cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Securing sensor networks with location-based keys

Wireless sensor networks are often deployed in unattended and hostile environments, leaving individual sensors vulnerable to security compromise. The paper proposes the novel notion of location-based keys for designing compromise-tolerant security mechanisms for sensor networks. Based on location-based keys, we develop a node-to-node authentication scheme, which is able not only to localize the impact of compromised nodes within their vicinity, but also to facilitate the establishment of pairwise keys between neighboring nodes. Compared with previous proposals, our scheme has perfect resilience against node compromise, low storage overhead, and good network scalability. We also demonstrate the use of location-based keys in combating a few notorious attacks against sensor network routing protocols.
Fluidic manipulation for scalable stochastic 3D assembly of modular robots

One of the grand challenges of self-reconfiguring modular robotics is the assembly of a functional system from thousands of components. However, to date, only systems comprised of small numbers of modules have been demonstrated. One approach to scaling to large numbers of modules is to simplify module design by relieving the modules of the typical power, control, and actuation requirements necessary for locomotion. Assembly is accomplished by taking advantage of stochastic environmental motions to move the modules into place. Here we present an experimental system in which we assemble 3D target structures stochastically from simple, 15 mm-scaled components by manipulating the fluid flow in a 1.3 L tank. We also demonstrate fundamental assembly and repair operations experimentally, and discuss initial assembly statistics.
An Analysis of Cambodia's Trade Flows: A Gravity Model

This paper aims at investigating the important factors affecting Cambodia's trade flows to major 20 trading countries from 1994 to 2004. The analysis employs a gravity model with some modifications. Assuming that other factors are constant, the results indicate that the trade flows significantly depend on the economic sizes of both the exporting and importing countries and Cambodia appears to trade more with neighboring countries. In addition, the tests also detect the significant negative impact of exchange rate volatility on the trade flows as well as aggregate exports; however, there is little evidence that the depreciation of Cambodia's currency, the riel, affects its exports. Nonetheless, the tests using sub-period samples suggest that the positive impacts of bilateral exchange rate depreciation are found significant in sub-period I (1994-1998), but not in sub-period II (1999-2004). Finally, the paper also shows consistent findings that ASEAN membership play little role in boosting trade flows in the region; however, the results in sub-period II suggest that ASEAN membership helps improve border trade which suffered from Asian financial crisis.
Statistical timing analysis using bounds and selective enumeration

The growing impact of within-die process variation has created the need for statistical timing analysis, where gate delays are modeled as random variables. Statistical timing analysis has traditionally suffered from exponential run time complexity with circuit size, due to arrival time dependencies created by reconverging paths in the circuit. In this paper, we propose a new approach to statistical timing analysis which uses statistical bounds and selective enumeration to refine these bounds. First, we provide a formal definition of the statistical delay of a circuit and derive a statistical timing analysis method from this definition. Since this method for finding the exact statistical delay has exponential run time complexity with circuit size, we also propose a new method for computing statistical bounds which has linear run time complexity. We prove the correctness of the proposed bounds. Since we provide both a lower and upper bound on the true statistical delay, we can determine the quality of the bounds. If the computed bounds are not sufficiently close to each other, we propose a heuristic to iteratively improve the bounds using selective enumeration of the sample space with additional run time. The proposed methods were implemented and tested on benchmark circuits. The results demonstrate that the proposed bounds have only a small error, which can be further reduced using selective enumeration with modest additional run time.
Longer Network Lifetime When Using Energy Efficient GSP for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks usually sample their environment over an extended period, and therefore require long system lifetimes. The design of long lifetime networks in turn requires efficient sensor node circuits, algorithms, and protocols. However, many protocols turn on sensor radios to listen or receive data and then make a decision whether or not to relay it. One means of conserving energy is to not listen to or receive data, when it is not necessary. Protocols such as GSP (Gossip-based Sleep Protocol) mitigate energy consumption in idle listening and receiving, by turning off the receiver circuit. This paper evaluates the lifetime of various network sizes employing GSP. The largest percentage improvement in network lifetime occurs for smaller networks. On the other hand, the larger networks provide the higher average remaining energy
Serious Health Events and Discontinuation of Routine Cancer Screening

