cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Joint blind channel estimation and interference suppression for OFDM systems

The paper presents blind joint channel estimation and interference suppression for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Our approach uses a generalized multichannel minimum variance principle to design an equalizing filterbank that preserves the desired signal components and suppresses the overall interference. The channel estimate is then obtained by deriving an asymptotically tight lower bound of the filterbank output power, which reduces the problem to a quadratic minimization. While a channel estimate may be obtained by directly maximizing the filterbank output power through multidimensional nonlinear searches, such an approach is computationally prohibitive and suffers local convergence. Numerical examples show that the proposed scheme approaches the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) as the SNR increases. It also exhibits low sensitivity to unknown narrowband interference and compares favorably with a subspace blind channel estimator.
Primary Care Provider Perspectives on Electronic Medication Refill History

Improvements in health information technology have made aggregate multipayer pharmacy claims data increasingly available through the electronic health record (EHR). The objective of this study was to assess the current awareness, utilization, and impact of pharmacy history data available in the EHR on primary care provider (PCP) decision making. A 14-question survey was distributed to all PCPs in a large medical practice. Of the 55/72 responding PCPs, 47 (85.5%) were aware of the EHR medication history function, and 36 (65.5%) had used it previously. Respondents indicated the medication history could be most useful when considering prescribing a narcotic (33/36, 92%) and when addressing nonadherence concerns (28/35, 80%). Barriers included delays in data loading and the time pressures of clinical practice. Access to aggregate multipayer pharmacy history data has the potential to affect medication reconciliation, yet future implementation should focus on making these data complete and easily available in r...
Polyurethane cationomers. I. Structure-properties relationships

Polyurethane (PU) cationomers have been synthesized by quaternizing tertiary amine-containing linear polyurethanes using different quaternizers containing acid groups. The effect of chemical structure of PU cationomers on the physical properties was studied. The mechanical properties of PU cationomers were improved with decreasing molecular weight of poly(caprolactone) glycol, and increasing concentration of quaternary ammonium. Decreasing the carbon number in the alkyl group of the N-alkyl diethanol-amine chain-extenders, and using rigid symmetrical diisocyanates, the mechanical properties of the PU cationomers were increased. The effects of these factors on the glass transition temperature of PU cationomers were also examined. The mechanical properties of the PU cationomers decreased by immersion in water and recovered after removal of the water.
Using physics-based invariant representations for the recognition of regions in multispectral satellite images

We present a set of algorithms and a search strategy for the robust content-based retrieval of multispectral satellite images. Since the property of interest in these images is usually the physical characteristics of ground cover, we use representations and methods that are invariant to illumination and atmospheric conditions. The representations and algorithms are derived for this application from a physical model for the formation of multispectral satellite images. The use of several representations and algorithms is necessary to interpret the diversity of physical and geometric structure in these images. Algorithms are used that exploit multispectral distributions, multispectral spatial structure, and labeled classes. The performance of the system is demonstrated on a large set of multispectral satellite images taken over different areas of the United States under different illumination and atmospheric conditions.
Effect of Zwitterionic Surfactants on Interparticle Forces, Rheology, and Particle Packing of Silicon Nitride Slurries

Phosphocholine (PC) zwitterionic surfactants, with different hydrocarbon chain lengths (C{sub 6}C{sub 6}PC to C{sub 9}C{sub 9}PC), were absorbed on the surface of silicon nitride near the isoelectric point (pH 6). Adsorption of the surfactants changed the lateral and normal surface forces, the rheology, and the consolidation behavior of the particles. The normal force between two silicon nitride surfaces as a function of separation and the lateral (friction) forces were measured using an atomic force microscope (AFM). These measurements indicated that surfactant adsorption reduced the magnitude of the long-range attractive van der Waals force and produced a repulsive short-range force. Although the adsorbed layers provided a barrier to particle contact, they could be ejected with a critical force that increased with the hydrocarbon chain length. The effect of an adsorbed layer on the viscosity and consolidation of slurries was also measured. The viscosity of all slurries decreased with increasing shear rate, indicative of attractive particle networks. The highest viscosity was observed for slurries formulated at the isoelectric point without added surfactant. Much lower viscosities were observed when the surfactant concentration was greater than the critical micelle concentration (cmc). A relative density of 0.46 was obtained via pressure filtration at 4 MPamore » without a surfactant, and between 0.46 to 0.59 (C{sub 6}C{sub 6}PC to C{sub 9}C{sub 9}PC, respectively) for surfactant concentrations greater than the cmc. Comparing force measurements with rheology and packing density provides a basis for discussing the role of interparticle forces in ceramic powder processing via colloidal routes.« less
The Insufficiency of Response to Intervention in Identifying Gifted Students with Learning Disabilities.

