cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A systematic method for tuning the dynamics of electrostatically actuated vibratory gyros

High-performance vibratory gyroscopes require two degenerate modal frequencies for maximizing the rate-induced signals relative to noise produced by signal conditioning electronics. The present paper introduces a systematic approach for tuning these modes in vibratory gyros that employ electrostatic actuation. The key contribution shows how a parametric model, which captures the dependence of the sensor dynamics on the bias electrodes' potentials, can be fit to empirical frequency response data by solving a generalized eigenvalue problem. The models typically have 20 to 30 parameters for which the frequency response data imposes up to several hundred constraints. Subsequent analysis of the identified model enables the direct computation of the bias potentials which yield degenerate modal frequencies. The results are illustrated on a JPL-Boeing MEMS gyro prototype.
Genomic Applications in the Clinical Management of Infectious Diseases

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches to infectious disease diagnosis and monitoring demonstrate significant sensitivity and throughput advantages over conventional sequencing strategies. As NGS technologies become increasingly accessible and affordable, they are likely to become an important component of clinical microbiology testing. Here, we discuss recent studies that have used NGS platforms to address questions with relevance to diagnostic virology, bacteriology, and mycology. We focus on the advances made in the areas of viral drug resistance testing, detection of unknown disease-associated pathogens in clinical specimens, and investigation of microbial population diversity within the human host. We review different sequencing strategies, distinguishing between targeted amplicon sequencing versus whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approaches, and consider the technical and bioinformatics challenges that have emerged. Although NGS holds enormous promise for clinical microbiology, much remains to be accomplished, particularly in regard to standardizing technical protocols and bioinformatics tools, which would be prerequisites for the adoption of NGS methods in diagnostic testing.
Representation and the democratic deficit

In the early years of the Community it was assumed that there was a widespread consensus about the future development of Europe, and that decisions by the Council of Ministers were broadly in line with public opinion. In recent years the growth in the powers and responsibilities of European institutions has been considerable, through the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty. The Community is now the world's largest trading group, and one of the three most important players on the world economic scene alongside the USA and Japan. The EU has grown from six to fifteen member states, and further waves of enlargement are on the horizon. Yet many fear that processes of representation and accountability have not kept pace with this expansion, producing a legitimacy crisis (Anderson & Eliassen 1996; Hayward 1995). The key issue addressed throughout this Special Issue is the classic one of political representation: how the preferences of European citizens can be linked to decision making within the European Union.
Schistosome Na,K-ATPase as a therapeutic target

Na,K-ATPases are ubiquitous membrane-bound enzymes comprising α and β subunits. Here we clone a Na,K-ATPase β homolog (designated SNaK1β) from the human parasitic platyhelminth, Schistosoma mansoni. The predicted protein is about 33 kDa, and contains a single transmembrane domain and multiple conserved motifs. SNaK1β and its previously cloned α-subunit counterpart (SNaK1α) are both expressed throughout the schistosome life cycle. In adults, both subunits are detected in the tegumental membrane, likely functioning at the host-parasite interface in Na/K exchange. Both SNaK1 genes can be suppressed by RNAi using target-specific small inhibitory RNAs (siRNAs), and this severely debilitates the parasites both in vitro and in vivo. However, treating schistosomiasis by delivering the siRNAs hydrodynamically to infected mice has no detectable impact on worms. Additionally, treating schistosome-infected mice with the Na,K-ATPase inhibitor, ouabain, is ineffective. Nonetheless, since schistosomes are very susceptible to perturbation in SNaK1 expression, further work to identify other Na,K-ATPase inhibitors as anti-schistosome agents is warranted.
Failure of a second x-ray dose to activate nuclear factor κB in normal rat astrocytes

Abstract Induced gene expression and subsequent cytokine production have been implicated in the normal tissue injury response to radiotherapy. However, studies of radiation-induced gene expression have used single radiation doses rather than the fractionated exposures typical of the clinical situation. To study the effects of multiple radiation doses on gene expression, we investigated nuclear factor κB (NFκB) DNA binding activity in primary astrocyte cultures after one and two exposures to x-rays. After a single dose of x-rays (3.8–15 gray (Gy)), NFκB binding activity in astrocytes increased in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a maximum by 2–4 h and returning to control levels by 8 h after irradiation. In split-dose experiments, when an interval of 24 h was used between two doses of 7.5 Gy, the second 7.5-Gy exposure failed to induce NFκB activation. The period of desensitization induced by the first radiation exposure was dose-dependent, persisting approximately 72 h after 7.5 Gy compared with 24 h after 1.5 Gy. No changes in IκBα protein levels were detected. However, the presence of a transcription inhibitor prevented the desensitizing effect of the initial irradiation. Irradiation also prevented NFκB activation in astrocytes by a subsequent exposure to H2O2, but it had no effect on the activation induced by tumor necrosis factor-α. These data indicate that an initial x-ray exposure can desensitize astrocytes to the NFκB-activating effects of a subsequent radiation exposure. Furthermore, they suggest that this desensitization depends on gene transcription and may have some specificity for NFκB activation mediated by reactive oxygen species.
DIRECT MULTI-SCALE ORDINATION WITH CANONICAL CORRESPONDENCE ANALYSIS

