cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COSTES: Continuous spreadsheet-like computations

AutoID technology has been extensively used for a diversity of applications ranging from access control systems to airport baggage handling, livestock management systems, automated toll collection, theft-prevention, and automated production systems. Being able to efficiently perform complex real-time analysis on top of streams of RFID events is a key challenge. This will provide management with a novel data analysis mechanism to allow better, tactical, on time, well-informed decision-making. Challenges involve both syntactic and evaluation issues. In this paper we propose a set of linguistic requirements for RFID data management (RFDM) queries and describe an SQL-like construct to address these. We argue that a large and useful class of (potentially complex) RFDM queries can be easily expressed and efficiently evaluated using this formality: start from a relational expression and successively extend it with columns representing aggregates over dynamically updated ordered sets. This incremental construction of a query is similar to formula definitions in spreadsheets. We present a fully functional prototype called COSTES (continuous spreadsheet-like computations) implementing spreadsheet-like queries and discuss its architecture and performance. We describe our system in the context of a supply chain management application.
A model of vegetated exterior facades for evaluation of wall thermal performance

Abstract A mathematical model of an exterior wall covered with climbing vegetation has been developed to evaluate the thermal effects of plants on heat transfer through building facades. This model allows for analysis of how various plant physiological parameters such as leaf area index, average leaf dimension, and leaf absorptivity can improve facade thermal performance by reducing the exterior wall surface temperatures and heat flux through the facade. The model has been verified with a set of experiments that measured both bare and vegetated facade thermal performance of an educational building in Chicago, IL, during the summer. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to elucidate the relative impacts of plant characteristics, weather conditions, climate zones, wall assembly types, and facade orientation on vegetated facade thermal performance. Overall, results herein show that a plant layer added to the facade can improve its effective thermal resistance by 0.0–0.7 m 2 K/W, depending on a range of inputs for wall parameters, climate zones, and plant characteristics (particularly leaf area index). These improvements are especially pronounced in predominantly warm climates with high solar radiation and, to a lesser extent, low wind speeds. The model developed herein can ultimately be used both to access facade thermal improvements in existing buildings retrofitted with green walls and to design green walls for optimal energy efficiency in new construction.
On Edwards' model for long polymer chains

An existence theorem is proved for a probability measure on continuous paths in space, proposed by Edwards as a stochastic model for the geometric properties of long polymer chains.
Comparison of the debridement efficacy of the EndoVac irrigation system and conventional needle root canal irrigation in vivo.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the debridement efficacy of EndoVac irrigation versus conventional needle irrigation in vivo. Methods: Seven adult patients with a total of 22 matched pairs of single-canaled vital teeth with fully formedapiceswererecruited.Canalswereinstrumented to a master apicalfile size #40/.04 taper. One tooth from each matched pair was irrigated by using the EndoVac system. The other tooth was irrigated by conventional needle irrigation. Five additional teeth were used as positive controls. A #10 K-file was inserted into the control canals to determine working length (WL), with no other instrumentation or irrigation performed to confirm the presence of debris. The teeth were extracted, fixed, and decalcified. Six histologic slides each 6 mm thick were made from sections at 1 and 3 mm from WL and stained. The slide with the most debris was photographed at each level for each tooth. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the percentage of debris remaining in the canals between the 2 irrigation techniques. Results: The median amount of debris remaining at 1 mm was 0.05% for the EndoVac group and 0.12% for the conventional irrigation group (P . 05).Conclusions: EndoVac irrigation resulted in significantly less debris at 1 mm from WL compared with conventional needle irrigation. There was no significant difference at the 3-mm level. (J Endod 2010;36:1782‐1785)
Strategy for active power sharing in a fuel-cell-powered charging station for advanced technology batteries

This paper presents a novel real-time strategy for active power sharing in a fuel-cell-powered charging station for advanced technology batteries. This control scheme can adjust the charging currents according to the estimated state-of-charge which is obtained by estimating the battery open-circuit voltage with current correction and linearly fitting between the open-circuit voltage and the state-of-charge. Both DC and pulse current charging strategies are investigated to coordinate the active power distribution among batteries. The DC charging controller is designed and implemented in MATLAB/Simulink for both system simulation and experimental tests. Simulation and experimental results are also given.
Early results of the Ponseti method for the treatment of clubfoot associated with myelomeningocele.