Many states are implementing response-to-intervention (RTI)–based assessment as the sole means of identifying students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs). Although RTI is often hailed as an improved model of identification, concern for the possibility of this model elevating false positives has been examined. The risk of RTI producing a second form of diagnostic error, however, has received relatively little attention, namely, false negatives. The widespread implementation of RTI necessitates an analysis of its ability to identify students who are most vulnerable to be inaccurately judged as responsive to instruction, namely, students with coexisting intellectual talent and SLDs.
Extending IM beyond the Reference Desk: A Case Study on the Integration of Chat Reference and Library-Wide Instant Messaging Network

Openfire is an open source IM network and a single unified application that meets the needs of chat reference and internal communications. In Fall 2009, the California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) Library began use of Openfire and other Jive software instant messaging technologies, to simultaneously improve our existing IM-integrated chat reference software and implement an internal IM network. This case study describes the chat reference and internal communications environment at the CSUSM Library and the selection, implementation, and evaluation of Openfire. In addition, the authors discuss the benefits of deploying an integrated instant messaging and chat reference network.
Fluid flow in soft-walled tubes part 1: Steady flow

The channel-flow form of the equations describing fluid flow in soft-walled tubes is analysed. Several analytical solutions for the properties of the flow existing in tubes with various analytical forms of pressure/ area relationships are presented. The vital relationship of the tube mechanical stability to the flow Mach number is established. The necessary conditions for the formation of a hydraulic jump are established, and the resultant degradation in total pressure determined. Finally, an example numerical result for an hydraulic jump is given.
Estimating measurement uncertainty in an ambient sulfate trend

Abstract This paper examines the effects of sampling and analytical error on time trends derived from routine monitoring. Our analysis is based on actual concentration differences observed among three long sulfate series recorded by collocated and independent measurements at Shenandoah National Park. Five-year sulfate trends at this location are shown to include a one-sigma uncertainty of about 1% year–1 from measurement error alone. This is significantly more than would be estimated under naive statistical assumptions from the demonstrated precision of the measurements. The excess uncertainty arises from subtle trends in the errors themselves.
Assessing Dynamic Utility Specification as a means for improving surveillance-related tasks in wireless streaming video applications

Proper and timely reaction to events of interest in surveillance applications often depend on the ability to receive high-quality video in severely constrained wireless networks. Using a low-bandwidth, motion-adapted MJPEG video encoding format and utility-based content-adaptation scheme developed at UVA, previous researchers have shown that Dynamic Preference Specification (DPS), i.e. giving users the ability to describe to the system the relative value they place on frame rate versus image resolution, increases the overall utility of video streams delivered by the system. This paper proposes and evaluates a new GUI abstraction, Dynamic Utility Specification (DUS), that gives users the ability to describe absolute adjustments to the value they place on the video stream, based on the content of the stream and their role within the surveillance system overall. A human subject experiment tests DUS against a DPS-only control setting, with the null hypothesis being that there is no difference in user performance between the two setups. The exploration of multiple end-users working in a constrained bandwidth environment of 160 kbps positively depicts a significant statistical increase in the mission success with DUS.
A novel objective function for improved phoneme recognition using time-delay neural networks

Single-speaker and multispeaker recognition results are presented for the voice-stop consonants /b,d,g/ using time-delay neural networks (TDNNs) with a number of enhancements, including a new objective function for training these networks. The new objective function, called the classification figure of merit (CFM), differs markedly from the traditional mean-squared-error (MSE) objective function and the related cross entropy (CE) objective function. Where the MSE and CE objective functions seek to minimize the difference between each output node and its ideal activation, the CFM function seeks to maximize the difference between the output activation of the node representing incorrect classifications. A simple arbitration mechanism is used with all three objective functions to achieve a median 30% reduction in the number of misclassifications when compared to TDNNs trained with the traditional MSE back-propagation objective function alone. >
Improving Listening Comprehension Responses for Students With Moderate Intellectual Disability During Literacy Class

This study evaluated the effects of a peer-delivered least prompts intervention and adapted read-alouds of a grade-level novel on correct listening comprehension responses for participants with mod...
Adolescents with asthma: learning needs and internet use assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To identify particular learning needs among adolescents with asthma and explore the potential utility of the Internet in addressing adolescents9 expressed learning needs. METHODS: In 2004 and 2005, 6 gender-specific and age-specific focus groups were conducted among adolescents, ages 12–18 years, with mild intermittent to severe persistent asthma. Thematic analysis of participants9 statements from transcribed group sessions were conducted by the research team, who compared field notes, reviewed focus group transcripts, and validated emerging and final themes. RESULTS: The majority of participants denied previous experience with formal asthma education. Participants reported their limited knowledge of asthma and its management. Health-care providers were recognized as the most credible source of asthma information. Compared to the older adolescents, the younger adolescents expressed stronger motivation to learn about asthma. The participants identified asthma learning needs for others, including peers, teachers, and parents. The importance of socialization, support, and information-sharing with other adolescents with asthma was perceived by participants in all age and gender groups. Participants discussed their Internet use and articulated suggestions regarding potential uses of the Internet to assist in adolescent asthma management. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the necessity of an early intervention to take advantage of younger adolescents9 greater interest in learning about asthma, and highlights the importance of incorporating peer dynamics in designing interventions for adolescents. Our findings also illustrate the variety of ways that the Internet may be useful in developing a technology-driven intervention for adolescents.
Miscellaneous Disorders and Their Management in Gastric Surgery: Volvulus, Carcinoid, Lymphoma, Gastric Varices, and Gastric Outlet Obstruction