Gradient analysis uses ordination methods to study the structure of biotic communities caused by biotic processes operating in a heterogeneous environment. This structure has two spatial components: spatial processes within the community create au- tocorrelation, and the spatial structure of environmental factors creates spatial dependence. Ordination methods, however, do not make use of spatial information. Spatial alternatives are available in multivariate geostatistics, but are not compatible with important ordination methods used in gradient analysis, correspondence analysis and canonical correspondence analysis (CA, CCA). This paper shows how CA and CCA can be partitioned by distance (indirect and direct multi-scale ordination) and integrated with geostatistics. A diagnostic tool enables ecologists to partition ordination results by distance, to distinguish between components of spatial dependence and of spatial autocorrelation, and to check assumptions of independent residuals, stationarity, and scale-invariant correlation. The application is illustrated with a well-known data set of oribatid mites. Empirical chi-square variograms of individual species, their pair-wise cross variograms, and the variogram of the total inertia are defined and summarized in a variogram matrix, which leads to a spatial partitioning of the eigenvalues. The empirical variogram matrix provides a link to coregionalization anal- ysis that may be used to simultaneously model spatial dependence and spatial autocorre- lation. This will be useful for answering questions about the organism-specific scale of response to the environment, the optimal spacing of sampling units, or the scale-dependent effect of environmental factors.
Effects of viscosity, taste, and bolus volume on swallowing apnea duration of normal adults.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of viscosity, taste, and nectar-thick liquid bolus volume on swallowing apnea duration (SAD) were examined.STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Twenty-two adults, comprised of 10 males and 12 females, participated. SAD was assessed via nasal airflow during swallow conditions of viscosity (thin liquid, thick liquid, and puree), taste (water, apple juice, lemon concentrate), and nectar-thick liquid bolus volumes (5, 10, 15, and 20 mL) across three trials.RESULTS: A significant main effect of nectar-thick liquid bolus volume was found (P < 0.05). Viscosity and taste were not significant.CONCLUSIONS: SAD increased with increases in bolus volume; however, neither changes in bolus viscosity nor changes in taste affected SAD.SIGNIFICANCE: These findings indicate that since viscosity was not significant, the normative data previously published (by this PI) with 60 healthy adults stratified by age and gender can be utilized for comparison to disordered swallowing without regard to the bolus viscosity b...
Early-postmortem cooling rate and beef tenderness

Four distinct early-postmortem cooling rates (as measured within the longissimus muscle) were obtained by exposing one side of each of five fat and five lean steers to moving air at -2° and the other to 9° static air. Loin steaks of the fastest cooling group were found to be the least tender and to have the shortest sarcomeres; the three remaining groups differed significantly from each other in tenderness but not in sarcomere length. For all twenty sides, regardless of treatment group, tenderness was highly dependent on, and almost linearly related to, the muscle temperature attained at 2 hours post mortem (27-40°), the relationship deteriorating rapidly as longer time intervals and lower temperature ranges were considered. The results indicate that (1) except in very rapidly chilled lean carcasses, cold shortening is not a significant determinant of tenderness; (2) the enhanced tenderness of slowly chilled beef is not due primarily to the relatively prolonged avoidance of shortening-inducive temperatures but to the accompanying retardation of cooling during the first 2-4 hours post mortem, when muscle temperatures are still far above those associated with cold shortening and (3) the generally recognised superior tenderness of well-finished beef is largely (and perhaps entirely) a consequence of slower cooling during this very early-postmortem period.
Reproductive division of labor between hybrid and nonhybrid offspring in a fire ant hybrid zone.

Abstract Interspecific hybridization can often impose a substantial fitness cost due to reduced hybrid viability or fecundity. In social insects, however, such costs disproportionately impact reproductive offspring, whereas hybrids who become sterile workers can be functional, and even beneficial, colony members. Genomic imprinting of the paternal genome in reproductive, but not worker female offspring has been proposed as a mechanism to avoid genomic incompatibilities in hybrid queens in a hybrid zone between two fire ant species, Solenopsis geminata and S. xyloni. A study of allozyme variation demonstrated differences between the worker caste displaying a hybrid phenotype, and the winged queen caste displaying only the mother's phenotype. In this study, we investigate whether these differences are caused by genomic imprinting or genetic differences between castes by comparing variability of proteins to that of microsatellite markers. Workers and winged queens differed genetically at both classes of mark...
Behavior and performance of lactating sows and piglets reared indoors or outdoors.