Background: Myelomeningocele is a common birth defect that is often accompanied by clubfoot deformity. Treatment of clubfoot associated with myelomeningocele traditionally has consisted of extensive soft-tissue release operations, which are associated with many complications. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the early results of the Ponseti method for the treatment of clubfoot associated with myelomeningocele. Methods: Sixteen consecutive patients with myelomeningocele (twenty-eight clubfeet) and twenty consecutive patients with idiopathic clubfeet (thirty-five clubfeet) were followed prospectively while being managed with the Ponseti method. The average duration of follow-up was thirty-four months for the myelomeningocele group and thirty-seven months for the idiopathic group. Clubfoot severity was graded at the time of presentation with use of the Dimeglio system. The initial correction that was achieved, casting and/or bracing difficulties, recurrences, and subsequent treatments were evaluated and compared between the two cohorts by means of appropriate statistical analysis. Results: Eleven (39%) of the twenty-eight clubfeet in the myelomeningocele group were graded as Dimeglio grade IV, compared with only four (11%) of the thirty-five clubfeet in the idiopathic group (p = 0.014). Initial correction was achieved in thirty-five clubfeet (100%) in the idiopathic group and in twenty-seven clubfeet (96.4%) in the myelomeningocele group (p = 0.16). Relapse of deformity was detected in 68% of the feet in the myelomeningocele group, compared with 26% of the feet in the idiopathic group (p = 0.001). Relapses were treated successfully without the need for extensive soft-tissue release surgery for all but four of the clubfeet in the myelomeningocele group and for all but one of the clubfeet in the idiopathic group (p = 0.16). Conclusions: Our data support the use of the Ponseti method for the initial treatment of clubfoot deformity associated with myelomeningocele, although attention to detail is crucial in order to avoid complications. Longer follow-up will be necessary to assess the risk of late recurrence and the potential need for more extensive clubfoot corrective surgery in this patient population. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
CRANIODENTAL FUNCTIONAL MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF DERMOPTERANS

Craniodental form and function were evaluated in the 2 extant, parapatric species of dermopterans (Dermoptera: Cynocephalidae). The level of morphological distinction between the 2 taxa was such that were they known as fossils; most taxonomists would not contest their genus-level distinction as indicative of adaptive differentiation. In fact, these taxa exemplify the widely employed but implicit morphological distance-based standards used for delineating mammalian genera in the paleontological literature. Appropriate names for these 2 taxa are Cynocephalus volans for the Philippine flying lemur and Galeopterus variegatus for the heterogeneous populations of the Sundaic flying lemurs. Cynocephalus probably has a hypertrophied version of the ancestral cynocephalid molar complex and modified incisor and canine morphology. The hypertrophied metaconules of cynocephalids occlude with an expanded paracristid and a cusplike shelf, the distocuspid. Cynocephalus also has a broader rostrum, a greater degree of postorbital constriction, and enhanced ectocranial ridges associated with a more robust masticatory musculature than Galeopterus. Cynocephalus appears adapted to a diet that requires a greater degree of shearing by the anterior dentition and crushing by the molariform dentition. These anterior shearing teeth (I3, C1, P3, c1, p3) are larger and more bladelike than those of Galeopterus, and the bite force is more anteriorly directed. Angle of the mandible is ventrally expanded in Cynocephalus, facilitating enhanced chewing force for the postcanine dentition while maintaining orientation of the temporalis muscle. Dwarfed forms of Galeopterus are found on many of the smaller islands of the Sunda Shelf and in central Laos. They are not morphologically distinguishable from larger members of this species, other than in size, and do not warrant specific distinction. However, it may be desirable to designate 4 subspecies of G. variegatus: G. v. variegatus from Java, G. v. temminckii from Sumatra, G. v. borneanus from Borneo, and G. v. peninsulae from the Malay Peninsula and mainland Southeast Asia. Separate species rank for each of the dwarfed populations should not be recognized. Phylogenetic relationships of Dermoptera are discussed in light of the morphological differences of the 2 genera.
Detecting Area Sensitivity: A Comment on Previous Studies

Abstract Several studies have reported that some grassland birds are area sensitive; they exhibit a nonrandom avoidance of small fields. The methods used to test for area sensitivity, however, differed among studies. Some investigators sampled fields with sampling effort proportional to field size, whereas others used equal sampling effort in all fields. We created a simulation model with the same number of fields and field sizes as those examined in earlier studies to determine if birds that select habitat randomly would display area sensitivity if fields were sampled in proportion to their size. The three species that we modeled to settle randomly, upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) and eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), had positive relationships between occurrence and field size when a complete census or proportional sampling was used, and therefore, would have been considered area sensitive by the methods used by some previous authors. When equal-effo...
Social Skills in Children Adopted from Socially-Emotionally Depriving Institutions.