UNLABELLED Recently revised US Preventive Services Task Force screening guidelines for colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer contain separate recommendations for persons younger than 75 years and those 75 years or older. Developing an understanding of whether and how patients discontinue screening is important for evaluating the potential benefits and drawbacks of age-delimited screening recommendations as a tool for reducing overdiagnosis rates. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End RESULTS -Medicare data from 1998 to 2007, the authors identified a sample of 32,189 female and 27,669 male fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who received 2 consecutive breast or prostate screens, 1 year apart. They then estimated the impact of serious health events, such as heart attacks and strokes, on continuation of screening. Rescreening rates among beneficiaries who did not experience a serious health event were 78% for women and 82% for men. Rescreening rates among beneficiaries who experienced a serious health event were 55% for women and 57% for men. The rate ratios associated with a time-varying indicator for the 2-year period following a serious health event were 0.79 (95% confidence interval: 0.76 to 0.81); P < 0.001) for women and 0.87 (95% confidence interval: 0.85 to 0.89; P < 0.001) for men. Approximately one-third of patients and physicians discontinue or temporarily suspend screening for breast and prostate cancer following serious health events. Findings suggest that not all patients persist with screening until they die.
A survey of data multicast techniques, architectures, and algorithms

This article presents a survey of architectures, techniques, and algorithms for multicasting data in communication switching networks. We start with a broadcast architecture using a separate copy network and a routing network. A few versions of this idea using Delta and Benes networks exist. Another multicast architecture is a recycling network where internal nodes act as relay points, accept packets from the switching fabric, and recycle them back into the fabric after relabeling the packets. Next, we give an overview of a system that uses the Boolean splitting multicast algorithm. In this system a nonblocking self routing broadcast banyan copy network has been proposed. The network consists of several components including a running adder network to generate running sums of copy numbers specified in the headers of input packets. We then describe a multicasting technique presented for a different class of switching networks called deflection-routing networks. Finally, the idea of extending a nonblocking network to a three-dimensional structure consisting of multiple parallel planes is also presented. At the end of this article, we compare the efficiencies of the presented multicast architectures.
The effect of DNA sequence divergence on sexual isolation in Bacillus

We have investigated the relationship between sexual isolation and DNA sequence divergence in the transformation (at locus rpoB) of a naturally competent strain of Bacillus subtilis. Using both genomic DNA and a PCR-amplified segment of gene rpoB as donor, we found that the extent of sexual isolation at locus rpoB was closely predicted, over three orders of magnitude, as a log-linear function of sequence divergence at that locus. Because sexual isolation between a recipient and any potential donor may be determined as a general mathematical function of sequence divergence, transformation is perhaps the only sexual system, in either the prokaryotic or the eukaryotic world, in which sexual isolation can be predicted for a pair of species without having to perform the cross. These observations suggest the possibility of a general approach to the indirect prediction of sexual isolation in bacteria recombining principally by natural transformation.
Funding Community College Activities: A Senate and Presidential Comparison.

Members of the Virginia Senate and Virginia Community College presidents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with the importance of state funding for 31 potential community college activities. The responses of the groups were compared to identify areas of agreement and disagreement and to determine if congruence existed between the priorities for state funding of the activities. Although there was disagreement on some of the activities, both senators and presidents agreed that most should receive state funding. Furthermore, there was a high degree of congruence between priorities. Such agreement indicates good communication between community college leaders and state elected officials.
Health in the city: race, poverty, and the negotiation of women's health in New York City, 1915–1930

Utilizing internal documents of social workers, physicians, and nurses as well as medical journals and health records, historian Tanya Hart examines health care in New York City between 1915 and 19...
Assessment, Autonomy, and Elementary Social Studies Time.

Background/ContextIn an era of accountability and standardization, elementary social studies is consistently losing its curricular foothold to English/language arts, math, and science instruction.P...
Optical isolation in topological-edge-state photonic arrays.

