cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimation of 2-D Clutter Maps in Complex Under-Canopy Environments From Airborne Discrete-Return Lidar

Detection of near-ground objects occluded by above-ground vegetation from airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) measurements remains challenging. Our hypothesis is that the probability of obstruction due to objects above ground at any location in the forest environment can be reasonably characterized solely from airborne lidar data. The essence of our approach is to develop a data-driven learning scheme that creates high-resolution two-dimensional (2-D) probability maps for obstruction in the under-canopy environment. These maps contain information about the probabilities of obstruction (clutter map) and lidar undersampling (uncertainty map) in the near-ground space. Airborne and terrestrial lidar data and field survey data collected within the forested mountainous environment of Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA are utilized to test and evaluate the proposed approach in this work. A newly developed individual tree detection algorithm is implemented to estimate the undersampled stem contributions to the probability of obstruction. Results show the effectiveness of the tree detection algorithm with an accuracy index (AI) of between 61.5% and 80.7% (tested using field surveys). The estimated clutter maps are compared to the maps created from terrestrial scans (i.e., ground truth) and the results show the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.28, 0.32, and 0.34 at three study sites. The overall framework in deriving near-ground clutter and uncertainty maps from airborne lidar data would be useful information for the prediction of line-of-sight visibility, mobility, and above-ground forest biomass.
Apparatus Design for Simulating Partial Discharge in GIS

Partial discharge in gas insulated switchgear(GIS)can induce SF6 to decompose.Research on the internal relationship between SF6 gaseous decomposed components and partial discharge(PD)is somewhat difficult currently.In order to analyze the gaseous decomposed components of SF6 under PD,a multifunctional experiment platform is devised.This paper mainly introduces its structure and corresponding parameters.Some preparatory experiments were also done on this platform.Anyway,based on the platform,comprehensive experimental methods are available for in depth research on the relation between PD and gaseous decomposed components,quantitative measurement of PD energy and mode recognition.
116 PYRIDOXAMINE DID NOT HAVE A MARKED HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECT IN LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN DEFICIENT MICE: A MODEL FOR STUDYING THE EFFECT OF CARBONYL SCAVENGERS ON ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Background and Purpose Protein modification by sugars and lipids lead to formation of potentially toxic advanced glycation and lipoxidation end-products (AGE/ALE). Oxidative and carbonyl stress by these compounds and their precursors, such as reactive carbonyl intermediaries, are thought to play an important role in vascular complications of various diseases, especially diabetes. Pyridoxamine (PM), which inhibits AGE/ALE formation by trapping carbonyl moieties, has been shown to decrease microvascular complications in diabetic and obese non-diabetic rat models. However, PM also profoundly lowered cholesterol and triglycerides in these rats. If the same occurs in atherosclerosis-prone mice, it will limit its ability to test the effect of carbonyl scavenging in macrovascular disease. Therefore, we tested whether PM would have a hypolipidemic effect on an atherosclerosis-prone mouse-model, in which lipid metabolism is markedly different than rats. Methods Male and female low density lipoprotein receptor deficient mice (LDLR -/-) were fed a western type diet consisting of 21% (w/w) butterfat and 0.15% (w/w) cholesterol for 12 weeks - with or without PM (2g/L) added to their drinking water. At baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks, measurements of plasma cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were obtained. Results At the end of 12 weeks, cholesterol, TG and SAA levels were markedly increased in all groups. There was no statistically significant difference, between treatment (Rx) and control groups, in average serum cholesterol for males (1745 vs. 1784 mg/dl) and TG for females (254 vs. 242 mg/dl). Compared to controls, there was a slightly higher average serum TG level in the male Rx group (729 vs. 492 mg/dl, p =0.01), while there was a slightly lower average cholesterol in the female Rx group (1097 vs. 1354 mg/dl, p = 0.02). SAA at 12 weeks was significantly lower in the female Rx groups compared to controls (13.8 vs. 51.2, p ≤ 0.01). There were no significant differences in SAA in the males, although there was a trend downwards in the Rx group (64.3 vs. 74.6 mcg/ml, p = 0.22). Conclusion In LDLR -/- mice fed a western type diet, PM did not have the hypolipidemic effect that was seen in diabetic and obese non-diabetic rat models. These mice will therefore be a good model to test the effect of carbonyl scavengers on the development of atherosclerosis.
Signed Distance Functions

In the last chapter we defined implicit functions with φ(x↦) ≤ 0 in the interior region Ω-, φ((x↦) > 0 in the exterior region Ω+, and φ((x↦) = 0 on the boundary ∂Ω. Little was said about φ otherwise, except that smoothness is a desirable property especially in sampling the function or using numerical approximations. In this chapter we discuss signed distance functions, which are a subset of the implicit functions defined in the last chapter. We define signed distance functions to be positive on the exterior, negative on the interior, and zero on the boundary. An extra condition of |∇φ(x↦)| = 1 is imposed on a signed distance function.
High Performance Optimizations for Nuclear Physics Code MFDn on KNL