ABSTRACTThis study assessed social skills in post-institutionalized (PI) children with respect to age at adoption, age at assessment, and gender. Parent ratings of social skills (Social Skills Rating System) and behavior problems (Child Behavior Checklist) were obtained for 214 children and 127 adolescents who were adopted from socially-emotionally depriving Russian institutions. Results showed that children adopted before 18 months of age have better social skills than those adopted after this age; those assessed in childhood demonstrate better social skills than those assessed in adolescence. PI females, especially later-adopted adolescents, have particularly poor social skills. Children with poor social skills tend to have higher rates of behavior problems.
Assertion and Isolated Second-Hand Knowledge

A debate has emerged whether assertions based on testimony are warrantedly assertible when they’re epistemically grounded in what Jennifer Lackey (2011) calls isolated second-hand knowledge (ISHK).1 Over-simplifying for the moment, Lackey argues that when the epistemic support for a speaker’s assertion is merely grounded in ISHK, even though the speaker knows what she asserts, the epistemic support is insufficient to warrant the assertion. She takes this as evidence against the view that knowledge-is-sufficient epistemic support for proper assertion. This is a problem for a wide variety of assertoric norms, possibly including SRN. Carter and Gordon (2011) take Lackey’s argument to suggest that the “quantity” view of assertion — that the central issue involved in understanding norms of assertion involves articulating the required quantity of epistemic support, whether it’s truth, justification, knowledge, or certainty — is mistaken. Instead, what’s required is a norm (or norms) sensitive to the requirements of the quality of a speaker’s epistemic support for her assertion.2
Relationship of body composition of mature ewes with condition score and body weight.

Fourteen mature, ovariectomized, western-range ewes with an initial mean BW of 72 +/- 4.5 kg and mean condition score (CS) of 7.5 +/- .3 were used to evaluate the relationship between CS and body composition. Diets of chopped straw and alfalfa hay were formulated to provide either maintenance energy or less than maintenance energy (100 or 60% of ME) to induce changes in BW and CS. After 180 d, ewes were weighted, scored for body condition, and slaughtered. All carcass components, viscera, and organs were analyzed for lipid, DM, and ash, and protein was determined by difference. Body weight and CS values were related by regression analysis to percentage of composition and weights of carcass components, carcass, and empty body. Body weight and CS were highly correlated (r = .89) and analysis indicated that each increase in CS resulted in an increase of 5.1 kg of BW. Condition score accounted for more variation of percentage of lipid in the empty body (R2 = .95) and carcass (R2 = .90) than did BW (R2 = .84 and .80, respectively). In contrast, BW accounted for more of the variation in carcass weight (R2 = .97) and empty BW (R2 = .99). Inclusion of both BW and CS in regression models did not increase the variation accounted for with the single best predictor. With mature western-range ewes in this study, CS was highly related to carcass lipids and could be used to describe energy reserves available to ewes.
The Critical Roles of Immune Cells in Acute Brain Injuries

Acute brain injuries elicit prompt and robust immune responses characterized by the activation of local glial cells and mobilization of peripheral leukocytes. The activation of immune cells originally aims to clear the brain of cellular debris and promote brain repair; however, the immune system can also propel and propagate neuronal cell death when overactivated. Understanding the function of each type of immune cells in the acute brain injuries and their mechanisms of action promises to unveil effective immunomodulatory therapies that beneficially regulate post-injury immune responses. In this chapter, we discuss in detail how immune cells are recruited and/or activated in the injured brain and how they contribute to the evolvement of brain damage.
SDS-PAGE for 35 S Immunoprecipitation and Immunoprecipitation Western Blotting

This report discusses recent methods of sample preparation and gel electrophoresis for (35)S immunoprecipitation (IP) and IP western blotting. In both methods, IP is used to obtain purified proteins, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is used to separate the proteins on a gel. In (35)S IP, the proteins are radiolabeled and visualized on film by fluorography; in IP blotting, proteins are transferred onto nitrocellulose paper, and antibodies are used to detect specific proteins. A similar IP and SDS-PAGE method can be used for both procedures, but IP blotting has the potential advantages of improvement in sensitivity for low-abundance proteins and enhanced specificity for identification of proteins from a mixture. Some of the technical adaptations discussed here to facilitate IP blotting and avoid loss of beads or purified proteins may also be useful for (35)S IP.
General Systems of Differential Equations

In this chapter, we develop a theory for a system of differential equations that will be used to study models with many species.
Thaumascan: Design Considerations and Performance Characteristics

Thaumascan is an acronym for a two-dimensional, high resolution, actual time, ultrasound, multi-element, array scanner. This system substantially reduces or overcomes such limitations as low data acquisition rates, low lateral resolution and problems associated with the large dynamic range of echo information typical of most currently available imaging systems.
Adrian Peterson and the “Wussification of America”: Football and Myths of Masculinity