Two hundred eighty-seven lactating Newsham sows and their litters were used to determine the effects of intensive indoor (n = 147) and intensive outdoor (n = 140) production systems on sow and litter productivity and behavior. All sows were of contempo- rary age and fed a completely balanced sorghum-based diet. Behavior data were collected by live observation on 40 sows and litters (20 indoor and 20 outdoor) using a 5-min scan sample over a 4-h period in the afternoon (1400 to 1800). The durations of lying (90.0 vs 72.1 ± 2.76% of time observed) and drinking (4.42 vs 1.41 ± 0.6% of time observed) were higher (P < 0.01) among indoor than among outdoor lactating sows. Nursing in- terval and feeding and sitting behaviors were not differ-
OTA meeting roundup

The Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) continues to grow in size, scope, and number of attendees. The 2013 meeting was held in the desert resort venue of Phoenix, Arizona from October 9th to 12th. The Annual Meeting was preceded by several well attended events including the Basic Science Fracture Forum, the International Trauma Care Forum, a ‘Trauma Boot Camp’ for practitioners needing a trauma refresher, a grant writing workshop, a Masters Level Coding Course, a course for Physicians Assistants and Nurse Practitioners, and a Young Practitioners Forum. Concurrently running with the Annual Meeting was a Residents Basic Fracture Course that uses a case based approach to teaching fracture care fundamentals for orthopaedic trainees. There were 105 podium presentations in nine scientific sessions, along with 128 poster presentations. In the meeting’s well-attended opening symposium, the focus was on evaluating outcomes for the 21st century. The session highlighted the use of a Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), which is a system of highly reliable, precise measures of patient-reported health status for physical, mental, and social well-being. Several randomised studies were presented in the foot and ankle scientific session. A total of 110 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomised study that compared early weight-bearing and mobilisation with non-weight bearing and immobilisation after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of unstable ankle fractures.1 Patients treated with the early weight-bearing protocol had significantly …
Protecting Rights Through Violating Them: Law Enforcement and Doubts About Democracy in India

This paper examines the diffusion of human rights norms among domestic state actors after a state has formally endorsed these norms, with a focus on the right to be free from torture. The findings reveal the ways in which lack of trust in legal and political processes in India contributes to Indian law enforcement officers’ resistance to human rights that protect suspects from torture. I argue that flaws in the legal and political context inform the way these officers interpret these rights as well as the normative arguments that are available to them to justify violations. The findings suggest that it is not only formal political structures and national “culture” that inform norm diffusion, as other scholars have argued. Nonformal aspects of the political context and state actors’ perceptions of this context can matter as well for whether and how norms diffuse after formal state endorsement has occurred. The paper is based on twelve months of in-depth fieldwork in India with law enforcement officers who are participating in human rights education.
On initialization of finite state ρ/μ approximations of systems finite alphabets

In this paper, we revisit the construction of finite state ρ/μ approximations for systems over finite alphabets. We derive conditions under which the complexity of these approximations can be lowered by simplifying the initialization process, thus reducing the size (cardinality) of their state-space. For instances where this condition is not met, we propose an alternative construction of the approximation which has strictly fewer states than the existing construction.
Gender And Stress: Does Ones Gender Affect Stress Levels During An Evaluation?

This study sought to determine if there is a significant difference between male and female stress levels during evaluations. The research hypothesis states that there is a significant difference between the level of stress experienced between males and females during an evaluation. The ability to interpret a persons skin temperature has become a useful technique in biofeedback studies (Roberts, Kewman & MacDonald, 1973). The instrument utilized in this study to measure the level of stress which individuals experience was the Biodot, a one-quarter inch diagonal circle of microencapsulated Cholesteric liquid crystals which changes color to reflect a broad thermal range. The study, composed of 860 individuals, found that there was no significant difference between the stress levels of males and females during an evaluation.
Urine toxicology screen in multiple sleep latency test: the correlation of positive tetrahydrocannabinol, drug negative patients, and narcolepsy.

Objective:Drugs can influence results of multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT). We sought to identify the effect of marijuana on MSLT results in pediatric patients evaluated for excessive daytime sle...
The Interpretation about Impact Test of DC and Even Harmonics

As a starting point with the provisions of the international standard,this paper interprets the impact test of DC and even harmonics. Through the measurement mechanism of watt-hour meter in harmonic environment,and combining with the definition of RMS,it sums up the component current which participates in the calculation as for full wave voltage waveform and current waveform of half wave. The overall grasp of test and further summary of the meaning of the trial provide theoretical basis for the person of measurement test.
A review on authenticity of identification and quality evaluation methods of Cuscutae Semen