Initial optimization strategies and results on MFDn, a large-scale nuclear physics application code, running on a single KNL node are presented. This code consists of the construction of a very large sparse real symmetric matrix and computing a few lowest eigenvalues and eigenvectors of this matrix through iterative methods. Challenges addressed include effectively utilizing MCDRAM with representative input data for production runs on 5,000 KNL nodes that require over 80 GB of memory per node, using OpenMP 4 to parallelize functions in the construction phase of the sparse matrices, and vectorizing those functions in spite of while-loops, conditionals, and lookup tables with indirect indexing. Moreover, hybrid MPI/OpenMP is employed not only to maximize the total problem size that can be solved per node, but also to eventually minimize parallel scaling overhead through the best scaling combination of MPI ranks per node with OpenMP threads. We describe a vectorized version of a popcount operation to avoid serialization on intrinsic popcnt which only operates on scalar registers. Additionally we leverage SSE 4.2 string comparison instructions to determine nonzero matrix elements. By utilizing MCDRAM, we achieve excellent Sparse Matrix–Matrix multiplication performance; in particular, using blocks of 8 vectors lead to a speedup of 6.4\(\times \) on KNL and 2.9\(\times \) on Haswell compared to the performance of repeated SpMV’s. This optimization was essential in achieving a 1.6\(\times \) improvement on KNL over Haswell.
Review of Strengthening Departmental Leadership: A Team-Building Guide for Chairs in Colleges and Universities

Follow this and additional works at: http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/nurs_facpub Part of the Nursing Commons How does access to this work benefit you? Let us know! Publisher's Statement NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Professional Nursing . Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Professional Nursing, 13,1, (1997) DOI#10.1016/S8755-7223(97)80028-2
Performance of the PneuX System: A Bench Study Comparison With 4 Other Endotracheal Tube Cuffs.

BACKGROUND: Cuff design affects microaspiration, a risk factor for pneumonia. We questioned whether the PneuX low-volume fold-free cuff design would prevent cuff leakage and maintain the same tracheal wall pressure as high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) cuffs. METHODS: We evaluated 4 HVLP-cuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs), Hi-Lo (polyvinyl chloride [PVC]), Microcuff (polyurethane [PU]), SealGuard (PU + tapered), and TaperGuard (PVC + tapered), and the PneuX with its dedicated tracheal seal monitor. In Part 1, we determined tracheal wall pressure using each cuff9s capacity to support water columns across recommended intracuff pressures. In Part 2, we evaluated the tracheal seal monitor function at recommended settings. In Part 3, we compared leakage volumes of all ETTs during 30 min of simulated mechanical ventilation or during 8 h if no leak occurred. Parts 1 and 3 were performed with/without lubrication and PEEP. RESULTS: In Part 1, PneuX cuffs exerted an average tracheal wall pressure of 27.4 ± 2.4 cm H2O at the recommended intracuff pressure of approximately 80 cm H2O. Tracheal wall pressure did not differ among HVLP cuffs (19.6 ± 1.4 to 29.5 ± 1.4 cm H2O). In Part 2, preinflation intracuff pressure affected the time to obtain tracheal seal monitor pressure attainment (P CONCLUSIONS: The PneuX cuff generally exerted acceptable tracheal wall pressure, but the tracheal wall pressure monitor allowed pressures exceeding 30 cm H2O in some trials and was the only ETT to prevent leak in all tests. For HVLP cuffs, leak was reduced by PU and PEEP and eliminated by lubrication.
Turkish and Persian Loans in English Literature

Of the 600 Persian and 284 Turkish loans collected from standard English dictionaries, at least 319 have been used by 98 significant literary figures throughout the centuries. These demonstrate that literary writers directly affect the English language by providing the first known record of a given loan, or by creatively using a previous borrowing to introduce a new sense, a different form as in a derivation or compound, or a different form class (as in Jonson's noun chouse, from Shirley's original verb). Literature and linguistics are thereby more closely, naturally linked in interdisciplinary research. Sir William Jones, Gibbon, Byron, and a few others provided rich raw materials for later literature. The data reveal a progression toward greater accuracy and authenticity, which add to the reputation and stature of the work. Poets like Byron, utilizing rhyme and subtle internal definitions to explain exotic words, enhanced their literary artistry and charm by employing actual Oriental words. Without the words, the writers might never have gained fame in Oriental aspects of Romanticism and Victorianism. The numerical rank is surprising, led by Byron with 94 different words, followed by James Morier, Thomas Hope, Thackeray, Thomas Moore, Jones, Purchas, Disraeli, Gibbon, William Beckford, Scott, and Kipling with 34.
A Toddler Parenting Intervention in Primary Care for Caregivers With Depression Symptoms.