We introduce a new type of optical isolator based on breaking time reversal symmetry in dissipative finite Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) waveguide arrays that support topological edge states at one end of the structure. In the forward propagation direction, light is launched into the edge waveguide to excite the localized topological midgap state. As a result, most of the input optical power is transmitted to the output port. On the other hand, backward reflected light encounters a propagation constant mismatch in that same channel which shifts the otherwise midgap state into one of the bands and hence becomes delocalized over the whole array. We show that under these conditions, a judicious spatial distribution of the optical dissipation across the structure can produce an isolation ratio of −50 dB. The required nonreciprocal phase shift is introduced by depositing a magnetic garnet film only on the edge waveguide and, thus, the required magnetic field can be generated by an integrated micromagnet. Similar concepts can also be applied to SSH arrays made from optical resonators.
Do CEO Activists Make a Difference? Evidence from a Field Experiment

Several CEOs are receiving significant media attention for taking public positions on controversial social and environmental issues largely unrelated to their core business, ranging from LGBT rights to race relations to gender equality to climate change. We provide the first evidence that such “CEO activism” can influence public opinion and consumer attitudes. Our field experiment examines the impact of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s public statements opposing a pending religious freedom law that critics warned would allow discrimination against same-sex couples. Our results confirm the influence of issue framing on public opinion and suggest that CEOs can sway public opinion, potentially to the same extent as prominent politicians. Moreover, Cook’s CEO activism increased consumer intentions to purchase Apple products, especially among proponents of same-sex marriage.
Myasthenia gravis and congenital myasthenic syndromes in dogs and cats: A history and mini-review

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission in which muscle weakness results from an autoantibody mediated depletion of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the neuromuscular junction. Myasthenia gravis occurs spontaneously in dogs and cats, and as in human MG, an autoimmune response against nicotinic AChRs has been demonstrated and autoantibodies against AChRs implicated in the pathogenesis. While both species are affected with MG, there are distinct differences in clinical presentations and frequency of spontaneous remission. Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) are hereditary disorders of neuromuscular transmission resulting in structural or functional defects of the neuromuscular junction. The clinical presentation and pathogenesis of a CMS in Jack Russell terriers was first described in the 1970's and 1980s and has since been reported in a few other breeds. Mutations have been reported in CHRNE, COLQ and CHAT in canine CMS. A form of COLQ deficient CMS has recently been reported in cats.
Determination of the mechanical properties of polysilicon thin films using bulge testing

Using standard deposition and micromachining techniques, silicon substrates with square and rectangular windows covered with membranes of polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) have been fabricated. Pressure-displacement curves obtained during the bulge testing of membranes with the above geometries have been used to determine the elastic constants E and {nu} of the polysilicon. The results obtained (E = 162 {+-} 4 GPa and {nu} = 0.19 {+-} 0.03) are in good agreement with literature values for bulk polycrystalline silicon.
Comparative Cluster Analysis for World Markets

This study demonstrates the application of the BC TRY system of cluster analysis for classifying world markets. A brief discussion of methodology is followed by analysis of data for 29 variables an...
Dicymolomia julianalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on Selected Hosts in Eastern and Middle Tennessee

The pyralid Dicymolomia julianalis (Walker) has an unusually diverse range of hosts. In this study, the life cycle, feeding habits, and biological control potential of D. julianalis were evaluated on 3 hosts (musk thistle, Carduus nutans L. ssp. leiophyllus (Petrovic) Stojanov & Stefanoff; the common bagworm, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth); and cattail, Typha spp.) at 3 sites in eastern and middle Tennessee. During this 2-yr study, 3 generations per year of D. julianalis were inferred. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (overwintering) generations occurred on cattail, dead or dying musk thistle, and within bagworm egg clusters, respectively. Second-generation individuals also were reared from cattail. Of these 3 hosts, cattail is believed to be the primary host of D. julianalis throughout the year in Tennessee. Infestation levels, averaged across all sites, were 11.6, 14.2, and 95.0% on musk thistle, bagworm, and cattail, respectively. Larvae of D.julianalis may simply feed as scavengers within seed heads of musk thistle and have limited effect on seed production and survival of musk thistle. However, D. julianalis may have potential as a biological control agent of bagworm.
Small-Scale Simulations Of Lattice Fracture

Many properties of rapid fracture may profitably be studied in atomic scale computer simulations involving relatively small numbers of atoms. A first result of such a study is that qualitative properties of Mode III fracture change little when one explores various shapes of the interparticle potential, introduction of randomness, and elevated temperatures. A second result is that Mode I fracture is considerably more susceptible to instability than had previously been understood, and that to obtain stable Mode I fracture may require non-central forces between atoms.
Transient response of high voltage transmission lines with drum type towers based on insulator rupture

