cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Generic Framework for Internet-Based Interactive Applications of High-Resolution 3-D Medical Image Data

With the advances in medical imaging devices, large volumes of high-resolution 3-D medical image data have been produced. These high-resolution 3-D data are very large in size, and severely stress storage systems and networks. Most existing Internet-based 3-D medical image interactive applications therefore deal with only low- or medium-resolution image data. While it is possible to download the whole 3-D high-resolution image data from the server and perform the image visualization and analysis at the client site, such an alternative is infeasible when the high-resolution data are very large, and many users concurrently access the server. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for Internet-based interactive applications of high-resolution 3- D medical image data. Specifically, we first partition the whole 3-D data into buckets, remove the duplicate buckets, and then, compress each bucket separately. We also propose an index structure for these buckets to efficiently support typical queries such as 3-D slicer and region of interest, and only the relevant buckets are transmitted instead of the whole high-resolution 3-D medical image data. Furthermore, in order to better support concurrent accesses and to improve the average response time, we also propose techniques for efficient query processing, incremental transmission, and client sharing. Our experimental study in simulated and realistic environments indicates that the proposed framework can significantly reduce storage and communication requirements, and can enable real-time interaction with remote high-resolution 3-D medical image data for many concurrent users.
Normal sex differences in prenatal growth and abnormal prenatal growth retardation associated with 46,XY disorders of sex development are absent in newborns with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common presentation of a disorder of sex development (DSD) in genetic females. A report of prenatal growth retardation in cases of 46,XY DSD, coupled with observations of below-optimal final height in both males and females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, prompted us to investigate prenatal growth in the latter group. Additionally, because girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia are exposed to increased levels of androgens in the absence of a male sex-chromosome complement, the presence or absence of typical sex differences in growth of newborns would support or refute a hormonal explanation for these differences. In total, 105 newborns with congenital adrenal hyperplasia were identified in our database. Gestational age (weeks), birth weight (kg), birth length (cm) and parental heights (cm) were obtained. Mid-parental height was considered in the analyses. Mean birth weight percentile for congenital adrenal hyperplasia was 49.26%, indicating no evidence of a difference in birth weight from the expected standard population median of 50th percentile (P > 0.05). The expected sex difference in favor of heavier males was not seen (P > 0.05). Of the 105 subjects, 44 (27%; 34 females, 10 males) had birth length and gestational age recorded in their medical chart. Mean birth length for this subgroup was 50.90 cm (63rd percentile), which differed from the expected standard population median of 50th percentile (P = 0.0082). The expected sex difference in favor of longer males was also not seen (P > 0.05). The prenatal growth retardation patterns reported in cases of 46,XY disorders of sex development do not generalize to people with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Sex differences in body weight and length typically seen in young infants were not seen in the subjects who participated in this study. We speculate that these differences were ameliorated in this study because of increased levels of prenatal androgens experienced by the females infants.
Adaptive grid generation

The fundamental principles of adaptive grid generation for the numerical analysis of physical phenomena described by systems of partial differential equations are examined in an analytical review. Topics addressed include weight functions, equidistribution in one dimension, the specification of coefficients in the linear weight, the attraction to a given grid on a curve, evolutionary forces, and metric notation. Consideration is given to curve-by-curve methods, finite-volume methods, variational methods, and temporal aspects.
Reading large volumes of Java objects from database

The paper explores issues that arise from storing Java objects in databases. The Java program with its classes and objects tries to maintain an object-oriented paradigm as much as possible. However, the database schema and data are not necessarily of the same object oriented mold. We report on an architecture that allows the Java program to pretend that all objects are in main memory, relieving the Java program from most database housekeeping chores. The architecture is supported by APIs to an actual database: the API can map to an object-oriented database, a relational database via JDBC, or to files using object serialization. We report on the design of these three approaches and experiences with their implementation.
Brain mechanisms underlying reality monitoring for heard and imagined words

Using functional MRI, we investigated reality monitoring for auditory information. During scanning, healthy young adults heard words in another person's voice and imagined hearing other words in that same voice. Later, outside the scanner, participants judged words as "heard," "imagined," or "new." An area of left middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann's area, or BA, 6) was more active at encoding for imagined items subsequently correctly called "imagined" than for items incorrectly called "heard." An area of left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45, 44) was more active at encoding for items subsequently called "heard" than "imagined," regardless of the actual source of the item. Scores on an Auditory Hallucination Experience Scale were positively related to activity in superior temporal gyrus (BA 22) for imagined words incorrectly called "heard." We suggest that activity in these areas reflects cognitive operations information (middle frontal gyrus) and semantic and perceptual detail (inferior frontal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus, respectively) used to make reality-monitoring attributions.
Excitation of linearly stable waves in a multispecies plasma