Caregiver depression impacts parenting behaviors and has deleterious effects on child behavior. Evidence-based interventions to address parenting have not been adapted for use with depressed caregivers in pediatric primary care settings. Our study examined the feasibility and explored outcomes of an evidence-based parenting program implemented in primary care and adapted for caregivers with depressive symptoms caring for toddlers. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control. Participants were caregivers who screened positive for depressive symptoms in pediatric settings with a toddler. Our study was implemented from July 2011 to June 2012. We adapted the Incredible Years Parents, Babies and Toddlers program with the addition of depression psychoeducation (12 weekly sessions), and assessed caregivers at baseline and immediately post-intervention. We assessed participation rates, depressive symptoms, parenting discipline practices, social support, and parenting stress. Our results revealed that 32 caregivers participating in the intervention group had significantly greater improvement in self-reported parenting discipline practices compared to the 29 wait-list control group caregivers. We found no differences between groups in depressive symptoms, social support, or parenting stress. Our study demonstrated that the average attendance was poor (mean attendance = 3.7 sessions). We adapted an evidence-based parenting intervention for caregivers with depressive symptoms and toddlers in primary care; however, participation was challenging. Alternative intervention strategies are needed to reach and retain low-income caregivers with depression symptoms as they face multiple barriers to participation in groups within center-based services. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT01464619.
Pathogenicity of De Novo Rare Variants: Challenges and Opportunities.

Human molecular genetics has played a critical role in the discovery of novel disease pathways and identification of new targets for therapeutic development. The most significant advantage of this scientific field is its unique potentials to establish causal links between germline mutations and human diseases. This in turn has led to the identification of most relevant targets in humans for development of potent therapeutics. This general concept pertains mainly to single gene or so-called Mendelian disorders, which are largely caused by mutations that alter a protein structure or function and have sufficient power to independently cause disease. Before the advent of high-throughput sequencing, these variants were largely identified by positional cloning. Regardless of the tools used for their discovery, disease causality of Mendelian variants is primarily established by close to perfect segregation of the disease alleles with the trait in family-based studies. A major benefit of family-based studies is the common genetic background of the studied subjects, which allows circumventing the problem of population stratification. Selective pressures in direct relationship to the effect size and severity of disease alleles determine the allele frequencies. For instance, fitness-related traits are highly subjected to natural selection and are caused by variants with much lower allele frequencies compared with those that underlie late-onset diseases.1 In general, disease allele frequencies of Mendelian traits are low and at a fraction of their prevalence. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing, the ability to identify rare Mendelian variants has dramatically increased. The reducing cost of sequencing and its increased throughput have turned whole-exome sequencing and whole-genome sequencing to increasingly attractive genetic tools for Mendelian traits. The modern tools of whole-exome sequencing or whole-genome sequencing have facilitated discovery of novel rare variants for Mendelian disorders with previously unknown genetic causes. These, in turn, have led to the discovery …
Evaluating the contribution of differences in lean mass compartments for resting energy expenditure in African American and Caucasian American children.

BACKGROUND Resting energy expenditure (REE), adjusted for total lean mass (LM), is lower in African American (AA) than Caucasian American (CA) children. Some adult studies suggest that AA-CA differences in lean mass compartments explain this REE difference. Similar data are limited in children. OBJECTIVE To evaluate differences in compartment-specific lean mass between AA and CA children and examine the individual contributions of high-metabolic rate-at-rest trunk lean mass (TrLM) and low-metabolic-rate-at-rest appendicular lean mass (AppLM) for AA-CA differences in REE. METHODS We studied a convenience sample of 594 AA (n = 281) and CA (n = 313) children. REE was measured by using indirect calorimetry; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body composition. ANCOVAs were performed to examine AA-CA differences in TrLM, AppLM and REE. After accounting for age, sex, height, pubertal development, bone mass and adiposity, REE was evaluated adjusting for total LM (model A) and separately adjusting for TrLM and AppLM (model B). RESULTS African American children had greater adjusted AppLM (17.8 ± 0.2 [SE] vs. 16.0 ± 0.2 kg, p < 0.001) and lower TrLM (17.2 ± 0.2 vs. 17.7 ± 0.2 kg, p = 0.022) than CA children. REE adjusted for total LM was 77 ± 16 kcal/d lower in AA than CA (p < 0.001). However, after accounting separately for AppLM and TrLM, the discrepancy in REE between the groups declined to 28 ± 19 kcal/d (p = 0.14). In the adjusted model, both TrLM (p < 0.001) and AppLM (p < 0.027) were independently associated with REE. CONCLUSION In children, AA-CA differences in REE appear mostly attributable to differences in body composition. Lower REE in AA children is likely due to lower TrLM and greater AppLM.
Toward the Construction of an Integrated Genetic and Physical Map of Rice

Rice is the major staple food for about half the population of the world. Improvement of rice varieties with improved economic values, such as yield and grain quality, is very important to keep up with the population growth of the world, especially in Asia. So far, the genetic basis of several traits with economic importance as well as those with biological importance have been clarified by many rice geneticists and breeders. However, further analyses, at the molecular level, will be necessary for further improvement of rice varieties.
Sequential Tests for Composite Hypotheses

