illuminating the framework are discussed.
Doppler-based motion compensation algorithm for focusing the signature of a rotorcraft

A computationally efficient algorithm was developed and tested to compensate for the effects of motion on the acoustic signature of a rotorcraft. For target signatures with large spectral peaks that vary slowly in amplitude and have near constant frequency, the time-varying Doppler shift can be tracked and then removed from the data. The algorithm can be used to preprocess data for classification, tracking, and nulling algorithms. The algorithm was tested on rotorcraft data. The average instantaneous frequency of the first harmonic of a rotorcraft was tracked with a fixed-lag smoother. Then, state space estimates of the frequency were used to calculate a time warping that removed the effect of the Doppler shift from the data. The algorithm was evaluated by analyzing the increase in the amplitude of the harmonics in the spectrum of a rotorcraft. The results depended upon the frequency of the harmonics, processing interval duration, target dynamics, and atmospheric conditions. Under good conditions, the results for the fundamental frequency of the target (~11 Hz) almost achieved the predicted upper bound. The results for higher frequency harmonics had larger increases in the amplitude of the peaks, but significantly fewer than the predicted upper bounds.
Docosahexaenoic acid reduces traumatic axonal injury in a rodent head injury model.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains the most common cause of death in persons under age 45 in the Western world. Recent evidence from animal studies suggests that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA) improves functional outcomes following focal neural injury. The purpose of this study is to determine the benefits of DHA supplementation following diffuse axonal injury in rats. Four groups of 10 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to an impact acceleration injury and then received 30 days of supplementation with either 10 mg/kg/d or 40 mg/kg/d of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Serum fatty acid levels were determined from the isolated plasma phospholipids prior to injury and at the end of the 30 days of DHA supplementation. Following sacrifice, brainstem white matter tracts underwent fluorescent immunohistochemical processing for labeling of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP), a marker of axonal injury. Dietary supplementation with either 10 mg/kg/d or 40 mg/kg/d of DHA for 30 days...