Excitation of electrostatic modes as a result of the injection of an argon beam into a multispecies plasma is investigated. It is shown that the injection of a warm artificial beam into a thermal plasma may excite waves of significant amplitude with a range of phase velocities which are linearly stable. These waves appear as a result of the correlation between motions of an individual particle in a Vlasov fluid. When the free energy is derived from a warm beam and the linear instability diminishes due to the large temperature of the beam, the competing mechanism of thermal fluctuations is responsible for the main excitation of waves. This mechanism is valid for the various modes in a multispecies plasma with a higher enhancement at the lower hybrid than at the ion-ion hybrid modes. >
Structural characterization of phospholamban in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes by cross-linking.

The native form of phospholamban in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes was investigated using photosensitive heterobifunctional cross-linkers, both cleavable and noncleavable, and common protein modifiers. The photosensitive heterobifunctional cleavable cross-linker ethyl 4-azidophenyl-1,4-dithiobutyrimidate was used in native SR vesicles and it cross-linked phospholamban into an apparent phospholamban–-phospholamban dimer and into an ∼110,000-Da species. The phospholamban dimer migrated at ∼12,000 Da on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, and upon cleavage of the cross-linker before electrophoresis the dimer disappeared. The ∼110,000-Da cross-linked species was not affected by boiling in sodium dodecyl sulfate prior to electrophoresis. This cross-linked form of phospholamban migrated ∼5500 Da above the Ca2+ -ATPase, which was visualized using fluorescein 5′-isothiocyanate, a fluorescent marker that binds specifically to the Ca2+ -ATPase. p-Azidophenacyl bromide, iodoacetic acid, and N-ethyl...
Strategic Advertising: Evidence in the Pharmaceutical Industry

In this paper, we investigate the change in advertising patterns of competing pharmaceutical firms in the short period after a new entrant, Crestor, is petitioned to be removed from the Statin drug market. Using physician-level data, we find that Crestor’s main competitor, Lipitor, increases its advertising intensity the most among physicians with whom Crestor already has a median share of total prescriptions. Moreover, such change in advertising patterns does not occur with Crestor’s other smaller opponents. These findings support the view that Lipitor strategically advertises to induce the exit of Crestor, while raise doubt on the hypothesis that Lipitor’s advertising is a normal competitive response to the bad news.
Entrepreneurial teacher training in Europe: an overview of European policies and developments

In regard to the current context of Entrepreneurship Education in Europe, the majority of countries are in a process of educational reform. Among their objectives is to strengthen entrepreneurship education in a perspective of lifelong learning across all educational levels. The challenges presented in teaching entrepreneurship require significant changes in the way teachers themselves are educated. This chapter starts with the baseline goal of improving entrepreneurship education and training as set out by the European Commission. It highlights the challenges that are faced in fostering an entrepreneurial attitude in educational institutions and, in particular the need to support teachers through training programs that pursue a long-term policy commitment that is both creative and well-conceived. Entrepreneurship education is still an up-and-coming subject in teacher education. Nevertheless, experience and good practice indicate that when this type of training is offered the concept and the innovative methods associated with entrepreneurship are quickly adapted to the educational necessities of students.
Modeling the Anisotropic Elastic Property of the Eagle Ford Shale with Complex Micro-Scale Fabric

The purpose of this work is to model the anisotropic elastic properties of the upper Eagle Ford Shale by accounting for the micro-scale fabric. The micro-scale fabric significantly influences the elastic properties and anisotropy of the rock. In the shale, the complex micro-scale fabric comes from the platy clay minerals, non-spherically shaped kerogen, and their preferred orientation patterns. The method presented in this work include three steps: anisotropic DEM modeling to construct an effective VTI medium; an orientation correction to account for the orientation patterns of clay minerals; and a pressure correction to account for the different pressure-dependent behaviors between Pand Swaves. This work shows that the stiffness decreases with clay volume, kerogen volume and porosity. The anisotropy increases with porosity and kerogen volume, but the influence of clay volume on anisotropy is more complex. Specifically, the anisotropy increases with clay volume at relatively low clay concentrations; however, the anisotropy is nearly constant, or even slightly decreases, as clay content continues to increase. This result suggests that the preferred orientations of clay clusters are preserved at relatively low clay concentrations at the core scale, but they vanish at high clay concentration at the same scale in the Upper Eagle Ford Shale.
Perspective: Defining and quantifying the role of dynamics in enzyme catalysis