This article focuses on less common diseases that surgeons are called on for management options. Five topics-volvulus, carcinoid, lymphoma, gastric varices, and gastric outlet obstruction from peptic ulcer disease-are frequently used to evaluate surgical knowledge. Knowledge of these topics is useful for residents preparing for an in-training examination or board certification. Patients with these diseases require multidisciplinary management with oncologists and/or gastroenterologists, and mastery of these topics allows surgeons to effectively participate in the multidisciplinary care of these patients and advocate for surgical management when appropriate.
Superradiance in a Torus Magnetosphere Around a Black Hole

The coalescence of a neutron star and a black hole in a binary system is believed to form a torus around a Kerr black hole. A similarly shaped magnetosphere then results from the remnant magnetic field of the neutron star. In the strong-field case, it contains a cavity for plasma waves located between the barrier of the gravitational potential and the surrounding torus. This cavity may be unstable to superradiance of electromagnetic waves. Superradiant amplification of such waves, initially excited by turbulence in the torus, should inflate into a bubble in a time as short as approximately 0.75 (1 percent/cepsilonc2)(M/7M middle dot in circle) seconds approximately 0.15 to 1.5 seconds, assuming an efficiency cepsilonc2 = 0.5 to 5 percent and a mass M = 7M middle dot in circle. These bubbles may burst and repeat, of possible relevance to intermittency in cosmological gamma-ray bursts. The model predicts gamma-ray bursts to be anticorrelated with their gravitational wave emissions.
A Two-Dimensional Comparison of Signals in an Agency Model

In a general agency model with a risk-averse principal, we compare signals on two dimensions–their efficiencies at providing incentives for the agent’s effort and efficiencies at conveying inference of the outcome. In order to tackle the moral hazard problem, the standard first order approach (FOA) is justified by two new sets of sufficient conditions, both of which share the assumption that either the principal is less absolutely risk averse than the agent, or the principal has constant absolute risk aversion. Then, based on the FOA, a strong mean preserving spread-sufficient statistic (MPS-SS) criterion is found to be sufficient to rank arbitrary signals, and an extended informativeness criterion is proven to be both necessary and sufficient for the comparison of inclusive signals.
Part-Based Models for Finding People and Estimating Their Pose

This chapter will survey approaches to person detection and pose estimation with the use of part-based models. After a brief introduction/motivation for the need for parts, the bulk of the chapter will be split into three core sections on Representation, Inference, and Learning. We begin by describing various gradient-based and color descriptors for parts. We next focus on representations for encoding structural relations between parts, describing extensions of classic pictorial structures models to capture occlusion and appearance relations. We will use the formalism of probabilistic models to unify such representations and introduce the issues of inference and learning. We describe various efficient algorithms designed for tree-structured models, as well as focusing on discriminative formalisms for learning model parameters. We finally end with applications of pedestrian detection, human pose estimation, and people tracking.
A Taxonomic Revision of the Genvis Gerstaeckeria North of Mexico (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

There are 18 species of Gerstaeckeria north of Mexico. Four names are newly placed in synonymy: cactophaga Pierce, elathrata (LeConte), dilatata (Casey), and tessehita Pierce. Lectotypes are designated for 3 of Leconte's species, nobilis, porosa, and turbida , and 5 new species are described, indistincta, infrequens, lecontei, leptocaulis , and tricolor . A key to species is included, and for each pecies, a description, host data when known, geographical distribution, illustrations of male genitalia, and photographs of a dorsal view of the adult. For 17 species, there are illustrations of the 8th sternite and spermatheca of the female. The nocturnal habit and feeding damage are discussed along with brief notes on biology and behavior.
Transfer Function Analysis of Dynamic Blood Flow Control in the Rat Kidney.