Literatures about Cuscutae Semen on macroscopic,microscopic and physicochemical identification,thin layer chromatography(TLC),content determination,fingerprinting analysis,as well as the application of modern identification technologies such as RAPD,near infrared spectroscopy in the past decade were investigated and summarized to provide references for its authenticity of identification and quality evaluation.
Structure and Stereochemistry of Steroidal Amine Teratogens

Studies of teratogenic steroidal alkaloids from Veratrum and Solanum have shown that those bearing a basic nitrogen atom in ring F, shared or unshared with ring E, with bonding capabilities a to the steroid plane may be suspect as teratogens. Examples of steroidal alkaloids which produce terata but, until recently, have been of uncertain structure include muldamine and the isomeric 3, N-diformylsolasodines. The correlation of their structures with the structure-terata relationship developed by Keeler and Brown is discussed. A brief introduction to teratogenicity is presented.
Intellective and Personality Factors in Literacy

Few accomplishments are more critical for life in modern society than acquiring literacy: the capacity to use language to think and to solve problems in social settings. Handling print—reading and writing—is an important facet of literacy, but this capability is ancillary to the broader achievement of a formal linguistic register, the conventions and strategies governing discourse in traditional situations (de Castell, Luke, & Egan, 1986; Tuman, 1987; Freedman & Calfee, 1984). By this definition, literacy and its precursors are found in all cultures and societies, past and present.
Motivations for Using MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) among African Americans: Implications for Prevention and Harm-Reduction Programs

ABSTRACTDespite the growing popularity of MDMA (ecstasy/molly) among African Americans, their motives for using the drug are still largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the most salient motivations for using MDMA among this understudied population. In-depth interviews (n = 15) were conducted with a sample of African American young adults in Southwest Florida between August 2014 and November 2015. The primary motivations for using MDMA included: (1) altering the effects of marijuana and alcohol; (2) lasting longer sexually; (3) enhancing sexual pleasure; and (4) facilitating “freaky” sexual experiences. This is the first study to directly examine MDMA motivations specifically among African American drug users, and findings shed light on why some African Americans use MDMA. A better understanding of why African Americans use this drug should help to inform prevention and harm-reduction efforts. Study findings show the need for health messages that include the potential cons...
Aesthetics, politics, and sociolinguistic analysis

Abstract This paper argues that aesthetic analysis is a necessary tool for sociolinguistic explication, especially of translingual and intercultural verbal activity, and especially for understanding its political dimensions. The suggestion is that to grasp what Doris Sommer has called the ‘real world of living language’ (2004: 34), sociolinguistics needs analytical tools to make explicit the aesthetic dimensions of the materials it studies. I explore this question using theories of democracy and examples from the contemporary language-scape in the United States.
Putting Queerness on the Map: Notes for a Queer Galician Studies

This chapter aims to familiarize an English-speaking readership with the emergence and vibrancy of LGTBI movements in Galicia, the very foundations of which are closely linked to literary movements and to the transnational experiences of emigration and exile. As Galician Studies gains visibility in the North American academy, it ought to embrace queer studies to ensure the inclusion of voices, bodies, and subcultures that have been largely excluded from Galician literary history and identity. Drawing on a wide survey of writings and other forms of cultural production that lend visibility to non-normative gender and sexual identities and practices, this chapter suggests that queering Galician Studies both challenges the dominant discourses around territory, home, and family, and renders the field one that is more inclusive and intersectional.
The Levellers and the Commonwealth, 1649–1653

The Levellers were not ‘crushed’ in the spring 1649 mutinies; and they actively promoted the Agreement of the People until the Oxford troop disorders of September 1649, in which Leveller ideas played a part. Although the Commonwealth was overcoming the unsettlement of 1647–1649 by then, the government’s unsuccessful treason prosecution of John Lilburne demonstrated the continuing audience for the Leveller agenda. Thereafter, the Leveller leaders accepted the Commonwealth, but Lilburne, John Wildman, and William Walwyn continued to advocate for Leveller goals. The Rump Parliament eventually banished Lilburne on pain of death. His 1653 return to England and second treason trial in the midst of the climacteric produced by Oliver Cromwell’s dissolution of the Rump revived the Leveller programme of accountable government and popular rights.
Models for Dynamic Fracture Based on Griffith’s Criterion