Enzymes control chemical reactions that are key to life processes, and allow them to take place on the time scale needed for synchronization between the relevant reaction cycles. In addition to general interest in their biological roles, these proteins present a fundamental scientific puzzle, since the origin of their tremendous catalytic power is still unclear. While many different hypotheses have been put forward to rationalize this, one of the proposals that has become particularly popular in recent years is the idea that dynamical effects contribute to catalysis. Here, we present a critical review of the dynamical idea, considering all reasonable definitions of what does and does not qualify as a dynamical effect. We demonstrate that no dynamical effect (according to these definitions) has ever been experimentally shown to contribute to catalysis. Furthermore, the existence of non-negligible dynamical contributions to catalysis is not supported by consistent theoretical studies. Our review is aimed, in part, at readers with a background in chemical physics and biophysics, and illustrates that despite a substantial body of experimental effort, there has not yet been any study that consistently established a connection between an enzyme’s conformational dynamics and a significant increase in the catalytic contribution of the chemical step. We also make the point that the dynamical proposal is not a semantic issue but a well-defined scientific hypothesis with well-defined conclusions.
Observation of curative effect of ganciclovir on infant cytomegalovirus hepatitis

Objective: To study the clinical effect of ganciclovir (GCV) in treatment of the 30 infants with cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis. Methods: 30 infants with CMV hepatitis were treated with GCV for 28 days. The liver function, size, and CMV-IgM part of CMV-DNA were detected. Results: There were significant differences in liver function and its size before and after treatment. Negative rates of CMV-IgM and CMV-DNA were 69% and 44%. Conclusion: The use of GCV in infant CMV hepatitis was effective on recovering of liver function, which reduced the size of liver and check the CMV replication. No obvious side-effects were found in its clinical use.
Genetic Disruptions within the Murine Genome Reveal Numerous Roles of the Smad Gene Family in Development, Disease, and Cancer

Mammalian Smads consist of a gene family of 8 members that serve as intracellular mediators of TGF-β signaling. Functions of Smads have been elucidated through extensive research using gene targeting technologies to introduce various types of mutations into these genes. Analysis of mutant mice has uncovered important functions of Smads in numerous biological processes, including gastrulation, mesoderm induction and patterning, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and differentiation, organogenesis, immunological response, wound healing, and tumorigenesis. Here we summarize these studies and discuss possible mechanisms underlying phenotypic alterations associated with the deficiency of each Smad
Handling cascading failures: the case for topology-aware fault-tolerance

Large distributed systems contain multiple components that can interact in sometimes unforeseen and complicated ways; this emergent "vulnerability of complexity" increases the likelihood of cascading failures that might result in widespread disruption. Our research explores whether we can exploit the knowledge of the system's topology, the application's interconnections and the application's normal fault-free behavior to build proactive fault-tolerance techniques that could curb the spread of cascading failures and enable faster system-wide recovery. We seek to characterize what the topology knowledge would entail, quantify the benefits of our approach and understand the associated trade offs.
Cityscapes and the novela de autoformación: Elvira Navarro in Valencia

AbstractThis article explores relationships between the traditional Bildungsroman novel and theories related to landscape in two novels by Valencian writer Elvira Navarro, La ciudad en invierno (2008) and La ciudad feliz (2009). Through a close reading of both texts, urban theory provides a way to understand Navarro's novels as incomplete coming-of-age stories. Instead of a male subject finding citizenship and happiness through marriage and labour—the standard climax of the traditional form—Navarro's male and female protagonists' identity is plotted through violence and alienation. The transformation to adolescence occurs in a Valencia under intense economic speculation and aggressive changes to its landscape. This article argues that both novels signal the protagonists' dissociation from family, friends, and community as a process vital to the creation of the urban environment itself. The protagonists are mirrors of their city and their very inability to define themselves is that which ironically defines...
A consistent-splitting model for experimental residual-stress analysis

Destructive laboratory procedures for measuring through-thickness residual stresses in metals frequently involve some combination of three types of cutting steps. Deformation data, recorded after each step, are used in back-computation procedures to produce an estimate of the original residual-stress distribution. Questions arise concerning the applicability of simplifying assumptions embodies in existing back-computation schemes for each of the three types of steps. This paper focuses on one of these steps generally called the splitting step. Two existing back-computation schemes were evaluated. One existing scheme, applied to a typical spliting problem, estimated residual stresses that were in error by as much as 35,000 psi. In another case, the second existing back-computation scheme led to errors of about 30 percent. An improved back-computation scheme is developed for the splitting step based on a ‘consistent-splitting model’. Verifications and applications of the model are presented. In the verification studies, results obtained from the consistent-splitting model for two cases showed excellent agreement with finite-element reference solutions.
Land Surface Phenology