In practical situations, the simple null hypothesis is only a representative of a set of simple hypotheses and the same thing can be said about the simple alternative. This chapter discusses the problem of testing a composite hypothesis against a composite alternative. The compositeness of the hypotheses can arise from two situations: (1) the composite hypotheses are concerned with the parameters of interest and there are no nuisance parameters, and (2) the hypotheses might be simple or composite in the presence of nuisance parameters. Several analogs of Stein's two-stage test procedures have been presented for testing hypotheses about the mean of a normal population with unknown variance and with specified bounds on the error probabilities. These procedures are modifications of a procedure due to Baker. When sequential experimentation is feasible, they provide alternatives to the sequential normal test or the sequential t -test. The performance of the tests does not depend on the validity of any assumption regarding the variance. Unlike the t -test, these procedures do not require that the alternative hypothesis be specified in standard deviation units.
A Kohonen Self-Organizing Map Approach to Modeling Growth Pole Dynamics

Economic growth poles remain an important concept in regional development policy analysis. Recent attention has focused for example on the emergence and promotion of technopoles, or agglomerations of high technology activities within a region. This paper presents a neural network approach for analyzing these evolutionary processes. Kohonen self-organizing maps are used to simulate the spread and backwash effects associated with the emergence of regional growth poles. Unlike other models of growth pole development, which rely heavily on conventional economic theory, the approach outlined in this paper allows for increasing returns, multiple equilibria, `satisficing' behavior, imperfect information and stochasticity. The model could be used to explore spatio-temporal dynamics under different assumptions relating to industrial composition, interindustry linkages, and the spatial juxtaposition of firms (industries). The model is applied to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and the patterns of development that have arisen from the location behavior of high technology firms in this region.
Zur allgemeinen Theorie ser raschen Koagulation

Es werden die Grundlagen zu einer allgemeinen Theorie der raschen Koagulation entwickelt unter Benutzung der folgenden Postulate: Die Anwendung dieser Theorie auf stromungslose monodisperse Systeme fuhrt zu einer Theorie der Koagulation von Blattchen- und Stabchenkolloiden. Es zeigt sich, das Blattchenkolloide angenahert gleich koagulieren wie Sole mit Kugelteilchen, das dagegen stabchenformige Teilchen eine viel grosere Koagulationsgeschwindigkeit haben konnen. Es wird der Einflus der Polydispersitat der Sole untersucht und ein Zusammenhang zwischen der Verteilungskurve der Radien in einem Ausgangskolloid mit kugelformigen Teilchen und der Anfangstangente der Koagulationskurve abgeleitet. Angenahert monodisperse Systeme mussen innerhalb der Fehlergrenze der Messungen nach v. Smoluchowski koagulieren, stark polydisperse Systeme dagegen koagulieren rascher. Es wird der Einflus der Sedimentation und des Ruhrens diskutiert unter Berucksichtigung der Stokesschen Stromung um die bewegten Teilchen. Es ergibt sich, das diese Effekte nur die Koagulation groserer Teilchen beeinflussen, und es werden Formeln fur die minimalen Teilchenradien gegeben, fur die die Effekte beobachtet werden konnen.
On a Boolean Maximization Problem

Among all boolean functions f j of n variables, n = 2m + 1, the max min (f j • x i ) value of correlation between f j and the n independent binary variables xi, 1 ≤ i ≤ n, is (2m m ).2-2 m, which is uniquely achieved by f* = maj (x1,..., x n ), the majority decision function on the xi’s. This value is asymptotically less, by a factor\(\sqrt {\frac{\pi }{2}} \approx 1.2533\)of than is achieved by the real vector a* which Achieves\(\mathop {\mathop {\max }\limits_{|\alpha | = 1} \mathop {\min }\limits_i }\limits_ (\alpha \cdot {x_i}) = \frac{1}{{\sqrt n }}.\)
Germline CDKN2A mutation implicated in predisposition to multiple myeloma

Germline mutations of the CDKN2A(p16INK4A) tumor suppressor gene predispose patients to melanoma and pancreatic carcinoma. In contrast, mutations of the murine CDKN2A gene predispose BALB/c mice to pristane-induced plasmacytoma. We describe here a family in which a germline mutation of CDKN2A is present in 4 individuals who developed melanoma as well as in a fifth family member who is suffering from multiple myeloma. To determine whether the CDKN2A mutation predisposed the myeloma patient to her disease, we carried out loss of heterozygosity studies on sorted bone marrow from this individual and observed loss of the wild type CDKN2A allele in the malignant plasma cells. We suggest that germline mutations of CDKN2A may predispose individuals to a wider variety of malignancy than has been hitherto reported, but that the expression of these cancers may depend heavily on the genetic background of the patient.
Wireless Temperature Sensing Using Permanent Magnets for Nonlinear Feedback Control of Exothermic Polymers