There has been much recent progress in extending Griffith’s criterion for crack growth into mathematical models for quasi-static crack evolution that are well-posed, in the sense that there exist solutions that can be numerically approximated. However, mathematical progress toward dynamic fracture (crack growth consistent with Griffith’s criterion, together with elastodynamics) has been more meager. We describe some recent results on a phase-field model of dynamic fracture, and introduce models for “sharp interface” dynamic fracture.
ADSTEP: Preliminary Investigation of a Multicomponent Walking Aid Program in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effect of the Assistive Device Selection, Training and Education Program (ADSTEP) on falls and walking and sitting activity in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Veterans affairs medical center. Participants PwMS (N=40) using a walking aid at baseline who had fallen in the previous year. Interventions Participants were randomly assigned to ADSTEP or control. ADSTEP had 6 weekly, 40-minute, 1-on-1 sessions with a physical therapist, starting with walking aid selection and fitting, followed by task-oriented progressive gait training. Control was usual medical care with the option of ADSTEP after the study. Main Outcome Measures The following were assessed at baseline, intervention completion, and 3 months later: falls, timed Up and Go, timed 25-foot walk, 2-minute walk, Four Square Step Test, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technologies, Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, and Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29. Effect on these outcomes was estimated by a 2-by-2 repeated measures general linear model. Results Fewer ADSTEP than control participants fell (χ2=3.96, P .05. ADSTEP 117.53±148.40min/d; control 46.43±58.55min/d; d=0.63). Conclusions ADSTEP prevents falls, reduces sitting, and may increase walking in PwMS.
The association between fetal testosterone and violent behavior: Additional evidence using the 2D:4D digit ratio

Abstract Recent meta-analyses on the relationship between prenatal testosterone—measured by the 2D:4D digit ratio—and aggression and analogous traits have reported an overall weak association. Fewer studies, however, have focused specifically on violent behavior. Yet, many of these studies have relied on small samples of incarcerated men and limited their focus to intimate partner violence. Less is known about whether the link between the 2D:4D ratio and violence holds for non-incarcerated populations, for females as well as males, and for general measures of violence. To address these issues, original data were collected on a sample of young adults to estimate the association between the 2D:4D ratio and self-reported violence. The study yielded two important findings. First, the 2D:4D ratio was associated with a majority of the individual violent behaviors examined, as well as multi-item measures of violence, in both bivariate and multivariate models. Second, the 2D:4D ratio was associated with violent behavior among separate samples of men and women, though associations were frequently non-statistically significant for females.
Sequential decision and stochastic control

The tight coupling between learning and control in a sequential decision or a stochastic control problem is bein considered in this paper. A quantitative description on the learning capability of a control law is defined in terms of Shannon’s information measure. It is shown that when the control law cannot influence the amount of learning, the stochastic control problem has the separation property regardless of the cost criterion.
Viral carcinogenesis and genomic instability

Oncogenes encoded by human tumor viruses play integral roles in the viral conquest of the host cell by subverting crucial and relatively non-redundant regulatory circuits that regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and life span. Human tumor virus oncoproteins can also disrupt pathways that are necessary for the maintenance of the integrity of host cellular genome. Some viral oncoproteins act as powerful mutator genes and their expression dramatically increases the incidence of host cell mutations with every round of cell division. Others subvert cellular safeguard mechanisms intended to eliminate cells that have acquired abnormalities that interfere with normal cell division. Viruses that encode such activities can contribute to initiation as well as progression of human cancers.
Extraction of Aflatoxins from Naturally Contaminated Peanuts with Different Solvents and Solvent/Peanut Ratios

A study was conducted to compare the extraction efficiencies of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) from low, medium, and high concentrations (approximately 10, 100, and 1000 ppb, respectively) of naturally contaminated peanut samples by using different solvents and solvent-to-peanut sample ratios. Solvents used were 80:20 methanol/water at 2:1, 3:1, and 5:1 solvent to sample ratios; 60:40 methanol/water at 5:1 solvent to sample ratio; and 90:10 acetonitrile/water at 2:1 and 4:1 solvent to sample ratios. The solvents 80:20 methanol/water at a 3:1 ratio of solvent to sample and 90:10 acetonitrile/water at a 2:1 ratio were consistently more efficient than all other solvents, regardless of the aflatoxin concentration. The solvent 90:10 acetonitrile/water at a 4:1 solvent-to-sample ratio was consistently the least efficient regardless of aflatoxin concentration based on analytical results with liquid chromatography (LC). The results are relevant in selecting an appropriate extraction solvent for use at peanut grading points.
Pharmacist-Led Interventions for the Management of Cardiovascular Disease

Given the documented treatment gap for patients with cardiovascular disease, there are numerous opportunities for pharmacists to become more extensively involved in the delivery of care to these high-risk patients. In published trials, pharmacists have demonstrated improved surrogate outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease by managing hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and secondary prevention medications. A concentrated effort by pharmacists in the inpatient setting, using a combination of direct provider and patient interventions, has been shown to improve adherence to evidence-based guidelines and to help optimize patient care outcomes for acute coronary syndromes. In ambulatory care, there are numerous examples of how pharmacists can help optimize medication regimens for cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factor control. Community pharmacists have been successful in helping treat hyperlipidemia in patients with cardiovascular disease. While these studies have demonstrated that pharmacy-based interventions improve surrogate outcomes, there are limited well designed, randomized, controlled trials that have demonstrated that pharmacist-managed interventions improve clinical or humanistic outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease or that such programs are cost effective. Opportunities for pharmacists exist at each stage of cardiovascular disease management. A needs assessment should be performed to determine the level of risk factor control and appropriate medication utilization within an organization, institution, or practice site. Physician support and collaboration among multidisciplinary teams are essential to the success of the service. Potential funding sources for establishing a service should be researched, and justification for the investment must be made. Limited time and compensation are likely to be the greatest obstacles to pharmacists instituting cardiovascular services. Other key elements include employing well trained, experienced staff, utilizing a medication protocol and patient tracking database, and implementing safety measures. An opportunity exists to conduct rigorous, well designed studies to evaluate the outcomes of pharmacist-led interventions for patients with cardiovascular disease.
Session details: LSNA'12 workshop 8