Twitter has become a unique site for making sense of public discussions about authority and morality in the United States. This article addresses these discussions by analyzing the elements of conservative discourse that claim the health of the nation is in decline because of a diminished emphasis on masculine leadership. There is a long tradition of conservative politicians in the United States warning against “soft” or “weak” figures of authority. Such conversations take place within a range of contexts, including the sport of football. As a means to engage hegemonic masculine authority from a critical perspective, this article investigates Twitter users’ various reactions to Adrian Peterson’s suspension due to his disciplining his child with a “switch.”
“To be a Good Animal”: Toward a Queer-Posthumanist Reading of Reflections in a Golden Eye

This chapter examines Carson McCullers’ Reflections in a Golden Eye in light of the relatively recent “animal turn” in literary criticism. Focusing on the horse Firebird, it analyzes McCullers’ engagement with the discourse of speciesism and its intersections with other topics—gender, race, and sexuality—that have been prominent areas of focus in critiques of McCullers’ work. Additionally, it draws from Foucault’s analytics of power to illuminate ways that McCullers both subverts the discourse of speciesism and queers the human/nonhuman binary through a focus on corporeality and biopower. The author identifies aspects of the text that may be considered posthumanist, along with the ethical considerations for both human and nonhuman subjects that necessarily follow from such a reading.
The dielectric properties of leaves, sticks, and dirt at radio and microwave frequencies

This paper presents data on the dielectric properties of living plant material and clay soil. Measurements were made on a variety of specimens at 23°C and over a frequency range from 105 Hz to 4.2 × 109 Hz. These data supplement a variety of studies1 of the effect of trees and earth on electromagnetic radiation.
Trust toward a group of strangers as a function of stereotype-based social identification

Abstract Individuals often have to decide whether to trust others at zero or little acquaintance. In this instance, individuals rely on social stereotypes as a guide to their trust decisions. Yet little is known regarding how social cues lead to trust. The present research examines the stereotype-based social identification mechanism through which the facial trustworthiness of a group of strangers determines an individual's trust toward the group. Two experimental studies showed that group warmth (rather than competence or dominance) stereotypes and subsequent self-group merging (inclusion of the group in the self-representation) fully mediated the effect of group facial trustworthiness on trust toward the group at zero acquaintance, whether the level of trust was linked with pecuniary rewards or not. The current findings contribute to the emerging literature on trust at zero or little acquaintance.
Integrating Historic Agronomic and Policy Lessons with New Technologies to Drive Farmer Decisions for Farm and Climate: The Case of Inland Pacific Northwestern U.S.

Climate-friendly best management practices for mitigating and adapting to climate change (cfBMPs) include changes in crop rotation, soil management and resource use. Determined largely by precipitation gradients, specific agroecological systems in the inland Pacific Northwestern U.S. (iPNW) feature different practices across the region. Historically, these farming systems have been economically productive, but at the cost of high soil erosion rates and organic matter depletion, making them win-lose situations. Agronomic, sociological, political and economic drivers all influence cropping system innovations. Integrated, holistic conservation systems also need to be identified to address climate change by integrating cfBMPs that provide win-win benefits for farmer and environment. We conclude that systems featuring short-term improvements in farm economics, market diversification, resource efficiency and soil health will be most readily adopted by farmers, thereby simultaneously addressing longer term challenges including climate change. Specific ‘win-win scenarios’ are designed for different iPNW production zones delineated by water availability. The cfBMPs include reduced tillage and residue management, organic carbon (C) recycling, precision nitrogen (N) management and crop rotation diversification and intensification. Current plant breeding technologies have provided new cultivars of canola and pea that can diversify system agronomics and markets. These agronomic improvements require associated shifts in prescriptive, precision N and weed management. The integrated cfBMP systems we describe have the potential for reducing system-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by increasing soil C storage, N use efficiency (NUE) and by production of biofuels. Novel systems, even if they are economically competitive, can come with increased financial risk to producers, necessitating government support (e.g., subsidized crop insurance) to promote adoption. Other conservation- and climate change-targeted farm policies can also improve adoption. Ultimately, farmers must meet their economic and legacy goals to assure longer-term adoption of mature cfBMP for iPNW production systems.
Machine-Stitched E-Textile Stretch Sensors

Wearable, garment-integrated sensing is a distinct challenge for many reasons. Significant among these reasons is the challenge of fabricating sensors that are unobtrusive and comfortable for longterm daily wear. Here, we present a novel method for fabricating e-textile stretch sensors using industrial sewing machinery. The resulting sensors are perceptually similar to existing stitches used in garment fabrication, offering improvements in comfort and ease of manufacture compared to other types of sensors.
Identifying an impaired physician.