Renal blood flow is regulated by the myogenic response (MR) and tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). Both mechanisms function to buffer not only steady pressure perturbations but also transient ones. In this study, we develop two models of renal autoregulation—a comprehensive model and a simplified model—and use them to analyze the individual contributions of MR and TGF in buffering transient pressure perturbations. Both models represent a single nephron of a rat kidney together with the associated vasculature. The comprehensive model includes detailed representation of the vascular properties and cellular processes. In contrast, the simplified model represents a minimal set of key processes. To assess the degree to which fluctuations in renal perfusion pressure at different frequencies are attenuated, we derive a transfer function for each model. The transfer functions of both models predict resonance at 45 and 180 mHz, which are associated with TGF and MR, respectively, effective autoregulation below $$\sim $$ 100 mHz, and amplification of pressure perturbations above $$\sim $$ 200 mHz. The predictions are in good agreement with experimental findings.
Urban Transport Infrastructure Financing

As the size of urban transport infrastructure investment is often large,investment decision must be based on careful consideration on the current operating efficiency and maintenance of existing infrastructure,availability of lower cost alternatives,and the prioritization of available funds for public services.Addressing growing urban transport problems requires not only financing of infrastructure hardware,but also improved services and management.The current mechanisms of urban transport infrastructure financing in many Chinese cities are not sustainable.The reform agenda should focus on the improvement of sustainability and transparency of local urban transport financing mechanisms,private sector participation in infrastructure financing,and the linkages between urban transport plan and municipal financing plan.
Application of MoCA in the screening of MCI in elderly patients

[Objective]To explore the application of Montreal cognitive Assessment( MoCA) in the screening of mild cognitive impairment( MCI) in elderly patients.[Methods]A total of 56 MCI patients were selected as MCI group and 50 adults with normal cognition as control group. Their cognitive function was assessed according to the MoCA and MMSE scales. And the results were analyzed.[Results]The total score of MoCA was significantly lower than the total score of MMSE in MCI group and control group( P 0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of MoCA and MMSE were 96.4% and 84%,35.7% and 100%,respectively in MCI screening. The total MoCA and its sub-items were significantly different between the MCI group and the control group( P 0. 01),except for the fixed orientation( P 0. 01).[Conclusion]MoCA is a highly sensitive scale for MCI screening,which allows comprehensive assessment of the cognitive function of MCI patients,and it is more sensitive in screening MCI than MMSE.
The experimental group and the psychotherapeutic enterprise.

(1973). The Experiential Group and the Psychotherapeutic Enterprise. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 115-124.
Facies of Late Pleistocene Glacial-Marine Sediments on Whidbey Island, Washington: An Isostatic Glacial-Marine Sequence

Detailed mapping of over 10 km of cliff exposure on Whidbey Island, Washington has resulted in the recognition of five major lithofacies within “Everson” age glacial-marine deposits (late-Pleistocene). These lithofacies were deposited in an isostatically depressed basin, comprise up to 25 m of exposed section, and occur in a predictable vertical succession. Proximity to both the ice margin and sources of meltwater input played a key role in facies distribution. Stratified and convoluted beds of muddy gravel and diamicton exhibit sedimentary characteristics indicative of sediment gravity flow processes and, in places, are interbedded with marine sediments. These lithologies comprise an Ice Marginal Sediment Flow Facies.
Workplace demands and resources as antecedents of jail officer perceived danger at work

Studies have revealed that some, but not all, jail custody officers fear workplace victimization. The job demands–resources theoretical model holds that job demands result in strain, increasing the...
A dynamic ocean management proposal for the Bering Strait region

Abstract Global climate change is raising Arctic temperatures, warming ocean waters, and melting sea ice at unprecedented rates, creating new opportunities for industry and development and new risks. As industries and local communities become increasingly active in newly accessible Arctic waters, a robust and dynamic regulatory regime is needed to reduce safety and environmental risks and balance competing needs of multiple resource user groups, all while continually adapting to rapidly changing environmental, economic, and social conditions. Such governance is particularly necessary in the narrow Bering Strait, where humans and animals compete for space while transiting between Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and where traditional subsistence uses overlap with emerging industries. Dynamic ocean management, a system of resource management that incorporates real-time data to implement spatially and temporally targeted management responses, offers guidance on the benefits and drawbacks of dynamic regulation and best practices for implementation in the Bering Strait. Examples of successful dynamic management regimes exist and are reviewed and used to illustrate benefits and challenges of dynamic multi-resource management in the Bering Strait region. Dynamic regulation has the potential to improve efficiency in achieving economic and environmental outcomes, although substantial stakeholder engagement may be required to identify precise goals and weigh trade-offs. Significant investment in data collection, analysis, and distribution may also be necessary. However, writing incident-based regulations and management thresholds to create incentives for government and private sector action should enable the Bering Strait region to develop a robust governance system able to adapt to the region's on-going changes.
Anti-Nogo-A Immunotherapy Does Not Alter Hippocampal Neurogenesis after Stroke in Adult Rats

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of adult disability, including cognitive impairment. Our laboratory has previously shown that treatment with function-blocking antibodies against the neurite growth inhibitory protein Nogo-A promotes functional recovery after stroke in adult and aged rats, including enhancing spatial memory performance, for which the hippocampus is critically important. Since spatial memory has been linked to hippocampal neurogenesis, we investigated whether anti-Nogo-A treatment increases hippocampal neurogenesis after stroke. Adult rats were subject to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion followed one week later by two weeks of antibody treatment. Cellular proliferation in the dentate gyrus was quantified at the end of treatment, and the number of newborn neurons was determined at 8 weeks post-stroke. Treatment with both anti-Nogo-A and control antibodies stimulated the accumulation of new microglia/macrophages in the dentate granule cell layer, but neither treatment increased cellular proliferation or the number of newborn neurons above stroke-only levels. These results suggest that anti-Nogo-A immunotherapy does not increase post-stroke hippocampal neurogenesis.
Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) Usage and Appropriateness in Adult Medical in-Patients: A Retrospective Audit