Certain vegetation types (e.g., deciduous shrubs, deciduous trees, grasslands) have distinct life cycles marked by the growth and senescence of leaves and periods of enhanced photosynthetic activity. Where these types exist, recurring changes in foliage alter the reflectance of electromagnetic radiation from the land surface, which can be measured using remote sensors. The timing of these recurring changes in reflectance is called land surface phenology (LSP). During recent decades, a variety of methods have been used to derive LSP metrics from time series of reflectance measurements acquired by satellite-borne sensors. In contrast to conventional phenology observations, LSP metrics represent the timing of reflectance changes that are driven by the aggregate activity of vegetation within the areal unit measured by the satellite sensor and do not directly provide information about the phenology of individual plants, species, or their phenophases. Despite the generalized nature of satellite sensor-derived measurements, they have proven useful for studying changes in LSP associated with various phenomena. This chapter provides a detailed overview of the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor LSP. First, the theoretical basis for the application of satellite remote sensing to the study of vegetation phenology is presented. After establishing a theoretical foundation for LSP, methods of deriving and validating LSP metrics are discussed. This chapter concludes with a discussion of major research findings and current and future research directions.
Screening women for intimate partner violence: Creating proper practice habits

Intimate partner violence continues to be a challenge for advanced practice registered nurses to address and manage in their daily practice. This article reviews current healthcare concerns in heterosexual, bisexual, transgender, and lesbian women, and explores screening guidelines and resources for developing successful screening habits. Additionally, the article discusses how the Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change offers insight into the behavior of women who experience intimate partner violence and provides safety strategies for these women.
aPKCζ-dependent Repression of Yap is Necessary for Functional Restoration of Irradiated Salivary Glands with IGF-1

Xerostomia and salivary hypofunction often result as a consequence of radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, which are diagnosed in roughly 60,000 individuals every year in the U.S. Due to the lack of effective treatments for radiation-induced salivary hypofunction, stem cell-based therapies have been suggested to regenerate the irradiated salivary glands. Pharmacologically, restoration of salivary gland function has been accomplished in mice by administering IGF-1 shortly after radiation treatment, but it is not known if salivary stem and progenitor cells play a role. We show that radiation inactivates aPKCζ and promotes nuclear redistribution of Yap in a population of label-retaining cells in the acinar compartment of the parotid gland (PG)– which comprises a heterogeneous pool of salivary progenitors. Administration of IGF-1 post-radiation maintains activation of aPKCζ and partially rescues Yap’s cellular localization in label retaining cells, while restoring salivary function. Finally, IGF-1 fails to restore saliva production in mice lacking aPKCζ, demonstrating the importance of the kinase as a potential therapeutic target.
Speech Enabled Avatar from a Single Photograph

This paper presents a complete framework for creating speechenabled 2D and 3D avatars from a single image of a person. Our approach uses a generic facial motion model which represents deformations of the prototype face during speech. We have developed an HMM-based facial animation algorithm which takes into account both lexical stress and coarticulation. This algorithm produces realistic animations of the prototype facial surface from either text or speech. The generic facial motion model is transformed to a novel face geometry using a set of corresponding points between the generic mesh and the novel face. In the case of a 2D avatar, a single photograph of the person is used as input. We manually select a small number of features on the photograph and these are used to deform the prototype surface. The deformed surface is then used to animate the photograph. In the case of a 3D avatar, we use a single stereo image of the person as input. The sparse geometry of the face is computed from this image and used to warp the prototype surface to obtain the complete 3D surface of the person’s face. This surface is etched into a glass cube using sub-surface laser engraving (SSLE) technology. Synthesized facial animation videos are then projected onto the etched glass cube. Even though the etched surface is static, the projection of facial animation onto it results in a compelling experience for the viewer. We show several examples of 2D and 3D avatars that are driven by text and speech inputs.
The Long-Run Relation Between The Personal Savings Rate And Consumer Sentiment

This study examined the long run relationship between the personal savings rate and the index of consumer sentiment in the United States over the 1959-1997 period using cointegration analysis. We find that consumer sentiment and the personal savings rate share a long run equilibrium. The results suggest that households reduce their savings rate when consumer sentiment is high, but the two variables do not drift arbitrarily far apart. The results have implications for long term savings plans and are particularly important for financial counselors and planners.
Rapid And Reliable Detection Of Fungemia By Polymerase Chain Reaction

Fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients, especially if treatment is delayed. Blood culture has failed to detect 40– 50% of autopsy proven invasive fungal disease and may take 3–5 days to become positive. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of highly conserved 18s ribosomal DNA sequences present in multiple fungal species may permit a rapid and sensitive detection of fungemia in neonatal and pediatric ICU patients with suspected sepsis.
Mariner 7 Television Pictures: First Report