Large network data are being produced by various applications in an ever growing rate, from social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, scientific citation networks such as CiteSeerX, to biological networks such as protein interaction networks. Network data analysis is crucial for exploiting the wealth of information encoded in such network data. An effective analysis of this data must take into account complex structure including social, temporal, and spatial dimensions, while an efficient analysis of such data requires scalable techniques. As a result, there has been increasing research in developing novel and scalable solutions for practical network analytics applications.This workshop provides a forum for researchers to share new ideas and techniques for large scale network analysis. We are pleased to present 9 original research papers in this workshop. These original research papers cover a variety of topics in the realm of large scale network analysis, including graph theories, scalable algorithms, insightful analysis of real datasets, and novel applications of network analysis in different vertical domains.We are also excited to present two keynote speeches in this workshop. Dr. Sam Shah, from LinkedIn, will deliver the morning keynote address, titled "Large-Scale Graph Mining for Recommendations: Beyond the Social Graph". The afternoon keynote speech will be delivered by Sivan Yogev, from IBM Research Haifa. He will present IBM's experience in "Extracting Business Advantage from Social Networks".
Animating Conversions Between Binary and Decimal

Binary number computations appear as a tough topic in teaching and learning. Students usually repeatedly ask the same questions and teachers often repeatedly illustrate the same computations. Treating numbers as sprites with animation, we can repeatedly demonstrate binary computation processes. It not only reduces teacher’s burden but also enhances students’ learning. This chapter covers the conversions of binary integers to decimal and decimal integers to binary, as well as floating numbers.
Exploring the Antecedents to Computer Programming Self-Efficacy

Computer programming is mandatory for all computer-related disciplines and many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. Data collected from 151 undergraduate computer science (CS) and information systems (IS) students enrolled in an introductory computer programming class reveal that grit and passion influence programming self-efficacy for male students. Only obsessive passion is the primary predictor of programming self-efficacy among female students. The paper discusses possible ramifications for teaching computer programming to undergraduate students.
PTEN Loss with ERG Negative Status is Associated with Lethal Disease after Radical Prostatectomy.

Purpose:Few groups have investigated the combined effects of PTEN loss and ERG expression on the outcomes of metastasis of or death from prostate cancer in surgically treated patients. We examined ...
The Effects of Sex and Strain on Pneumocystis murina Fungal Burdens in Mice

Abstract Many preclinical studies of infectious diseases have neglected experimental designs that evaluate potential differences related to sex with a concomitant over-reliance on male model systems. Hence, the NIH implemented a monitoring system for sex inclusion in preclinical studies. Methods Per this mandate, we examined the lung burdens of Pneumocystis murina infection in 3 mouse strains in both male and female animals at early, mid and late time points. Results Females in each strain had higher infection burdens compared to males at the later time points. Conclusion Females should be included in experimental models studying Pneumocystis.
No Shortage of Decibels in Music City: Evaluation of Noise Exposure in Urban Music Venues.

Objectives/hypothesis To measure and report noise exposure at urban music venues and assess the risk of noise-induced hearing loss by comparing these measures to the National Institute of Occupations Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines. Study design Observational study. Methods A commercially available smartphone and external calibrated microphone were used to measure sound levels at urban music venues. The maximum sound level, equivalent continuous sound level, and statistical noise levels (L10, L50, L75, L90) were recorded. Results The average equivalent continuous sound level was 112.0 (±4.9) dBA, and the average maximum sound level was 127.0 (±3.2) dBA. The L90 average (sound levels at or above this loudness for 90% of measured exposure time) was 101.1 (±5.5) dBA, and the L10 average was 115.2 (±5.0) dBA. Based off of NIOSH guidelines, noise exposure duration at the L10 average should not exceed 28 seconds, and those at the L90 average should not exceed 12 minutes. Conclusions Smartphone applications using external calibrated microphones can provide useful sound measurements. Data show that randomly sampled music venues may have noise levels that place patrons without hearing protection at risk for noise-induced hearing loss with prolonged exposure. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 131:25-27, 2021.
The Role of Annotation Fusion Methods in the Study of Human-Reported Emotion Experience During Music Listening