Abstract 4375 BACKGROUND: The use of Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) has increased considerably in recent years. In the USA there was 70% increase in the use of plasma in 10 years between 1991 and 2001. Around 3.9 million units were transfused in 2001 and 5.7 million units in 2009. FFP is often used inappropriately globally and studies evaluating FFP use in the US are scarce. We conducted a study to assess the trends of FFP use, its implications, appropriateness, and impact of FFP on International Normalized Ratio (INR) in hospitalized adult medical patients with an elevated INR. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study was a retrospective audit of all adult medical in-patients with an INR of 1.2 or higher who received FFP during a 3 month period from December 1, 2011 to February 28, 2012 admitted to Abington Memorial Hospital. A list of all patients who received FFP during the study period was obtained from the blood bank. Patients with major trauma, surgical, post-op, pediatric and obstetric/gynecological patients were excluded. Data was collected on demographics, indications of FFP, pre and post transfusion INR and effect of FFP on pre-transfusion INR. Partial thromboplastin time values (PTT) were not collected. RESULTS: A total of 479 units of FFP were transfused to 97 patients over 114 transfusion episodes. Of the 97 patients, 51 were male (52.6%) and 46 were female (47.3%) with a mean age of 70.4 yrs (median 73 yrs, range 19–95 yrs). Of the total 479 units of FFP, 233 units (48.6%) were given to patients who were not actively bleeding (n=53) with a mean pre-transfusion INR (pre-INR) of 2.82 (range 1.5 to >10, SD 1.6). Warfarin related coagulopathy was noted in 65 patients (67%) and 340 units of FFP (71%) were transfused to these patients. FFP units transfused as pre-procedural prophylaxis were 176 out of 479 (36.7%). Twenty transfusion episodes amounting to 53 units of FFP (11.1%) were given to patients who were not actively bleeding and had a pre-INR of 10) and mean post-INR of 1.72 (range 1.2 to 4.2). Mean improvement in INR/FFP in patients with pre-INR CONCLUSION: Inappropriate use of FFP remains high even among medical in-patients. This study is consistent with previous studies in finding warfarin reversal as the major indication of FFP use and higher the pre-INR, higher was the improvement in INR. Especially, high percentage of use of FFP for pre-procedural prophylaxis with mild elevation of INR is alarming; therefore, studies evaluating restrictive vs. liberal use of FFP are needed. *ICU=Intensive care unit, PCU= Progressive care unit, ER= Emergency room, GMF= General medical floor. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Wireless Capsule Endoscopy (WCE) Is an Important Diagnostic and Management Tool of Gastrointestinal (GI) Acute and Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AlloHSCT) and Identifies Gastroparesis as a Prominent Complication of GI GVHD.

Acute and Chronic GVHD are major complications of alloHSCT. GI GVHD can be difficult to diagnose especially early in its course or if involving the small intestine (SI). WCE is a new, noninvasive technology that allows for complete SI evaluation. The capsule transit can be measured and location tracked to determine GI hyper- or hypomotility states. We describe WCE in the diagnosis and management of GI disorders following alloHSCT. From 8/06 to 07/07, 11 alloHSCT pts with GI symptoms underwent WCE to assist in diagnosis, assess therapy response or to evaluate other GI pathology in pts with established GI acute or chronic GVHD. Pt symptoms included nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and hematochezia. Concomitant studies included stool bacterial, fungal and viral cultures and C. difficile toxin assay, as well as EBV and CMV testing. Upper GI (esophagus, stomach and duodenum) and Lower GI (colon and terminal ileum) endoscopy (UGE, LGE) were performed and biopsies taken when clinically indicated. Each capsule records for 8 hours. Visual grading of the GI track was determined on a 5 point scale and labeled as Endoscopic GI Grading (EGG) (Neumann et al GI Endoscopy2007): Grade 0, normal; Grade 1, loss of vascular marking and/or mild focal erythema; Grade 2, moderate edema and/or erythema; Grade 3, edema, erythema, erosions and/or bleeding; Grade 4, ulceration, exudates and bleeding. Pts underwent WCE at a median day 77 post HSCT (range 18–593) (See Table 1). Five pts had significant gastroparesis (gastric capsule passage ≥ 2 hours), 2 of whom (pts 1, 6) had capsule stomach retention for > 8 hours. The capsule was placed in the duodenum by EGD in pt 1 with capsule passage. The cecum was not visualized in 3 pts (pts 4, 10, 11) due to delayed SI transit. WCE findings usually correlated with UGE/LGE findings but SI lesions visualized by WCE were more severe than those seen on UGE/LGE (pts 1, 5, 8, 9, 11). Repeat WCE in pt 11 demonstrated resolving lesions confirming therapy efficacy. No pt had side effects attributable to WCE and the capsule was recovered in all pts. WCE is a useful tool to diagnose and assess GI acute and chronic GVHD especially involving the SI. It is well tolerated and less invasive than UGE/LGE, making serial examinations feasible. The demonstration of delayed gastric emptying led to the use of upper GI motility agents (metoclopramide) for therapy. GI GVHD has been considered a hypermotility disorder. This study demonstrates that colonic hypermotility can occur with gastric hypomotility and that symptomatic therapy must be specific for upper and lower GI tract pathology.
An acoustic based approach for mitigating sewer system overflows