Initial results of the television experiment carried by Mariner 6 were recently reported (1). This is a similar report of the television experiment aboard Mariner 7. These reports are presented primarily to communicate significant results to the scientific community as rapidly as possible. A more comprehensive, but still preliminary, review of the results of both experiments, and of their implications concerning the atmosphere and surface of Mars, is in preparation for submission to this journal.
Intersectionality, (Dis)unity, and Processes of Becoming at the 2017 Women's March

This article engages with theories of intersectionality, affect, and emotion, which often have been separated in scholarship on social movements, to understand the participation of diverse voices i...
Modeling and control of tethered undersea kites

Abstract The modeling and control of tethered undersea kites for power generation are discussed in this paper. In the first part, we apply the added mass model to underwater kite systems. In the second part, the stability of undersea kite systems is analyzed using two frameworks. The dissipative property of the hydrodynamic force is provided first. Based on this property, the input to state stability of the undersea kite dynamics is established. Moreover, based on the input to state stability, the ultimate boundedness of constrained undersea kite dynamics is also discussed. Finally, an input–output system is proposed, and a passivity-based control signal is designed. The proposed control signal is tested in a baseline simulation, which yields consecutive figure eight cycles with positive net power generation.
In-Group Love and Out-Group Hate: White Racial Attitudes in Contemporary U.S. Elections

Over the past two decades, political scientists have demonstrated that racial animus among white Americans is increasingly associated with evaluations of presidential candidates. Like most work on white racial attitudes, these efforts have focused almost exclusively on the out-group attitudes whites possess toward racial and ethnic minorities. Work in social psychology, however, suggests that intergroup attitudes are usually comprised of both an out-group and an in-group component. Nevertheless, political scientists have tended to overlook or dismiss the possibility that whites’ in-group attitudes are associated with political evaluations. Changing demographic patterns, immigration, the historic election of Obama, and new candidate efforts to appeal to whites as a collective group suggest a need to reconsider the full nature and consequences of the racial attitudes that may influence whites’ electoral preferences. This study, therefore, examines the extent to which both white out-group racial resentment and white in-group racial identity matter in contemporary electoral politics. Comparing the factors associated with vote choice in 2012 and 2016, and candidate evaluations in 2018, this study finds that both attitudes were powerfully associated with candidate evaluations in 2012 and early 2016, although white out-group attitudes overshadowed the electoral impact of in-group racial attitudes by the 2016 general election. The results suggest that there are now two independent racial attitudes tied to whites’ political preferences in the contemporary U.S., and understanding the dynamics of white racial animus and white racial identity across electoral contexts continues to be an important avenue for future work.
DeepCinema: Adding Depth with X3D Image-Based Rendering

In scientific research, data visualization is crucial for human understanding and insight. Modern experiments and simulations are increasingly growing in scale and complexity; as we approach the Exascale of big data, current methods of interactive 3D scientific visualization become untenable. Cinema has proposed as an Image-Based solution to this problem, where instead of explicit 3D geometry, the model is represented by an image database, through which users navigate among pre-rendered (in situ) screenshots. However, flat images alone cannot fully express the 3D characteristics of a data. Thus, we propose the DeepCinema technique to improve the depth portrayal of Image-Based Rendering using Displacement Maps and shading. We examine the perceptual efficacy of our technique with a 2-Alternative, Forced Choice user study of 60 participants. The within-subjects multi-factorial design compared user depth judgements over: Displacement Map, shading, and the interval of angular perspective for each image. Results show that this method would be useful for the interactive 3D visualization of Big Scientific Data using Web3D Standards.
Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract

This chapter discusses the histologic features of commonly encountered infections of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and correlates the morphologic findings with microbiological and molecular testing. It also discusses the major differential diagnoses of infectious diseases of the GI tract that are encountered in practice.
Neuronal activity in the posterior cingulate cortex signals environmental information and predicts behavioral variability during trapline foraging