Music is a universally-enjoyed art form, but listeners often respond to it in tremendously different ways. The same song can bring one person great joy and another deep sorrow. This paper focuses on modeling human music experience at the group level. In this scenario, human annotations serve an important role in computational modeling, especially where the target constructs under study are hidden, such as dimensions of emotion or enjoyment to music listening. In this work, we investigate several ways to represent aggregate human annotations of the complex, subjective emotional experience of listening to music. We show the utility of several methods for fusing self-reported emotion and enjoyment ratings by predicting these responses with auditory features. Using traditional methods such as time alignment with simple averaging and Dynamic Time Warping, as well as state-of-the-art methods based on Expectation Maximization and Triplet Embeddings, we show that it is possible to accurately represent hidden constructs in time under noisy sampling conditions, evidenced by better performance on behavioral response predictions. That subjective responses to complex musical stimuli can be accurately captured using these methods suggests more general applications to research in areas such as affective computing and music perception.
A Rare Case of Lemierre's Syndrome Caused by Streptococcus Intermedius, Presenting as an Epidural Abscess.

Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but life-threatening condition characterized by an oropharyngeal infection typically secondary to Fusobacterium necrophorum resulting in septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. Streptococcus intermedius is a particularly rare cause of Lemierre's syndrome with only a few cases reported in the literature. Here we describe a rare case of Lemierre's syndrome, caused by Streptococcus intermedius, likely secondary to an odontogenic infection, found to have a cervical epidural abscess with concomitant large retropharyngeal and prevertebral abscesses on presentation, in whom the clinical course was further complicated by an extensive cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. However, despite grave complications, early diagnosis and appropriate emergency management including intravenous antibiotics and surgical intervention led to a successful recovery, thus demonstrating that aggressive measures can potentially lead to a favorable outcome.
Relationships Between Supermicrometer Sea Salt Aerosol and Marine Boundary Layer Conditions: Insights From Repeated Identical Flight Patterns.

The MONterey Aerosol Research Campaign (MONARC) in May-June 2019 featured 14 repeated identical flights off the California coast over the open ocean at the same time each flight day. The objective of this study is to use MONARC data along with machine learning analysis to evaluate relationships between both supermicrometer sea salt aerosol number (N>1) and volume (V>1) concentrations and wind speed, wind direction, sea surface temperature (SST), ambient temperature (Tamb), turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), relative humidity (RH), marine boundary layer (MBL) depth, and drizzle rate. Selected findings from this study include the following: (i) Near surface ( 1 and V>1 concentration ranges were 0.1-4.6 cm-3 and 0.3-28.2 μm3 cm-3, respectively; (ii) four meteorological regimes were identified during MONARC with each resulting in different N>1 and V>1 concentrations and also varying horizontal and vertical profiles; (iii) the relative predictive strength of the MBL properties varies depending on predicting N>1 or V>1, with MBL depth being more highly ranked for predicting N>1 and with TKE being higher for predicting V>1; (iv) MBL depths >400 m ( 1 and V>1 concentrations; (v) enhanced drizzle rates coincide with reduced N>1 and V>1 concentrations; (vi) N>1 and V>1 concentrations exhibit an overall negative relationship with SST and RH and an overall positive relationship with Tamb; and (vii) wind speed and direction were relatively weak predictors of N>1 and V>1.
An Active Learning Methodology for Efficient Estimation of Expensive Noisy Black-Box Functions Using Gaussian Process Regression

Estimation of black-box functions often requires evaluating an extensive number of expensive noisy points. Learning algorithms can actively compare the similarity between the evaluated and unevaluated points to determine the most informative subsequent points for efficient estimation of expensive functions in a sequential procedure. In this paper, we propose an active learning methodology based on the integration of Laplacian regularization and active learning - Cohn (ALC) measure for identification of the most informative points for efficient estimation of noisy black-box functions using Gaussian processes. We propose two simple greedy search algorithms for sequential optimization of the tuning parameters and determination of subsequent points based on the information from the previously evaluated points. We also enhance the graph Laplacian with the information of both the predictor and response variables to capture the similarity between the points more effectively. The proposed methodology is particularly suited for problems involving estimation of expensive black-box functions with a high level of noise and plenty of unevaluated points. Using a case study for analysis of the kinematics of pitching in baseball as well as simulation experiments, we demonstrate the performance of the proposed methodology against existing methods in the literature in terms of estimation error.
Neck CT angiography examinations for pediatric oropharyngeal trauma: diagnostic yield and proposal of a new targeted technique.