Physicians who suspect a colleague might have a substance use disorder can intervene in various ways in order to help facilitate recovery. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Comments on Cole et al. (1992). III. On the stratigraphy of the Roccamonfina volcano

Esistono significative discrepanze tra la stratigrafia del vulcano di Roccamonfina quale risulta da Coleet al. (1992) e dagli studi dello scrivente. Nel settore settentrionale del vulcano, tra il «Tufo di Galluccio» ed il «Tufo di Campagnola» si verificarono almeno tre eventi eruttivi separati da altrettanti paleosuoli, e non «***eno un evento eruttivo» (i.e. il «Tufo di Saraceni»). Inoltre, le pomici di ricaduta delia «Unita di Cave» non possono essere correlate, per ragioni cronologiche, con gli orizzonti di pomici giganti presenti nella caldera principale del vulcano. Ancora, le «vulcanoclastiti» aifioranti lungo le valli del settore settentrionale del vulcano rappresentano una sequenza piroclastica di deposizione prevalentemente primaria. Peraltro, es-se non possono derivare da rimaneggiamento dei prodotti di lancio del Colle Friello in quanto sono di natu-ra trachibasaltico-trachiandesitica, laddove Friello e un aicalibasalto olivinico. Infine, il termine costituito da «pomici e scorie basaltiche» di Conca consiste in realta di pomici trachitiche frammiste ad abbondanti litici. Esso e stratigraficamente associato ai «prodotti di ricaduta e surge», e la formazione e piu recente delia «Ignimbrite di Conca». Nella caldera principale, il «Membro di Fontanafredda» ehe e una trachiandesite ad olivina normativa, non costituisce un termine recente delia sequenza stratigrafica de7elia caldera, ma ne rappresenta uno dei prodotti piu antichi. Detta roccia ed il «Membro Superiore di Garofali», ehe e di natura trachitica, non hanno alcun rapporto genetico con il duomo lavico quarzo-trachiandesitico di Santa Croce per ragioni cronologiche e composizionali.
Abstract 3441: Differential endothelialization of stent struts across side branches: A Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis.

Background: The higher incidence of MACE events in paclitaxel eluting stents (PES) has been attributed to the presence of coronary artery side branches (SB) within stented segments. This study aimed to evaluate PES struts overlying SB in a porcine model of coronary restenosis. Methods: In a balloon overstretch model of coronary restenosis (balloon:artery ratio =1.2:1), 20 animals were randomized to either PES or bare metal stents (BMS). After 30 days, 22 stented segments were analyzed by Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and endothelialization was assessed using a score (0=100% endothelialization; 1=99 – 67%; 2=66 –34%; 3=33–1%; 4=0%). Comparison of the distribution of endothelialization scores for struts overlying and non-overlying SB was performed within each group by the Fisher exact test. Results: A total of 18 struts overlying SB (10 PES and 8 BMS) sized from 200 to 1800μ m, were identified by SEM. In the BMS group, complete endothelialization was observed in 62.5% of SB struts and 100% of non-overlying SB struts. In PES only 20% of SB struts, but almost 100% of the non-overlying SB struts were completely endothelialized. The endothelialization of struts overlying SB was significantly different in PES and BMS groups(Fig 1A and Fig 1B), with a higher frequency of impaired endothelialization (scores 3 and 4) in PES struts crossing SB. Conclusions: PES struts overlying SB showed significantly impaired endothelialization compared with BMS in a pig model of coronary restenosis. This results might offer a new insight to explain the higher incidence of adverse events in PES stented segments. Further studies are needed to confirm the present study results.
The Voices of Across Ages

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is perhaps one of the most prominent mentoring stories in literature. Jim is a surrogate father to Huck as they travel the Mississippi. They form a bond that is mutually supportive and protective. Jim is running from slavery and Huck is escaping from his abusive father and from a civilization that is unappreciative of his spirit. Jim is loving, nurturing, and respectful toward Huck.
A rare case of suicidal ideation related to Adalimumab use.

Introduction Patients undergoing treatment with an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agent can, as an adverse event, develop anti-TNF-α-induced lupus (ATIL). Neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression and suicidal ideations are not commonly seen in patients who develop ATIL. We describe a case of a 56-year-old female who developed ATIL and suicidal ideations while on Adalimumab. Case presentation A 56-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and no known prior history of systemic lupus erythematosus or depression presented with suicidal ideations, joint pains and a malar rash after a recent change in her Adalimumab dose. She was treated for an acute ATIL episode based on her symptoms and serologies which were positive for anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibody. An inpatient psychiatric consultation determined that the patient's suicidal ideations may be an associated symptom of her current ATIL episode or possibly secondary to her chronic pain and debilitation from her RA. The patient's Adalimumab was discontinued and she was treated with a course of intravenous glucocorticoid. The patient's suicidal ideations resolved and her anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibody serologies became negative. She was subsequently started on Abatacept and has achieved remission of her RA with no further suicidal ideations. Discussion The development of ATIL in patients undergoing treatment with an anti-TNF-α agent is a rare occurrence. The aim of reporting our case is to increase understanding of ATIL by highlighting the occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a patient who developed ATIL.
Many-Body Effects Determine the Local Hydration Structure of Cs + in Solution