In order to study the dynamic response of high voltage transmission lines with drum type towers under mechanical fault,the non-linear dynamic finite element model of a domestic 500kV high voltage transmission line system was established.The reliability of coupling system model was verified by static calculation results.Transient dynamic analysis method was proposed to analyze the variation law of dynamic response under insulator rupture,and the dynamic response of structural elements next to the broken span was calculated.The results show that the peak tension in the conductor of upper crossarm at suspension point exceeds the design value.Insulator rupture has no effect on tower component of upper crossarm,but it has significant influence on insulator tension of upper crossarm.The lower limit of longitudinal unbalanced tension of two and more than two bundle conductor is relatively small.Insulator rupture should be taken into account in the design for overhead transmission lines.The research results can provide the theoretical base for the design of transmission line.
Enteral Access: Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy, Gastrostomy–Jejunostomy, and Jejunostomy

Endoscopic approaches for enteral feeding access are often the preferred methods for long-term nutritional support. Compared to parenteral nutrition, enteral feeding provides physiological and structural benefits to the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn have systemic benefits. Additionally, endoscopic modalities are less invasive than surgical approaches, thereby reducing complication rates and duration of hospital stay. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was first introduced in 1980 and served as a cornerstone for the development of percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG-J), and percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ). These procedures are commonly performed today for patients with various chronic, traumatic, or malignant conditions and who are in need of nutritional support or decompression. Although enteral access provides many benefits, understanding its indications and limitations is critical for performing these procedures safely and effectively. This chapter provides an overview of current knowledge and practices in the rapidly evolving field of endoscopic enteral access, with emphasis on patient selection, preoperative considerations, technical conducts, and avoiding complications.
Feed and fuel: the dual‐purpose advantage of an industrial sweetpotato

Background: Sustainable agricultural systems must support nutritional requirements, meet the energy demands of a growing population, preserve environmental resources and mitigate climate change. The sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a high-yielding crop that requires minimal fertilization and irrigation, and the CX-1 industrial cultivar offers superior potential for feed and fuel.; Results: CX-1 had the highest agronomic fresh vine yield (51.5 t ha-1 ), averaged over two cropping seasons, compared with Hernandez (33.7) and Beauregard (21.8) varieties. CX-1 vines were more nutritional than the table varieties, specifically in regard to relative feed value (205), water-soluble carbohydrates (171 g kg-1 dry matter (DM)), total digestible nutrients (643 g kg-1 DM), metabolizable energy (10.2 MJ kg-1 DM) and organic matter digestibility. Their lower fiber and lignin concentrations contributed to their freshness and digestibility throughout maturity. Significantly higher iron concentrations make the CX-1 vines a valuable, low-fat iron supplement for animal feed. The CX-1 roots also showed the highest bioethanol potential (82.3 g ethanol kg-1 fresh root) compared to Hernandez (64.5) and Beauregard (48.1).; Conclusion: The CX-1 industrial sweetpotato is an ideal dual-purpose crop for tropical/subtropical climates that can be utilized as a non-grain-based feedstock for bioethanol production while contributing a valuable, high-yielding nutritional supplement for animal feed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Building Quantitative Skills in Geoscience Courses Using Homework Assignments of Increasing Difficulty

Diversity in mathematical preparation is common in quantitative geoscience courses, such as geophysics and hydrology. One way to handle this diversity is to design a sequence of homework assignments in which the mathematical difficulty increases progressively (“stepped homework”). The sequence of assignments for a typical quantitative course should include the following steps: 1) “plug-ins,” 2) algebraic manipulation, 3) graphing, 4) trigonometry and logarithms, 5) multistep problems, and 6) calculus and computer spreadsheets. Examples of problems from an introductory geophysics course are provided for each step. To be effective, this sequence must be coupled with ample opportunity for students who have difficulty to obtain assistance. Possible sources of assistance include tutoring by the instructor, working in a recitation section, and tutoring by peers. In a geophysics course that begins with seismology, a stepped homework sequence can be essentially completed by the end of that unit, leaving the stude...
Rare allele enrichment and detection by allele-specific PCR, competitive probe blocking, and melting analysis

Differential amplification of variant and wild-type alleles by PCR is often used for rare allele enrichment. We have combined allele-specific PCR, competitive probe blocking, asymmetric PCR, and me...
Nanoscale Junction Formation by Gas-Phase Monolayer Doping