Epoxies and resins can require careful temperature sensing and control in order to monitor and prevent degradation. To sense the temperature inside a mold, it is desirable to utilize a small, wireless sensing element. In this paper, we describe a new architecture for wireless temperature sensing and closed-loop temperature control of exothermic polymers. This architecture is the first to utilize magnetic field estimates of the temperature of permanent magnets within a temperature feedback control loop. We further improve performance and applicability by demonstrating sensing performance at relevant temperatures, incorporating a cure estimator, and implementing a nonlinear temperature controller. This novel architecture enables unique experimental results featuring closed-loop control of an exothermic resin without any physical connection to the inside of the mold. In this paper, we describe each of the unique features of this approach, including magnetic field-based temperature sensing, extended Kalman filtering for cure state estimation, and nonlinear feedback control over time-varying temperature trajectories. We use experimental results to demonstrate how low-cost permanent magnets can provide wireless temperature sensing up to $\sim 90^{\circ }C$ . In addition, we use a polymer cure-control testbed to illustrate how internal temperature sensing can provide improved temperature control over both short and long time-scales. This wireless temperature sensing and control architecture holds value for a range of manufacturing applications.
Improving Patient Care through Leadership Engagement with Frontline Staff: A VA Case Study

Both leadership support and staff involvement are essential to healthcare improvement. Leaders of healthcare delivery organizations need practical, reliable ways to engage with frontline staff such...
More Synchronous Peritoneal Disease but Longer Survival in Younger Patients with Carcinomatosis from Colorectal Cancer Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Colonoscopy to detect colorectal cancer (CRC) is recommended starting at age 50 years; however, CRC rates are increasing in the prescreening population. Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) has been proven effective in select patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from CRC, although it has not been evaluated specifically in patients < 50 years. CRC patients aged < 50 years at diagnosis undergoing CRS/HIPEC 2007–2017 were compared with those aged ≥ 50 years. Age distribution was analyzed in patients undergoing colectomy alone versus CRS/HIPEC for CRC 1993–2013. A total of 98 patients underwent CRS/HIPEC, of which 44% were < 50 years. Younger patients were more likely to present with synchronous peritoneal metastases (p = 0.050). Receipt of perioperative chemotherapy was comparable (p = not significant [NS]). Charlson Comorbidity Index and ECOG score were similar (p = NS). Tumor grade was similar (p = NS). Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index, total organs resected, and anastomoses created were comparable (p = NS). Major Clavien-Dindo morbidity and LOS were similar (p = NS). Younger patients survived longer after CRS/HIPEC (p = 0.011). Demographic data from patients undergoing colectomy (n = 225) and CRS/HIPEC (n = 98) showed that age < 50 years was increasingly common with the more aggressive procedure (9% and 44% respectively, p < 0.001). Younger patients with PC from CRC presented more often with peritoneal metastases at the time of diagnosis. Yet despite similar perioperative features at CRS/HIPEC, they survived longer than older patients. Patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC are overall younger than those undergoing index colectomy.
The code of the school: discipline, respect, and survival in primarily black high schools

Research on violence and culture highlights the presence of a street code that governs interpersonal communication and behavior in impoverished communities. I contribute to this literature by explo...
Mutual fund screening versus weighting

This paper develops a holdings-based measure of fund performance that distinguishes how fund managers weight stocks in their portfolios from how they screen the stocks they choose to hold. I find that screening decisions contribute negatively to the performance of a typical fund whereas portfolio weighting decisions contribute positively. In particular, screening decisions lower fund performance by 0.40% per year before costs. Weighting decisions contribute 0.72% in performance per year for a typical fund during 1980-2016. Even though the managers possess weighting ability, which in isolation suggests skill, when I also consider the ability to pick which stocks to hold, skill is no longer present. My results also suggest that fund managers could improve their performance by following a benchmark closer in terms of holdings but not in terms of weights.
Noninvasive characterization of in situ forming implant diffusivity using diffusion-weighted MRI.

Abstract In situ forming implants (ISFIs) form a solid drug-eluting depot, releasing drug for an extended period of time after a minimally-invasive injection. Clinical use of ISFIs has been limited because many factors affect drug release kinetics. The aim of this study was to use diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) to noninvasively quantify spatial-temporal changes in implant diffusivity in situ. ISFIs were formed using poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, with a molecular weight of either 15 kDa or 52 kDa, and fluorescein as the mock drug. Drug release, polymer erosion, polymer degradation, and implant diffusivity were analyzed in vitro over 21 days. DWI was also performed in vivo over 5 days. Spatial diffusivity maps of the implant were generated using DWI data. Results showed constant diffusivity at the implant shell ((1.17 ± 0.13) × 10−3 mm2/s) and increasing diffusivity within the interior over time (from (0.268 ± 0.081) × 10−3 mm2/s during day 1 to (1.88 ± 0.04) × 10−3 mm2/s at 14 d), which correlated with increasing porosity of the implant microstructure. Implants formed in vivo followed the same diffusivity trend as those in vitro. This study validates the use of DWI to provide novel functional information about implant behavior through its ability to noninvasively characterize transport properties within the implant both in vitro and in vivo.
General belief superiority (GBS): Personality, motivation, and interpersonal relations