A systematic analysis of the hydration structure of Cs+ ions in solution is derived from simulations carried out using a series of molecular models built upon a hierarchy of approximate representations of many-body effects in ion–water interactions. It is found that a pairwise-additive model, commonly used in biomolecular simulations, provides poor agreement with experimental X-ray spectra, indicating an incorrect description of the underlying hydration structure. Although the agreement with experiment improves in simulations with a polarizable model, the predicted hydration structure is found to lack the correct sequence of water shells. Progressive inclusion of explicit many-body effects in the representation of Cs+–water interactions as well as accounting for nuclear quantum effects is shown to be necessary for quantitatively reproducing the experimental X-ray spectra. Besides emphasizing the importance of many-body effects, these results suggest that molecular models rigorously derived from many-body ...
A Formal Approach to Connectibility Affordances

Connectibility affordances, or opportunities for a user to establish input/output cable connections, can be critical to the safety and usability of complex systems. To support model-based analyses, this research introduces a formal approach: Connectibility Affordance VErification, Modeling, and ENumeration (CAVEMEN). CAVEMEN is applicable to a human-environment system encompassing physical entities with specified properties, a user with specified motor abilities, and connectibility affordance instances involving different combinations of source-target connections. The modeling technique leverages object-oriented principles to define one instance of a connectibility affordance with respect to one unique combination of connection sources and targets. An inspection technique supports the enumeration of connectibility affordance instances that are desired (supporting a correct connection) and undesired (supporting an incorrect connection). A model checking technique aids in verifying accuracy, meaning the user can actualize desired affordance instances, and robustness, meaning undesired affordance instances never emerge. An XML-based grammar, a model checking syntax translation tool, and a linear temporal logic specification of accuracy and robustness support the analyses. We demonstrate CAVEMEN with a pacemaker system case study. The inspection aids in identifying nine desired and 18 undesired instances of chamber-port connectibility. The trace evaluation shows that accuracy and robustness depends on whether an entity property of interest can change in the environmental context. These results indicate that CAVEMEN shows promise for analyzing connectibility affordances of a safety-critical system.
A Pilot Study of Cognition in Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (S14.008)

Objective: To determine relationships between polysomnographic and clinical sleep measures and performance on cognitive testing in Veterans with mild/moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Background: Patients with TBI are at high risk for the development of sleep disorders, particularly OSA. The combination of TBI and untreated OSA may compound consequences of both, such as cognitive dysfunction, which can greatly impact all areas of functioning and quality of life. Design/Methods: This prospective pilot study examined 19 Veterans diagnosed with TBI and OSA. The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs definition of TBI was used. Pearson correlations were calculated between variables. Results: The Hypopnea Index was associated with the Stroop Interference score (r=−.473, p=0.041), which measures executive function and response inhibition. The number of blast injuries were inversely related to sleep efficiency (r=−.621, p=0.005), total sleep time in NREM (r=−.651, p=0.003) and performance on Trial 6of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (r=−.590, p=0.008), which evaluates immediate memory. The Detectability score, which assesses in attention, on the Conners Continuous Performance Test III was correlated with reductions in REM sleep (r=−.462, p=0.046). Higher scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale predicted performance on components of Digit Span (r=−.466, p=0.044), a subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition that measures attention and working memory. Conclusions: In our prospective pilot study of Veterans with TBI and OSA, sleep-disordered breathing and sleep disturbances were significantly associated with inferior performance on cognitive measures of executive function and attention respectively. Increased exposure to blasts also had a significant correlation with sleep architecture changes and diminished memory. Treatment of OSA in Veterans with TBI could offer new opportunities to improve cognitive function and positively impact rehabilitation potential for these patients. Disclosure: Dr. Kataria has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sundararajan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Skalina has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Balish has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chapman has nothing to disclose.
Modeling and Analysis of Application Interference on Dragonfly

Dragonfly class of networks are considered as promising interconnects for next-generation supercomputers. While Dragonfly+ networks offer more path diversity than the original Dragonfly design, they are still prone to performance variability due to their hierarchical architecture and resource sharing design. Event-driven network simulators are indispensable tools for navigating complex system design. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate a variety of application communication interactions on a 3,456-node Dragonfly+ system by using the CODES toolkit. This study looks at the impact of communication interference from a user's perspective. Specifically, for a given application submitted by a user, we examine how this application will behave with the existing workload running in the system under different job placement policies. Our simulation study considers hundreds of experiment configurations including four target applications with representative communication patterns under a variety of network traffic conditions. Our study shows that intra-job interference can cause severe performance degradation for communication-intensive applications. Inter-job interference can generally be reduced for applications with one-to-one or one-to-many communication patterns through job isolation. Application with one-to-all communication pattern is resilient to network interference.
Enabling access to household refrigeration services through cost reductions from energy efficiency improvements