A major challenge in transistor technology scaling is the formation of controlled ultrashallow junctions with nanometer-scale thickness and high spatial uniformity. Monolayer doping (MLD) is an efficient method to form such nanoscale junctions, where the self-limiting nature of semiconductor surfaces is utilized to form adsorbed monolayers of dopant-containing molecules followed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) to diffuse the dopants to a desired depth. Unlike ion implantation, the process does not induce crystal damage, thus making it highly attractive for nanoscale transistor processing. To date, reported MLD processes have relied on solution processing for monolayer formation. Gas-phase processing, however, benefits from higher intra- and interwafer uniformity and conformal coverage of 3D structures and is more desirable for manufacturing. In this regard, we report a new approach for MLD in silicon and germanium using gas-phase monolayer formation. We call this technology gas-phase monolayer doping (GP...
Invasibility of a fire-maintained savanna–wetland gradient by non-native, woody plant species

Abstract Fire-promoting, open-canopy ecosystems are under threat of conversion to a fire-deterring, closed-canopy condition due to woody encroachment. This conversion of vegetation structure has been fostered by introduced woody plant species. We performed a field experiment to quantify growth, survival, and establishment success of six invasive, woody species along a managed longleaf pine savanna–wetland gradient in the Sandhills of North Carolina, USA. We investigated the effects of prescribed fire, fire history, dispersal, and abiotic conditions on the invasibility of sites along the gradient. Across 18 study sites, seeds of the six woody species were sown using three sowing methods that mimicked primary and secondary dispersal; each site contained paired plots located in savanna and savanna-wetland ecotone vegetation communities. We identified sowing treatment, abiotic conditions, seedling size, and prescribed fire as important factors for controlling woody invasion, as they prevented 5 of 6 study species from establishing in the landscape. However, the landscape was not immune to invasion. At the end of the 42-month study period, three species had established in unburned sites. In sites burned after seedling emergence, only one species, Pyrus calleryana, survived and established. We found P. calleryana survival and establishment to be a function of seedling size, soil humic matter content, and sowing treatment. Successful invasion and establishment of woody individuals in open-canopied systems increases the likelihood of fire-deterrence and further woody encroachment, threatening ecosystem integrity.
The critical turn in human resources development

This chapter presents the evolution of the critical turn in human resource development (HRD). The chapter includes a description of theory, understanding the dynamic relationship of theory to practice, and an examination of the need for critical theory in a practitioner-focused field. A brief description of critical theory is provided to support other critical paradigms used in HRD such as feminist theory/critical feminist theory, the social justice paradigm, and queer theory. The discussion centres on the space these theories made for the creation of critical human resource development, and the inclusion of critical race theory which takes HRD in a more radical direction. The chapter concludes with implications for the field.
The Resistance Passed Through Here: Arabic Graffiti of Resistance, Before and After the Arab Uprisings

While no hegemony on a particular aesthetic can be claimed when addressing the Arab worlds, it is worth examining the different movements, localities, and the politico-religious imaginings of the past few decades to make sense of resistance and aesthetic value today. This chapter aims to explore graffiti and street art in Arab worlds in terms of spatiality, namely spaces and counter-spaces of resistance, and how they create counter-narratives, representational systems, and networks of solidarity. Construction of new collective memories in public, before and/or after the Arab uprisings, exhibits the fleeting nature of resistance and its prevailing impact in challenging systems of power and notions of social space.
Elementary Teachers’ Uses and Perceptions of Interactive Whiteboards for Instruction

This research examines several public school teachersâ€™ perceptions and usage of interactive whiteboards (IWBs). The study was conducted using the conceptual framework of Roger's (2003) theory of diffusion and innovation, Davisâ€™ (1989) technology acceptance model and Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behavior. Nine public school elementary teachers who used IWB technology in their classrooms for a full academic year were selected as the participants for this research study.Â The data were collected using two interviews over Skype or phone in conjunction with an analysis of lesson plans snapshots. The teachersâ€™ experiences were classified according to lesson development with IWBs, teaching using IWBs, and assessing students with IWBs . The teacherâ€™s perceptions were categorized as the successful integration of IWBs, pedagogical practices with IWBs, general issues with IWBs, and school support . The study concluded that overall teachers have positive attitudes towards IWBs and see integrating technology as a beneficial aid in their pedagogical practices. In addition, the participants identified the need for professional development, extra planning time for new lessons development, consistent technical support, and upgrades to the technology as essential elements for the successful implementation of IWBs in the classrooms. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.17.8.2
Infants Detect Patterns of Choices Despite Counter Evidence, but Timing of Inconsistency Matters

ABSTRACTUnderstanding others’ preference for a relational category of objects (e.g., prefer darker colored shirts) can be challenging for young children, as it involves comparison of choice options...
Immuno-oncology agent IPI-549 is a modulator of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, MDR1, ABCB1)-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer: In vitro and in vivo.