This paper introduces general belief superiority (GBS)—the tendency for people to think their beliefs are superior to alternatives—and investigates its personological, motivational, and interperson...
Global Political Economy and Modernity: Four Paradigmatic Views

Any explanation of modernity is based on a worldview. The premise of this book is that any worldview can be associated with one of the four broad paradigms: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. This chapter takes the case of modernity and discusses it from the four different viewpoints. It emphasizes that the four views expressed are equally scientific and informative; they look at the phenomenon from their certain paradigmatic viewpoint; and together they provide a more balanced understanding of the phenomenon under consideration.
Clinician Perspectives on the Assessment of Short-Term Memory in Aphasia

Background: Verbal short-term memory (STM) and the related ability, working memory (WM), are widely understood to be integral components of language production and comprehension. However, assessmen...
Long non-coding RNAs in antiviral immunity

Tight regulation of the immune response is fundamental for efficient pathogen clearance and to prevent excessive inflammation. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as potent regulators of the innate and adaptive immune responses to viral pathogens. Host-derived lncRNAs control the differentiation and polarization of immune cell populations and the production of cytokines, interferons and antiviral factors. This review provides an updated overview of lncRNAs that modulate viral replication or pathogenesis. Beyond that, viruses have developed lncRNA-based strategies to mask themselves from immune detection and evade antiviral immunity. A deeper understanding of lncRNA biology in the context of host-pathogen interactions may unveil new treatment strategies in the near future.
Cross-language retrieval using HAIRCUT at CLEF 2004

JHU/APL continued to explore the use of knowledge-light methods for multilingual retrieval during the CLEF 2004 evaluation. We relied on the language-neutral techniques of character n-gram tokenization, pre-translation query expansion, statistical translation using aligned parallel corpora, fusion from disparate retrievals, and reliance on language similarity when resources are scarce. We participated in the monolingual and bilingual evaluations. Our results support the claims that n-gram based retrieval is highly effective; that fusion of multiple retrievals is helpful in bilingual retrieval; and, that reliance on language similarity in lieu of translation can outperform a high performing system using abundant translation resources and a less similar query language.
Sponsored Posts from Instagram Influencers and Purchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of the Perceived Value of Sponsored Posts

examine the impact of the Instagram users’ attitudes towards influencers on their attitudes towards sponsored posts on Instagram. This study further explores the mediating effects of the perceived value of sponsored posts on the relationship between attitudes towards influencers and attitudes towards sponsored posts, which in turn affects purchase intention.A structured online questionnaire was developed using Qualtrics and distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (M-Turk).A regression-based mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro and simple linear regression analysis were used to test hypotheses. The results of the study revealed that Instagram users’ attitudes towards influencers had a significant and positive impact on their attitudes towards sponsored posts on Instagram, which in turn affected purchase intention. The mediation analysis showed that the perceived value of a sponsored post—entertainment, credibility, or irritation—had significant mediating impact on the relationship between the user’s attitude towards the influencer and the users’ attitude towards the sponsored post. However, the perceived value of the informativeness of a sponsored post was not a significant mediator. The findings of this study provide real-world applications and guidelines for influencer marketing when advertising through sponsored posts on Instagram. The results of this study suggest that marketers and advertisers need to develop enjoyable, trustworthy, and non-irritating sponsored posts on Instagram that can generate a positive attitude towards the influencer and the sponsored posts, further positively affecting customers’ purchase intentions.
Factors associated with A1C reduction with GLP-1 agonist or SGLT-2 inhibitor use.

BACKGROUND While use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors reduces the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease outcomes and lowers glycosylated haemoglobin (A1C), evidence on patient characteristics associated with clinically relevant A1C reduction is lacking. OBJECTIVE The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to identify patient characteristics associated with A1C reduction with initial GLP-1 or SGLT-2 use. METHODS Patients with type 2 diabetes and a baseline A1C ≥7% who were dispensed a GLP-1 or SGLT-2 between 01/01/10 and 12/31/17 were included. Patients were categorized as having a ≥1% or <1% A1C reduction during the 90-365 days after GLP-1/SGLT-2 initiation. Patient characteristics were collected during the 180 days prior to initiation. Multivariable logistic and linear regression modelling was performed to identify characteristics associated with a ≥1% A1C reduction and absolute change in A1C, respectively. RESULTS Five hundred and seventy-two patients were included with 261 (46%) and 311 (54%) having and not having an ≥1% A1C reduction. Patients were primarily middle-aged, female, white, non-Hispanic and had a high burden of chronic disease. Characteristics associated with a ≥1% A1C reduction included: GLP-1/SGLT-2 persistence, congestive heart failure comorbidity, phentermine dispensing, care management team (CMT) enrollee and higher baseline A1C. Characteristics associated with absolute A1C reduction included: age, baseline A1C, CMT enrollee, GLP-1/SGLT-2 persistence and a phentermine dispensing. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study provide practitioners with guidance on the patients who are most likely to have a clinically relevant A1C reduction with GLP-1 or SGLT-2 use.
Hybrid multi-task learning-based response surface modeling in manufacturing