Refrigerators are widely used by consumers with access to the electricity grid but rarely used in off-grid settings where households rely on a limited supply of electricity such as that by a stand-alone solar home system, because refrigerators’ power consumption requires a solar system size that is unaffordable for most consumers. Reducing the power consumption of refrigerators by improving their efficiency is one solution to this issue. In this paper, we assess the technical potential and costs of using commercially available technology to reduce the energy consumption of small (50- and 100-L) refrigerators. Our analysis shows that refrigerator electricity consumption can be reduced by about 50% and 70% using commercially available energy-efficient components at an incremental cost of about $45–$60 and $100–$120 per unit, respectively. Further, we find that highly efficient small refrigerators can be potentially available less than $300 if they sold at scale unlike much higher prices seen in the market today. We also find that the total annualized cost of an off-grid solar home system (including the cost of the refrigerator) can be decreased by about 50% if the most efficient refrigerator we analyzed is used, compared with the same energy system with a standard refrigerator because the additional cost of the efficient refrigerator is significantly lower than the cost savings due to smaller capacity requirements for panels and batteries. We recommend that policies such as awards, procurement, and standards be considered to facilitate the adoption of energy-efficient refrigerators in off-grid and microgrid settings.
Satellite-Derived Tropical Cyclone Structure and Intensity

Abstract : Develop accurate automated satellite-based techniques to estimate TC location, inner core characteristics, size, intensity and intensity changes under all conditions (e.g., 24 hr/day, any global location, and strengths ranging from tropical depression to Category 5). Create demonstration products that enable the TC community to more accurately assess a storm s location, track and intensity via the exploitation of multiple satellites via sensor data fusion.
Parenting experiences of fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder with or without intellectual disability.

Background Fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report more challenges than fathers of typically developing children, which also negatively impacts their psychological well-being. Although not studied to the same extent in fathers of children with ASD, the challenges experienced by fathers of typically developing children have been shown to impact parenting behaviours. Many children with ASD also have intellectual disability (ID), which adds additional parenting stress. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine perceptions of parenting roles and father-child relationship quality in fathers of children with ASD and ASD/ID. Methods Twenty-eight fathers of children with ASD (n = 12) and ASD/ID (n = 16) completed a telephone interview. A phenomenological approach was used by two investigators to analyse the interviews. Both investigators coded the interviews and then discussed the final themes. Results Five major themes emerged. One theme that emerged was pre-birth expectations, and the remaining themes related to the post-diagnosis period: adjustments, experiences, co-parenting and quality of father-child relationship. Both fathers of a child with ASD and ASD/ID reported on all themes. Conclusions Overall, fathers of children with ASD and ASD/ID reported similarly on the themes that emerged. Future research with more diverse samples is needed to continue to understand the fatherhood experience. The findings of this study have implications for the development of parent-focused programmes that are tailored to fathers' unique experiences.
Tidal effects on marsh habitat use by three fishes in the San Francisco Estuary

Little is known about the ecological importance of low-order tidal marsh channels to fishes in the San Francisco Estuary, California. We conducted a passive mark-recapture study to compare residency, site fidelity, and movement patterns of fishes in a small intertidal channel (0.1 km2) in a large tidal marsh reserve (4.25 km2). We coupled continuous, high-frequency data on movements of fish tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and abiotic conditions from a PIT-detector and datasonde, respectively. Novel insights were gained by employing TidalTrend, a software program that characterizes tidal time-series data for ecological interpretation. Overall, we found that fishes exhibited different patterns of intertidal habitat use: the resident species, tule perch (Hysterocarpus traski), consistently spent more time per visit, per day, and per season using the intertidal channel, except during the reproductive window in spring; the transient species, Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis), were more opportunistic and exhibited higher individual variation in movement patterns. Generalized additive mixed models indicated that tide height, rate of change in tide height, tidal inequality, time of day, lunar phase, and water temperature better predicted fish detections than other variables, but their effects varied across species. Based on our findings, we posit that time, through tides, allows habitat partitioning among fish species and individuals with different life-history types. Furthermore, functional connectivity between subtidal and intertidal channels in tidal marshes is a feature of the estuarine mosaic that should be integrated into habitat restoration designs in the San Francisco Estuary.
The effect of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) on residential treatment completion and retention in the US.