Abstract Phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma isoform (PI3Kγ) plays a critical role in myeloid-derived cells of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. IPI-549, a recently discovered small molecule selective PI3Kγ inhibitor, is currently under immuno-oncology clinical trials in combination with nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody immune checkpoint blocker. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether IPI-549 could reverse P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated MDR when combined with chemotherapeutic substrates of P-gp. Cytotoxicity assays showed that IPI-549 reverses P-gp-mediated MDR in SW620/Ad300 and LLC-PK-MDR1 cells. IPI-549 increases the amount of intracellular paclitaxel and inhibits the efflux of paclitaxel out of SW620/Ad300 cells. ABCB1-ATPase assay showed that IPI-549 stimulates the activity of ABCB1-ATPase. IPI-549 does not alter the expression and does not affect the subcellular localization of P-gp in SW620/Ad300 cells. The combination of IPI-549 with paclitaxel showed that IPI-549 potentiates the anti-tumor effects of paclitaxel in P-gp-overexpressing MDR SW620/Ad300 xenograft tumors. With clinical trials beginning to add newly approved immune checkpoint-based immunotherapy into standard-of-care immunogenic chemotherapy to improve patient outcomes, our findings support the rationale of adding IPI-549 to both the chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic aspects of cancer combination treatment strategies.
Effects of enzyme replacement therapy on bone density in late onset Pompe disease

Pompe Disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of α-glucosidase (GAA). The disease results in the accumulation of glycogen, a polysaccharide of glucose, in the smooth, cardiac, and skeletal muscles. Late Onset Pompe is mainlycharacterized by skeletal muscle glycogen accumulation, proximal muscle weakness, and early respiratory insufficiency. Many patients have also exhibited decreased bone density and fractures as symptoms of Pompe Disease Our cohort included 15 Pompe patients ranging from 21- 74 years on ERT for variable durations. We tested the progressive impact of ERT on osteopenia or osteoporosis by studying bone mineral by comparing the z and t-scores of hips and spine using DXA scans. Our results demonstrated that females had a 2.17 units lower average z-score of the lumbar spine and 0.563 units lower average z-score of their femurs compared to males. Increasing age also changed the bone dynamics, as a one-year increase in age of the patients led to a 0.09 unit score significant increase in lumbar z-scores (p=0.01) and a 0.042 unit score significant increase in femur z-scores (p=0.04). Additionally every one year duration of ERT treatment resulted in a 0.15 unit score increase in z-scores (p=0.01) of the lumbar spine. However the femur z-score only showed a 0.08 unit score increase after one year of treatment (p=0.10) Results overall, denote that ERT treatment shows a positive correlation with a lower risk of fractures resulting from osteoporosis. ERT was associated with an increase of the z-scores of .09 of the lumbar spine. Females were at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis compared to males. This study emphasizes the importance of early management and ERT to prevent osteopenia and bone fractures. A genotype-phenotype correlation and a larger study of Pompe subjects is needed to determine other variables
Circadian rhythms: a regulator of gastrointestinal health and dysfunction

Introduction: Circadian rhythms regulate much of gastrointestinal physiology including cell proliferation, motility, digestion, absorption, and electrolyte balance. Disruption of circadian rhythms ...
Hospital Volume Threshold for the Treatment of Retroperitoneal Sarcoma.