Abstract Response surface modeling is an essential technique for identifying the optimal input parameters in a process, especially when the physical knowledge about the process is limited. It explores the relationships between the process input variables and the response variables through a sequence of designed experiments. Conventional response surface models typically rely on a large number of experiments to achieve reliable modeling performance, which can be cost prohibitive and time-consuming. Furthermore, nonlinear input-output relationships in some processes may not be sufficiently accounted for by existing modeling methods. To address these challenges, this paper develops a new response surface modeling approach based on hybrid multi-task learning (H-MTL). This approach decomposes the variability in process responses into two components–a global trend and a residual term, which are estimated through self-learning and MTL of Gaussian process (GP), respectively. MTL leverages the similarities between multiple similar-but-not-identical GPs, thus achieving superior modeling performance without increasing experimental cost. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by a case study using experimental data collected from real-world ultrasonic metal welding processes with different material combinations. In addition, the hyperparameter selection, the effects of the number of tasks, and the determination of the stopping criterion are discussed in detail.
Ask Local: Explore a New Place Like Locals

In this paper, we explore the ways of utilizing wearable technologies and social networking to cultivate a medium of cultural exchange between local communities and travelers in order to preserve and share local cultures. As wearable devices emerge and become a mainstream technology, a massive amount of potentials rises to empower micro-cultural habitats to present genuine characteristics of cities and neighborhoods to visitors through introducing contextualized and just-in-time communication. We introduce AskLocal, a novel location-based assisting system that mediates the communication between visitors and locals, allowing visitors to make real-time queries using Google Glass, and gather the user-generated information provided by the local network. We developed and tested a prototype that allows tourists to ask questions with our Google Glass application and receive local’s answers on the device’s display. Proposed system allows visitors to communicate a particular context that they encounter such as wayfinding in the city or making decisions on leisure activities. User testing demonstrated that the prototype adds a new level of freedom that allows tourists to traverse an unfamiliar place while providing them personalized information. We argue that proposed system encourages strangers to engage in more genuine communications that can be utilized in specific cultural contexts including culinary tourism, micro-history, and local merchandise.
Ovarian Insulin-Like Growth Factor I: Basic Concepts Leading to Potential Clinical Outlets

Amongst potential novel intraovarian regulators, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) has been the subject of increasingly intense investigation1. Taken together, these studies strongly suggest the existence of an intraovarian autocrine control mechanism, wherein IGF-I may serve as the central signal, and the granulosa cell its site of production, reception, and action. In doing so, IGF-I may promote the replication and/or cytodifferentiation of the developing granulosa cell, acting largely (but not exclusively) as an amplifier of gonadotropin action. Furthermore, IGF-I (presumptively of granulosa cell origin) may also provide paracrine input to the adjacent theca-interstitial cell compartment in the interest of coordinated follicular development.
The Effect of Colored Overlays on Reading Fluency in Individuals with Dyslexia

Colored overlays, one type of tinted filter, are plastic reading sheets tinted with color and placed over text to eliminate or alleviate a wide range of reading difficulties such as low reading rate, accuracy, and comprehension. The effects of colored overlays on reading problems associated with dyslexia were investigated in this study via a multielement design. Reading fluency was assessed when participants read with and without colored overlays. Undifferentiated responding, or decreased accuracy, resulted across three participants, suggesting that colored overlays were ineffective and potentially detrimental to participants’ reading abilities. As a result, empirically validated reading techniques were implemented across individuals. These findings are discussed and recommendations are made in regards to the use of research-based reading interventions.
Vitamin D and the scientific calcium dogma: understanding the 'Panacea' of the sun.

The concept of systemic calcium regulation as the main action of vitamin D was developed nearly 1 century ago. It is still widely accepted, despite challenging evidence against it.
LNA design optimization with reference to ESD protection circuitry

Design of Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA) is usually done without considering the effect of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuitry, even though the protection circuitry is an essential and integral part of the system performance. In this paper, we demonstrate the importance of co-design of the protection circuitry and the LNA, with a theoretical derivation for optimization of LNA performance. Simulation, using TSMC 0.25um process, is used to validate the theory.
Does More Government Deficit Raise the Interest Rate? Application of Extended Loanable FundsModel to Slovenia

Extending the open-economy loanable funds model, this paper finds that more government deficit as a percentage of GDP does not lead to a higher government bond yield. In addition, a higher real Treasury bill rate, a higher expected inflation rate, a higher EU government bond yield, or an expected depreciation of the euro against the U.S. dollar would increase Slovenia’s long-term interest rate. The negative coefficient of the percentage change in real GDP is insignificant at the 10% level. Applying the standard closed-economy or open-economy loanable funds model without including the world interest rate and the expected exchange rate, we find similar conclusions except that the positive coefficient of the ratio of the net capital inflow to GDP has a wrong sign and is insignificant at the 10% level.
Reduction of Software Development Costs Under the Sombrero Distributed Single Address Space Operating System