Neck computed tomography (CT) angiography is commonly ordered for pediatric patients with soft palate trauma to exclude vascular injury. Debate exists regarding what type of imaging is indicated in this setting, particularly amid growing concern that standard neck CT angiography results in considerable radiation exposure. To assess the diagnostic yield and estimated dose reduction of a novel targeted protocol extending from the skull base to the hyoid bone to evaluate pediatric oropharyngeal trauma. A retrospective imaging and medical chart review was performed of patients for whom a neck CT angiography was obtained for an indication of oropharyngeal trauma between 2008 and 2018. Effective dose and size-specific dose estimates (SSDEs) were estimated for standard and targeted neck CT angiography protocols with calculation of percent dose reduction of the targeted exams. Ninety-eight CT angiography examinations were reviewed. No cases were positive for neurological or major vessel injury; one case was positive for small vessel extravasation. Clinically significant nonvascular findings included phlegmonous change, retained foreign body, retropharyngeal/mediastinal air and pterygoid process fracture. With the exception of mediastinal air, all findings would have been included in the targeted protocol. Effective dose and SSDE were calculated for all cases where CTDIvol (volume CT dose index) had been reported (n=72). There was a statistically significant reduction in dose for the targeted protocol with an effective dose decrease of 69.7%±10.5% (P=0.009) and SSDE decrease of 53.9%±14.7% (P=0.01). Limiting ionizing radiation to the lung apices, esophagus and thyroid gland provided the greatest dose savings. Based on low diagnostic yield and high radiation dose associated with standard neck CT angiography for evaluating oropharyngeal trauma, a targeted protocol is recommended, resulting in significantly less dose to the neck, while preserving diagnostic yield.
LATERAL MOLECULAR MOTIONS IN MEMBRANES

Lateral molecular motions of membrane components are important for the biological functions of cells. In this paper we cite briefly earlier physical techniques that have been used to study these motions, both in cell membranes, and in reconstituted (model) membranes. We then describe more recent optical and magnetic resonance methods that are currently being used for such studies. Finally, the relationship of molecular motion in membranes to ongoing research in cell surface immunochemistry is discussed, in terms of a single, simple example, the binding of antibodies to hapten-sensitized model membranes
Three-Dimensional Imaging with a Single Layer of Random Microlens Array

We propose a compact, three-dimensional and large-field-of-view imaging system using a single layer of random microlens array. Comparing to other mask-based imaging systems, our approach has a higher image reconstruction speed and increased signal-to-background ratio.
Discharge Home After Transition to Oral Antibiotics: No Jeopardy.

Transitioning children from intravenous to enteral antibiotics is a daily occurrence for providers caring for children in hospitals. These children have clinically improved but require additional days of medication to complete an effective course of therapy. Some clinicians make the change to enteral antibiotics and discharge the child immediately, whereas others watch the child in the hospital setting on the enteral antibiotic therapy for a day or more. In their study, Stromberg et al1 suggest that prolonged observation is not the national norm, that the practice of observation after transitioning therapy has wide variability nationally, and that observation after transitioning therapy is likely unnecessary for children with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). The authors’ findings beg the question: When do you deviate from the norm? The Infectious Diseases Society of America’s SSTI guidelines recommend cephalexin or clindamycin for cases of SSTI in which the child is stable and does not have bacteremia or intravascular infection; but vancomycin is listed as first-line therapy for complicated SSTIs.2 In the current study, the authors found that despite the fact that children in this cohort were considered to have “uncomplicated” SSTI, ∼20% of these children received vancomycin during their hospital stay before transitioning to oral therapy. Vancomycin use in SSTIs can add significant cost to a hospitalization,3 entails additional diagnostic testing for safety and therapeutic monitoring, and adds risk of nephrotoxicity4. This study builds on previous …
Dynamic gas flow effects on the ESD of aerospace vehicle surfaces

Abstract An aerospace vehicle traveling through the atmosphere is subject to triboelectrically induced electrostatic charge build-up caused by dust and ice crystal impingement. Electrostatic discharges between an antenna housing and the exterior of the vehicle may interfere with system operation. Paschen's Law, derived for stationary, charged surfaces, fails to account for the loss of electron-ion pairs with high gas velocity between the electrodes. The purpose of this work is to develop a version of Paschen's Law that takes into account the flow of ambient gas past electrode surfaces. The basic hypothesis of this work is that the number of electron-ion pairs created per unit distance between electrode surfaces is mitigated by the electron-ion pairs removed per unit distance by the flow of gas. The revised theoretical model must be a function of the mean velocity, vxm, of the ambient gas and reduce to Paschen's law when the gas mean velocity, vxm = 0. This model has been evaluated by wind tunnel experimentation. Initial data of the baseline wind tunnel experiments show results consistent with the hypothesis. Based on the results of this work, it is hoped that the safety of aerospace vehicles will be enhanced with a redefinition of electrostatic launch commit criteria. It is also possible that new products, such as anti-static coatings, may be formulated from this data.