Animals engage in routine behavior in order to efficiently navigate their environments. This routine behavior may be influenced by the state of the environment, such as the location and size of rewards. The neural circuits tracking environmental information and how that information impacts decisions to deviate from routines remains unexplored. To investigate the representation of environmental information during routine foraging, we recorded the activity of single neurons in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in two male monkeys searching through an array of targets in which the location of rewards was unknown. Outside the laboratory, people and animals solve such traveling salesman problems by following routine traplines that connect nearest-neighbor locations. In our task, monkeys also deployed traplining routines, but as the environment became better known, they deviate from them despite the reduction in foraging efficiency. While foraging, PCC neurons tracked environmental information but not reward and predicted variability in the pattern of choices. Together, these findings suggest that PCC may mediate the influence of information on variability in choice behavior. Significance statement Many animals seek information to better guide their decisions and update behavioral routines. In our study, subjects visually searched through a set of targets on every trial to gather two rewards. Greater amounts of information about the distribution of rewards predicted less variability in choice patterns, whereas smaller amounts predicted greater variability. We recorded from the posterior cingulate cortex, an area implicated in the coding of reward and uncertainty, and discovered that these neurons signaled the expected information about the distribution of rewards instead of signaling expected rewards. The activity in these cells also predicted the amount of variability in choice behavior. These findings suggest that the posterior cingulate helps direct the search for information in order to augment routines.
Epidemiology of Adult Pleural Disease in the United States.

Background Comprehensive US epidemiologic data for adult pleural disease are not available. Research Question What are the epidemiologic measures related to adult pleural disease in the United States? Study Design and Methods Retrospective cohort study using Healthcare Utilization Project databases (2007-2016). Adults (≥ 18 years of age) with malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant pleural effusion, nonmalignant pleural effusion, empyema, primary and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, iatrogenic pneumothorax, and pleural TB were studied. Results In 2016, ED treat-and-discharge (TD malignant pleural effusion, 45%; nonmalignant pleural effusion, 31%; empyema, 27%; primary spontaneous pneumothorax, 27%; secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, 27%; and iatrogenic pneumothorax, 20%. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax had the shortest time to readmission in 2016 (10.3 days, 95% CI, 8.8-11.8 days). Interpretation Significant epidemiologic trends and changes in various pleural diseases were observed. The analysis identifies multiple opportunities for improvement in management of pleural diseases.
Deep Learning Explicit Differentiable Predictive Control Laws for Buildings

Abstract We present a differentiable predictive control (DPC) methodology for learning constrained control laws for unknown nonlinear systems. DPC poses an approximate solution to multiparametric programming problems emerging from explicit nonlinear model predictive control (MPC). Contrary to approximate MPC, DPC does not require supervision by an expert controller. Instead, a system dynamics model is learned from the observed system’s dynamics, and the neural control law is optimized offline by leveraging the differentiable closed-loop system model. The combination of a differentiable closed-loop system and penalty methods for constraint handling of system outputs and inputs allows us to optimize the control law’s parameters directly by backpropagating economic MPC loss through the learned system model. The control performance of the proposed DPC method is demonstrated in simulation using learned model of multi-zone building thermal dynamics.
In vivo semi-automatic segmentation of multicontrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance for prospective cohort studies on plaque tissue composition: initial experience

Automatic in vivo segmentation of multicontrast (multisequence) carotid magnetic resonance for plaque composition has been proposed as a substitute for manual review to save time and reduce inter-reader variability in large-scale or multicenter studies. Using serial images from a prospective longitudinal study, we sought to compare a semi-automatic approach versus expert human reading in analyzing carotid atherosclerosis progression. Baseline and 6-month follow-up multicontrast carotid images from 59 asymptomatic subjects with 16–79 % carotid stenosis were reviewed by both trained radiologists with 2–4 years of specialized experience in carotid plaque characterization with MRI and a previously reported automatic atherosclerotic plaque segmentation algorithm, referred to as morphology-enhanced probabilistic plaque segmentation (MEPPS). Agreement on measurements from individual time points, as well as on compositional changes, was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). There was good agreement between manual and MEPPS reviews on individual time points for calcification (CA) (area: ICC; 0.85–0.91; volume: ICC; 0.92–0.95) and lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) (area: ICC; 0.78–0.82; volume: ICC; 0.84–0.86). For compositional changes, agreement was good for CA volume change (ICC; 0.78) and moderate for LRNC volume change (ICC; 0.49). Factors associated with LRNC progression as detected by MEPPS review included intraplaque hemorrhage (positive association) and reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (negative association), which were consistent with previous findings from manual review. Automatic classifier for plaque composition produced results similar to expert manual review in a prospective serial MRI study of carotid atherosclerosis progression. Such automatic classification tools may be beneficial in large-scale multicenter studies by reducing image analysis time and avoiding bias between human reviewers.
Identifying Chemotherapy Regimens in Electronic Health Record Data Using Interval-Encoded Sequence Alignment