Sombrero is a distributed single address space operating system (SASOS). DSM and persistence are part of the fundamental nature of a distributed SASOS because the common virtual address space is distributed, shared and persistent. We believe that the major reason for using a SASOS is that many useful applications would be less complex if written to run on a SASOS rather than under a conventional process-oriented multiple address space operating system (MASOS). This paper examines the potential for reduction in software complexity of applications developed under the Single Address Space Operating System Sombrero versus those developed under a conventional process-oriented operating system, Windows 2000. To test Sombrero‘s impact on development costs, a set of sample database applications with varying functionality was developed under Windows 2000 and Sombrero. Using accepted software engineering metrics, the software complexity of these systems was compared. The results obtained indicate a substantial reduction of software complexity and software development costs in a single address space environment such as that provided by Sombrero. Reasons for this based on the code required to perform the same tasks in the Sombrero and Windows 2000 environments are presented.
Boundary between Stable and Unstable Regimes of Accretion. Ordered and Chaotic Unstable Regimes

We present a study of the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable regime of accretion onto rotating magnetized stars in a set of high grid resolution three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations performed in low-viscosity discs. We find that the boundary between the stable and unstable regimes is determined almost entirely by the fastness parameter omega_s=Omega_star/Omega_K(r_m), where Omega_star is the angular velocity of the star and Omega_K(r_m) is the angular velocity of the Keplerian disc at the disc-magnetosphere boundary r=r_m. We found that accretion is unstable if omega_s 15 degrees. The results of these simulations can be applied to accreting magnetized stars with relatively small magnetospheres: Classical T Tauri stars, accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars, and cataclysmics variables.
Monopole-Instanton Type Solutions In 3D Gravity

Three dimensional Euclidean gravity in the dreibein-spin connection formalism is investigated. We use the monopole-instanton ansatz for the dreibein and the spin connection. The equations of motion are solved. We point out a two dimensional solution with a vanishing action.
Daily Intensive Care Unit Rounds: A Multidisciplinary perspective

The distinctive nature of the workflow in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), combined with the time sensitive nature and cognitive burden to the various providers make it an error prone environment. With the current proliferation of health information technology, it’s crucial to recognize and define the current practice needs to enable a successful integration of these technologies into the workflow. Our study aimed to define the objectives and tasks of ICU Multidisciplinary Rounds (MDR) activities and gain insight from different ICU providers regarding their perceived versus observed practice. We conducted a survey of healthcare providers in the Medical and Surgical ICU at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.A total of 105 surveys were distributed and 75 were collected, yielding a response rate of 71.5%.72% of providers identified designing or developing a plan of care, 23% mentioned data gathering, 16% team consensus, 12% patient and family interaction and 11% education Members of multidisciplinary ICU teams most often identified the development of a care plan as the purpose of morning MDRs. Interruptions and resource utilization were identified as the main interferences to task completion, where limiting interruptions, workflow changes and technology were the suggested solutions
Second time a charm? Remobilization of peripheral blood stem cells with plerixafor in patients who previously mobilized poorly despite using plerixafor as a salvage agent

Background Plerixafor is a recently introduced agent used to improve peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilization in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, some patients still cannot mobilize adequately even with plerixafor. Study design and methods We retrospectively reviewed the PBSC collections of 18 consecutive lymphoma and multiple myeloma patients, who had previously mobilized poorly despite the use of plerixafor and received plerixafor again during remobilization. Results During the first mobilization attempt, all 18 recombinant granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; two) or G-CSF plus chemotherapy-mobilized patients (16) had poor response to plerixafor, with peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ counts ranging from 0 to 7.48 × 10(6)/L after the first dose. They collected only 0.15 × 10(6) to 1.63 × 10(6) (median, 0.40 × 10(6)) CD34+ cells/kg after one to four collections. The median average daily yield was 0.24 × 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. Remobilization began 1 to 4 weeks later with G-CSF, plerixafor, and with (three) or without (15) cyclophosphamide. The PB CD34+ cell counts after the first dose of plerixafor were 3.04 × 10(6) to 127.54 × 10(6)/L (median, 14.58 × 10(6)/L). After one to four doses of plerixafor, each patient collected an additional 0.39 × 10(6) to 14.02 × 10(6) (median, 1.89 × 10(6)) CD34+ cells/kg, and the median daily average was 0.78 × 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. Cumulatively, after two rounds of collections, 15 collected more than 2.0 × 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. Thirteen have proceeded to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and successfully engrafted. Conclusion In patients who had responded poorly to the use of plerixafor as a mobilization salvage agent, response to remobilization with plerixafor for the second time was variable, but most (83.3%) patients were able to collect enough PBSCs to proceed to ASCT.