Sewer piping networks are prone to damage due to aging, natural disasters, excessive traffic and chemical reactions with the contaminants and the soil. The released effluents from sewer system overflows (SSOs) can contaminate the water reservoirs, cause property damage and pose public health hazard. The SSOs are caused by blockages, breaks due to structural weaknesses and other pipe defects. To mitigate SSOs by effectively deploying cleaning resources, periodic condition assessment is important. Traditionally, a remotely controlled robot with a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera is used to assess the condition of sewer pipes. This method, however, is expensive, man-hour intensive and the robot mobility depends on extent of blockage. Acoustics based pipeline monitoring systems are, therefore, augmenting traditional robot based methods. Acoustic pressure signals in pipes suffer attenuation due to blockages. The signal attenuation can be used as a good indicator of the extent of blockage in a pipe. This paper proposes an approach that models the pipe section between two manholes as lossy acoustic waveguide. The analytical results from the proposed model are compared with those from field measurements and laboratory tests. The findings can be used in the development of acoustic based pipeline condition monitoring applications.
Methods for Measuring Bird-Mediated Seed Rain: Insights from a Hawaiian Mesic Forest

Amount and diversity of bird-dispersed seed rain play important roles in determining forest composition, yet neither is easy to quantify. The complex ecological processes that influence seed movement make the best approach highly context specific. Although recent advances in seed rain theory emphasize quantifying source-specific seed shadows, many ecological questions can be addressed u sing a less mechanistic approach that requires fewer assumptions. Using seed rain rates from 0.38 m2 hoop traps sampled twice monthly over the course of a year, we show that number of traps required to identify changes in seed rain varies across seed species and forest type. Detecting a 50% increase in amount of seed rain required from 65 to 300 traps, while detecting a 200% increase generally required ≤50 traps. Trap size and ecological context dictate the number of seeds found in each trap, but the coefficient of variation (CV) across traps in a given ecological context can help inform future studies about number of traps needed to detect change. To better understand factors influencing variation around estimates of seed rain, we simulated both clustered and evenly distributed patterns of fecal deposition using three different levels of seed aggregation (number of seeds in each fecal deposit). When patterns of fecal deposition were clustered, rather than evenly dispersed across the study area, they required 1.5 times the number of traps to identify a 100% increase in seed rain. Similarly, we found that low seed aggregation required 1.5 times the number of traps to detect a 100% change than when aggregation was medium or high. At low aggregations, fewer seed rain traps contained seeds (low, 33 ± 5%; medium, 23 ± 4%; high, 24 ± 5%), resulting in more variation across traps than medium and high aggregations. We also illustrate the importance of training observers to discern between morphologically similar seeds from different species and provide resources to help identify bird-dispersed seeds commonly found within midelevation mesic Hawaiian forests.
Predictors of outpatient resource utilization following ventral and incisional hernia repair

Little is known about the predictors of increased ambulatory costs following open ventral and incisional hernia repair (VIHR); however, postoperative complications would be expected to be associated with an increased burden on outpatient resources. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of perioperative factors on outpatient resource utilization following VIHR. With IRB approval, the surgery scheduling system was queried to identify all cases of VIHR done at our institution over 3 years. Cases with other procedures done at time of VIHR were excluded. National Surgical Quality Improvement Program clinical data, physician billing data which included market and payor across cases, and medical record review data were combined and evaluated in order to quantify care and predictors of usage during the 6 months postoperatively. Data were analyzed for 308 patients. Median patient age was 52 years (SD = 13.3), and over half were female. The number of outpatient visits to the surgical office varied from 0 to 18 [median = 2; interquartile range (IQR) = 1–3]. CDC Wound Class >1 was associated with increase of mean 1.4 visits (IQR: 0.5–2.3); p = 0.003. Component separation, longer duration of operation, and increased mesh size were also predictive of increased number of office visits (p < 0.01). Postoperative infected seroma/seroma requiring drainage added a mean 2.3 visits (IQR: 1.3–3.3), (p < 0.001); and deep wound infection added a mean 3.9 visits (IQR: 1.9–5.9) (p < 0.001). Postoperative complications confer a significant burden for patients and to the outpatient surgical office. In an era in which improved quality and cost-efficiency has become imperative, measures to decrease risk of postoperative complications particularly for more complex VIHR would be expected to decrease resource utilization and increase value of care.
Phylogenetic and Morphological Diversity of the Etheostoma zonistium Species Complex with the Description of a New Species Endemic to the Cumberland Plateau of Alabama