Electronic health records (EHRs) play an essential role in patient management and guideline-based care. However, EHRs often do not encode therapy protocols directly, and instead only catalog the individual drug agents patients receive. In this paper, we present an automated approach for protocol identification using EHR data. We introduce a novel sequence alignment method based on the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm that models variation in treatment gaps. Using data on 178 breast cancer patients that included manually annotated chemotherapy protocols, our method successfully matched 93% of regimens based on the top score and had 98% accuracy using the top two scored regimens. These results indicate that our sequence alignment approach can accurately find chemotherapy plans in patient event logs while measuring temporal variation in treatment administration.
The effects of switching noise on an oversampling A/D converter

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the effects of switching noise in a high-resolution oversampling /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator. An experimental test circuit emulates the embedding of such a modulator in the same substrate as a large amount of active digital circuitry. The modulator is a third-order cascade comprising a second-order /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ stage followed by a first-order stage, both employing 1 b quantisation. A 1 /spl mu/m CMOS implementation of this design provides a dynamic range of more than 100 dB at digital audio bandwidths.
Adding Subjective Fuel to the Vague-Standard Fire: A Proposal for Congressional Intervention after Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. V. White

The anti-retaliation provision of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees who report perceived workplace discrimination or who otherwise participate in the investigative or enforcement process of alleged Title VII discrimination. The statute provides little guidance, however, as to the scope of this protection. Thus, disagreement abounded among the lower federal courts, not only as to whether the anti-retaliation provision prohibited employer acts outside the workplace as well as within, but also as to the level of severity to which an alleged retaliatory act must rise in order to support a claim. The Supreme Court sought to resolve this disagreement in June 2006 when it decided Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White, but its decision fails to supply a clear, judicially administrable standard by which employers can readily abide. Instead, by focusing its inquiry into the statute's language and underlying purposes too narrowly, the Court's decision is plagued by a vague standard with a highly subjective component that insulates employees who engage in protected activity from even the slightest workplace changes. This vague and subjective standard not only lacks sufficient support in the statute but also directly contravenes Title VII's policies of workplace equality, employer forethought, and management prerogative. Moreover, courts will likely struggle to administer this standard with any substantial degree of consistency, and well-meaning employers will find compliance extremely difficult as a result. This Article therefore proposes that Congress intervene to correct the problems that the Court's decision in White creates. Specifically, this Article suggests that Congress amend the anti-retaliation provision so that its language more closely mirrors that found in the statute's core substantive provision, and the better-developed standards thereunder may control discrimination and retaliation claims alike.
Polymer Filtration Membranes

Polymer filtration membranes have been a focus of research since the late eighteenth century and became a thriving industry in the twentieth century. Today, membranes are used in commercial applications spanning from drinking water purification to gas separations, with a market that is expected to grow to more than $10 billion by 2010. This article describes the materials and morphologies commonly found in today's commercial membranes, along with their methods of manufacture. Membranes classified according to retentate size as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, or reverse osmosis are introduced, along with ion exchange and gas separation membranes. The primary mechanisms by which these different membranes achieve separation during filtration are described, as well as example applications. Permeability, molecular weight cutoff, and rejection/retention are introduced as metrics for membrane performance comparisons. Membrane fouling is discussed as a chief obstacle to the more widespread use of membranes in wastewater treatment and other applications involving high concentrations of organics in the feed stream. Mechanisms of membrane fouling are described along with approaches commonly employed to limit fouling, including membrane surface modification, process optimization, and pretreatment of the feed. The future outlook of the polymer filtration membrane industry is touched upon in the context of increasing demand for fresh water and continuing improvements in membrane performance anticipated by research advances. Keywords: membrane; filtration; ultrafiltration; nanofiltration; microfiltration; reverse osmosis; gas separation; polymer; fouling; electrodialysis
Attachment and perfection of security interests under Revised Article 9: A "Nuts and Bolts" primer

This article covers the scope of revised Article 9, attachment, choice of law for perfection, effect of perfection, priority, perfection by filing, perfection outside Article 9 for goods covered by certificates of title, perfection by possession, perfection by control and automatic perfection.
Treatment of ovarian stromal tumors.

Abstract Fifty-one patients with granulosa-cell tumors and nine patients with Sertoli-Leydig—cell tumors have been treated at the M. D. Anderson Hospital. The most important prognostic finding was the stage of the tumor when first seen. Conservative surgery was utilized in young patients with lesions confined to one ovary. More advanced tumors were treated with maximal tumor resection and postoperative treatment with either irradiation or chemotherapy. Postoperative radiation was given when the tumor capsule had ruptured or residual tumor less than 2 cm. in diameter was present after surgery. Single-agent chemotherapy was ineffective in ovarian stromal tumors, but combination chemotherapy was found to be effective in advanced or recurrent stromal tumors. Actinomycin-D, 5-fluorouracil, and cyclophosphamide were effective in granulosa-cell tumors. Vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide were effective in Sertoli-Leydig—cell tumors.
EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF ON-TASK IN A BOX AS A CLASS-WIDE INTERVENTION