Abstract Background This study examines whether MOUD increases treatment completion and retention in both short-term (ST) and long-term (LT) residential programs using a national dataset. Methods Data were extracted from the 2015–2017 TEDS-D (Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharge) datasets for opioid using adults in ST (n = 87,296) and LT (n = 66,623) residential treatment. Primary outcome variables were treatment completion and retention (ST: length of stay >10 days; LT: >90 days). Logistic regression estimated the effects of MOUD on the probability of treatment completion and retention separately for ST and LT residential treatment, controlling for individual background characteristics. Results Only 18% of clients in residential treatment programs had MOUD in their treatment plans. For ST residential treatment, MOUD was associated with a 40% increased likelihood of treatment completion (OR = 1.404) and 34% increased retention (OR = 1.337). For LT residential treatment, MOUD was associated with a 26% reduced likelihood of treatment completion (OR = 0.743) and no significant increase in retention. Post hoc analysis suggests insurance coverage may be influencing outcomes. Conclusions Despite MOUD being a standard of care for OUD, MOUD is particularly under-utilized in residential treatment. Further research should focus on how best to integrate MOUD within short-term residential treatment and to explore the potential viability of MOUD in long-term residential programs. Given the risk of overdose following residential treatment, for at least short-term residential programs, this setting may be advantageous for integrating psychosocial treatments with early MOUD engagement in a structured therapeutic environment as part of a long-term continuum of care recovery program.
Advances in human granulocytic anaplasmosis research

Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HCA) is an emerging tick borne infectious disease which is caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. HCA is clinically variable, but most patients develop a moderately severe febrile illness with thrombocytopenia, leukopnia and severe disease can promote organ failure, susceptibility to hemorrhageand opportunistic infections. In recent years, sporadic and clustered cases have markedly increased, and infections are now gradually recognized. The etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestation and antibiotic treatment of human granulocytic anaplasmosis are reviewed in this anticle. Key words: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Etiology; Epidemiology
The Impact of Navigation Grid Overlay on Performance of Camera Assistants during Laparoscopic Abdominal Procedures: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective Camera assistance is important for proper visualization of the operative field in laparoscopic surgery. Navigation grid (NG) has been designed to help the camera assistants focus the camera on the target operative field. This is a randomized, controlled trial to study the effect of the NG on performance of camera assistants. Design Minimally invasive operations were randomized (1:1) to either with or without use of NG for the camera assistant. The operations were recorded and the time spent inside and outside of the target area were reported. Setting A tertiary care teaching hospital. Results Fifty-eight operations (30 with and 28 without NG) were recorded. Sixteen camera assistants participated. Time spent outside the target area was significantly less with the use of NG (64.5 ± 63 seconds vs 396 ± 226.5 seconds; p Conclusions NG improved performance of the camera assistant during laparoscopic abdominal procedures. This is a feasible tool that can help camera holders better assist the operating surgeons.
OP0049 A pooled index to assess severity of osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. performance in a randomised, double blind, multicenter, crossover clinical trial of diclofenac/misoprostol (arthrotec) compared to acetaminophen in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee

Background A pooled index of various measures, such as the disease activity index (DAS) in rheumatoid arthritis, can provide advantages over individual measures to assess disease severity, analyse responses to therapy, and improve statistical power in a clinical trial or observational study. Objectives To apply an index of four measures of severity of osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, the Western Ontario McMaster (WOMAC) scale, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic stage, and number of joints involved among two hips and two knees, in analyses of results of a randomised, controlled clinical trial of diclofenac/misoprostol (Arthrotec, ARTH) compared to acetaminophen (ACET). Methods 227 patients with radiographic stage 2–4 osteoarthritis of the hip or knee received either 6 weeks of ARTH 75 mg twice a day or ACET 1,000 mg four times a day after a washout period, and then the other drug for 6 weeks, in a randomised, double-blind, multicenter, crossover clinical trial. A pooled index to recognise patients who had mild osteoarthritis was developed according to 4 criteria: location in only one knee, Kellgren-Lawrence stage 2, lowest tertile at screening for the WOMAC, and lowest tertile at screening for the pain VAS. The value of the pooled index was 0 (mildest) if 3 or 4 of the indicators applied to a patient; the value was 1 if 2 indicators applied to a patient, 2 if only one indicator applied to a patient, and 3 (most severe) if no indicator applied to a patient. Results Overall, WOMAC pain scores were improved by 7.8 of 100 units (p Conclusion A pooled index of four measures of severity of osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, the WOMAC, pain VAS, Kellgran-Lawrence radiographic stage, and number of joints involved can be applied to analyse results of a clinical trial, and may be useful to stratify patients in clinical trials and clinical care. Reference Goldsmith CH, Smythe HA, Helewa A. Interpretation and power of pooled index. J Rheumatol. 1993;20:575–8