Abstract We provide a description of the Blueface Darter, Etheostoma cyanoprosopum, which is distributed in the upper Sipsey Fork of the Mobile Basin and the upper portion of the Bear Creek system in the Tennessee River Drainage. The distinctiveness of Etheostoma cyanoprosopum is assessed through analysis of morphological variation and molecular phylogenetic diversity within the Etheostoma zonistium species complex. In addition to analyzing disparity of morphometric and meristic traits, we present phylogenetic analyses of a mitochondrial gene and two nuclear genes and identify genetic clusters through analysis of 25 microsatellite loci. In the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene tree, Etheostoma cyanoprosopumis resolved as the sister lineage to a clade containing all other species of the Etheostoma zonistium complex. Etheostoma zonistium is paraphyletic with respect to both Etheostoma pyrrhogaster and Etheostoma cervus, which do not resolve as sister species in the mtDNA gene tree. The two nuclear gene trees a...
The Role of Distal Minority Stress and Internalized Transnegativity in Suicidal Ideation and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Transgender Adults.

Transgender people are at elevated risk for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal ideation compared to the general population. Transgender (trans) refers to a diverse group of people who expe...
Symbolische Logik und Aussagenalgebra

Zweck dieses Kapitels kann es nicht sein, die symbolische Logik vollstandig abzuhandeln, sondern lediglich den Leser so in die Materie einzufuhren, das er in der Lage ist, ein umfassenderes Buch daruber zu lesen. Uber die Bereitstellung einer Grundlage fur weitere Studien hinaus wird dieses Kapitel genug von den Grundgedankengangen der symbolischen Logik bringen, um eine Vorstellung von der Rolle zu vermitteln, die dieses Gebiet in der Mathematik spielt, und um zu zeigen, das die Algebra der Logik ein weiteres Beispiel einer Booleschen Algebra ist.
Foxo-dependent Par-4 Upregulation Prevents Long-term Survival of Residual Cells Following PI3K-Akt Inhibition

Tumor recurrence is a leading cause of death and is thought to arise from a population of residual cells that survive treatment. These residual cancer cells can persist, locally or at distant sites, for years or decades. Therefore, understanding the pathways that regulate residual cancer cell survival may suggest opportunities for targeting these cells to prevent recurrence. Previously, it was observed that the proapoptotic protein (PAWR/Par-4) negatively regulates residual cell survival and recurrence in mice and humans. However, the mechanistic underpinnings on how Par-4 expression is regulated are unclear. Here, it is demonstrated that Par-4 is transcriptionally upregulated following treatment with multiple drugs targeting the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, and identify the Forkhead family of transcription factors as mediators of this upregulation. Mechanistically, Foxo3a directly binds to the Par-4 promoter and activates its transcription following inhibition of the PI3K-Akt pathway. This Foxo-dependent Par-4 upregulation limits the long-term survival of residual cells following treatment with therapeutics that target the PI3K-Akt pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that residual breast cancer tumor cell survival and recurrence requires circumventing Foxo-driven Par-4 upregulation and suggest that approaches to enforce Par-4 expression may prevent residual cell survival and recurrence. Mol Cancer Res; 16(4); 599-609. ©2018 AACR.
A mixed numeric and analytic method for investigating OAM beam scattering in turbid water

A mixed numerical and analytical technique is presented to investigate OAM beam scattering in turbid water. Single particle scattering from an OAM beam in an underwater environment is computed numerically using COMSOL Multiphysics Modeling Software to generate single scattering functions. The array theorem extends this single scattering function to multiple scatters in a three dimensional space. Simulations predict that OAM illumination reduces forward scattering in low turbidity environments compared to scattering from Gaussian beams. In high turbidity water, scattering results from OAM beams and Gaussian beam converge. Experimental results are presented that are consistent with predictions from simulation.
IoT, smart homes, and zigbee simulation

Internet of Things (IoT) is predicted to connect more than 50 billion devices to each other via the Internet by 2020. Smart homes and buildings are primary targets to continuously monitor the connected devices, collect data, process them, and provide feedback where and when it is needed. In this chain process of IoT, there are numerous nontrivial communications and computational issues. In this paper, we focus on smart homes and specifically on ZigBee, as a smart data collection element. We view several topologies and configurations using ZigBee connectivity in a typical smart home. In addition, we report a simulation study to shed some light on how ZigBee networks perform. To transfer the huge amount of collected data from smart homes in a timely manner and process it, we use the Fifth Generation (5G) of wireless network, and for processing the data we use Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) interacted with cloud.
How Are Gleason Scores Categorized in the Current Literature: An Analysis and Comparison of Articles Published in 2016-2017.