The present study evaluated the effects of the On-Task in a Box intervention on student on-task behavior when used as a class-wide intervention. The intervention package includes self-monitoring, video modeling, and reinforcement contingency components. A multiple baseline design across three elementary classrooms was used to determine the effects of the intervention on student behavior. Results indicated immediate increases in on-task behavior in all classrooms. Calculation of nonoverlap of all pairs’ effect sizes indicated strong intervention and maintenance effects on on-task behavior of students in all classrooms. Social validity data were also collected, which indicated adequate validity of the intervention. Results of the study suggest that the intervention package may be effective for improving class-wide levels of on-task behavior.
Eigenvalues of Almost Skew Symmetric Matrices and Tournament Matrices

A real square matrix C is called almost skew symmetric if C = S + A where S is a rank one real symmetric matrix and A is a real skew symmetric matrix. We shall show that the real eigenvalues of almost skew symmetric matrices satisfy remarkable inequalities. We shall apply these and other inequalities to estimate the spectral radii of the tournament matrices.
Applications of expert systems to network control

Applications of expert systems within the design, testing, and operation of communication networks are discussed. The amenability of expert systems to support network monitoring, fault isolation, and system adaptation in degraded modes of operation is evaluated. Specific problems encountered in making network-wide control decisions, with only local or sector system status information that may be corrupted (including knowledge distorted by the presence of ambiguity, uncertainty, and incorrect or conflicting situation data) are presented. Examples of the design and operation of communication networks that use expert systems to support the network control function are discussed in case studies of three expert system projects under development and testing: EXACT (expert-system autonomous-control testbed), COMDAT (communications decision-aid tests), and FIESTA (fault-isolation expert system for TDRSS applications). >
Familial, Cultural and Psychosocial Influences of Use of Effective Methods of Contraception among Mexican-American Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract Study Objective To compare culturally relevant factors associated with ever having used an effective method of contraception among a cohort of predominantly Mexican American females. Design Face to face interviews were conducted in either English or Spanish. The survey used was developed directly for this study based on qualitative research with this population as well as the existing literature. Women were grouped as either adolescents (ages 13–20) or young adults (ages 21–25) for study purposes. Setting Two community-based outpatient clinics on Chicago’s West Side. Participants Non-pregnant Latina females between 13–25 years of age. Main Outcome Measures Comparison of familial, cultural and psychosocial factors associated with use of effective contraception using bivariate and multivariable analyses. Results Final analysis included 267 participants. Multivariable models yielded three factors found to be statistically significant predictors of effective contraception use, but only one was significant for both age groups. Number of children was a strong predictor of effective contraceptive use among both Latina adolescents and young adults (P Conclusions Findings demonstrate the need to tailor messages to Latina adolescent and young adults to reduce unintended pregnancy. Interventions to improve effective contraceptive use among Latina adolescents should promote effective forms of contraception in conjunction with communication with their partners about birth control. In contrast, efforts to address unintended pregnancy among Latina young adults should be sensitive to degree of acculturation.
Hydraulic Connection Between Lake Michigan and a Shallow Ground-Water Aquifera

Pumping from a dolomite aquifer adjacent to Lake Michigan has reversed the natural hydraulic gradient so that lake water has been induced to flow into the aquifer. Because lake water is muchlower in dissolved solids than the ambient ground water, the induced recharge is traceable as adistinct plume of high-quality water over a mile long. The configuration of the plume allows interpretation of the hydraulic connection between the lake and the aquifer. Most of the induced recharge enters the aquifer through the lake bed at locations where the most permeable parts ofthe aquifer are overlain by relatively thin lake-bed sediments which, in turn, are at least partly sand and gravel. It continues inland along zones of high hydraulic conductivity.
Bioinspired Polymeric Nanocomposites for Regenerative Medicine

The design and fabrication of bioinspired nanomaterials for tissue-engineering applications requires a fundamental understanding of the interactions between polymers, nanostructures, and cells. Most biomimetic polymeric nanocomposites consist of two or more types of polymers or of polymers combined with different nanomaterials to obtain composite structures with desired properties. In this Talents & Trends article, the focus is on bioinspired poly meric nanocomposites surrounding three major strategies. Firstly, biomimetic structures composed of a fi brous architecture are discussed. Secondly, the emerging trends in designing complex nanocomposites with multiple functionalities are assessed. Finally, some of the most critical challenges that come with the design and fabrication are highlighted in bioprinting. Finally, the emerging trends in the fi eld of bioinspired polymeric nanocomposites are highlighted.