Abstract Background A new prostate cancer grading system was proposed in 2013 and endorsed by major journals and societies in 2014, in part because of anecdotal evidence that Gleason scores (GSs) were incorrectly combined in the literature. Objective To examine how published studies categorized GSs in current practice. Design, setting, and participants A PubMed search was conducted on articles published in 2016–2017 using the search terms “Gleason” and “prostate”. This literature review included 1576 articles after exclusions. Results (1) Separating GS 7: pathology journals were more likely than non-pathology journals to grade GS 7 separately (56.9% vs 40.0%, p Conclusions There is still wide variation in how GSs are grouped world-wide. Only a minority of published articles group GSs accurately. Patient summary In this report, we looked at how GSs were grouped world-wide. We found that only a minority of published articles on prostate cancer were grouping GSs accurately, which could lead to inaccurate results and affect patient care with different prostate cancer grades. Our study calls for more widespread adoption of the new prostate cancer grading system composed of five grade groups to minimize incorrect grouping for future studies.
Borderlands Narratives: Contours of Life in the Southwest Borderlands

Book Review Essay – Arredondo: Last Spanish Ruler of Texas and Northeastern New Spain, by Bradley Folsom. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017. – Borderlands of Slavery: The Struggle over Captivity and Peonage in the American Southwest, by William S. Kiser. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2017. – Wars for Empire: Apaches, the United States, and the Southwest Borderlands, by Janne Lahti. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017. – Soldiers in the Southwest Borderlands, 1848-1886, edited by Janne Lahti. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017. – The Other California: Land, Identity, and Politics on the Mexican Borderlands, by Veronica Castillo-Munoz. Oakland: University of California Press, 2017.
Physician Mental Health: An Evidence-Based Approach to Change

Awareness of high rates of physician burnout, depression and suicide is leading to changes within the medical profession at all levels. Most mental health problems can be effectively managed, but r...
Behavioral Changes in Speakers who are Automatically Captioned in Meetings with Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Peers

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals face barriers to communication in small-group meetings with hearing peers; we examine generation of captions on mobile devices by automatic speech recognition (ASR). While ASR output displays errors, we study whether such tools benefit users and influence conversational behaviors. An experiment was conducted where DHH and hearing individuals collaborated in discussions in three conditions (without an ASR-based application, with the application, and with a version indicating words for which the ASR has low confidence). An analysis of audio recordings, from each participant across conditions, revealed significant differences in speech features. When using the ASR-based automatic captioning application, hearing individuals spoke more loudly, with improved voice quality (harmonics-to-noise ratio), with a non-standard articulation (changes in F1 and F2 formants), and at a faster rate. Identifying non-standard speech in this setting has implications on the composition of data used for ASR training/testing, which should be representative of its usage context. Understanding these behavioral influences may also enable designers of ASR captioning systems to leverage these effects, to promote communication success.
Arsenic exposure and lung function: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Several epidemiological studies have used spirometry to evaluate respiratory health among populations chronically exposed to arsenic in drinking water. Integrating existing data on arse...
Cellular labeling of endogenous retrovirus replication (CLEVR) reveals de novo insertions of the gypsy retrotransposable element in cell culture and in both neurons and glial cells of aging fruit flies

Evidence is rapidly mounting that transposable element (TE) expression and replication may impact biology more widely than previously thought. This includes potential effects on normal physiology of somatic tissues and dysfunctional impacts in diseases associated with aging, such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Investigation of the biological impact of mobile elements in somatic cells will be greatly facilitated by the use of donor elements that are engineered to report de novo events in vivo. In multicellular organisms, reporter constructs demonstrating engineered long interspersed nuclear element (LINE-1; L1) mobilization have been in use for quite some time, and strategies similar to L1 retrotransposition reporter assays have been developed to report replication of Ty1 elements in yeast and mouse intracisternal A particle (IAP) long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons in cultivated cells. We describe a novel approach termed cellular labeling of endogenous retrovirus replication (CLEVR), which reports replication of the gypsy element within specific cells in vivo in Drosophila. The gypsy-CLEVR reporter reveals gypsy replication both in cell culture and in individual neurons and glial cells of the aging adult fly. We also demonstrate that the gypsy-CLEVR replication rate is increased when the short interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing system is genetically disrupted. This CLEVR strategy makes use of universally conserved features of retroviruses and should be widely applicable to other LTR retrotransposons, endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), and exogenous retroviruses.
Please Enter Your Home Location: Geoprivacy Attitudes and Personal Location Masking Strategies of Internet Users

Location masking, or geomasking, is a practice typically undertaken by data stewards who wish to release a georeferenced data set without infringing on the privacy of those whose data are involved....