Background Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) are rare, histologically heterogeneous, and anatomically complex tumors. National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend evaluation and management by multidisciplinary teams with experience in sarcoma. Our aim was to determine an appropriate hospital volume threshold for the treatment of RPS. Patients and methods Patients undergoing resection of RPS were identified from the National Cancer Data Base (1998-2012). Multivariable modeling with restricted cubic splines was employed to examine the association between hospital volume and survival and identify possible hospital volume threshold. Results The study included 5,340 patients who underwent surgery at 909 different hospitals. Median annual volume was two cases per year. After adjustment, hospital volume was associated with improved survival (p=0.01), without cutoff. The cohort was then grouped into: Low-volume (≤5 cases/year), intermediate-volume (6-10 cases/year), and high-volume (>10 cases/year). The majority of patients were treated in low-volume hospitals (86%), compared to 9% in intermediate- and 5% in high-volume centers; 44% of patients were treated in hospitals that performed one case per year. Compared to low-volume, high-volume hospitals more often had patients with high-grade and larger tumors. Adjusted 90-day mortality was significantly lower in high- vs. low-volume hospitals (odds ratio(OR)=0.25, p=0.02). With adjustment, treatment in high- vs. low-volume hospitals was associated with lower odds of margin positivity (OR=0.58, p=0.001), and improved overall survival (hazard ratio(HR)=0.61, p=0.002). Conclusion Treatment of RPS in high-volume centers is associated with significant reduction in short-term mortality and improved long-term survival. Hospital volume may be a surrogate for the infrastructure and support necessary for the optimal management of these complex malignancies.
Ontología corpórea moche: construyendo y experimentando a los ancestros

El cuerpo ha sido siempre un concepto omnipresente en la arqueologia. A pesar de ello, este, como categoria analitica, ha sido muy poco problematizado y, aun mucho menos, teorizado. Esta falencia es particularmente notoria en la arqueologia andina. Este articulo se inserta dentro de las discusiones del giro ontologico en la arqueologia y analiza como este nuevo paradigma brinda herramientas teoricas para un entendimiento alternativo del cuerpo humano, sus fronteras y sus diversas formas de manifestarse en el mundo social y material. Utilizo el perspectivismo amerindio de Viveiros de Castro para reevaluar los datos arqueologicos del cementerio moche de San Jose de Moro y, asi, proponer una ontologia corporea moche bajo la cual el cuerpo es entendido como una entidad en perpetuo cambio, con caracteristicas relacionales y con propiedades de transubstanciacion. Analizo datos arqueologicos recuperados tanto de los patios funerarios de San Jose de Moro, como de su zona monumental. Argumento que el fuego estuvo intimamente ligado a los ritos de ancestralidad en el sitio, los mismos que tuvieron como finalidad la conversion fisica y metafisica del cuerpo de determinados individuos en entidades ancestrales. Presto particular atencion a la ontologia de la materia rigida, la cual se manifiesta en las representaciones (simulacra) de ancestros, las mismas que se hallan distribuidos a lo largo del cementerio. En las etnografias andinas, objetos similares estan cargados de una esencia vital, un sami, el cual se transfigura, transmuta y ejerce influencia en el mundo social y natural de los pobladores andinos.
Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Asthma Exacerbation: A Population-Based, Self-Controlled Case Series Study

Background Patients with asthma have a high incidence of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Objective To investigate the acute effect of asthma exacerbation on these cardiovascular events. Methods Using population-based inpatient data of 3 geographically diverse US states (Florida, Nebraska, and New York) during the period 2011 to 2014, we conducted a self-controlled case series study of adults (aged ≥40 years) hospitalized with asthma exacerbation. The primary outcome was a composite of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. We used conditional Poisson regression to compare each patient's incidence rate of the outcome during 3 sequential risk periods (1-7, 8-14, and 15-28 days after asthma exacerbation) with that of the reference period (ie, summed period before and after the 3 risk periods). Results We identified 4607 adults hospitalized for asthma exacerbation who had a first episode of acute myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke. During the reference period, the incidence rate of acute myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke was 25.0/100 person-years. Compared with the reference period, the incidence rate significantly increased during the first risk period (129.1/100 person-years), with a corresponding adjusted incidence rate ratio of 5.04 (95% CI, 4.29-5.88; P Conclusions In this population-based study of adults with asthma, the risk of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke increased significantly after asthma exacerbation.
Echocardiographic Diastolic Stress Testing: What Does It Add?

Diastolic stress echocardiography may help facilitate the attribution of exertional dyspnea to cardiac and non-cardiac disease. It represents a non-invasive hemodynamic test to assess the patients with unexplained dyspnea. It can improve the diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or diastolic heart failure. A number of studies have validated exercise E/e′ as a measure of left ventricular (LV) filling pressure against invasively measured LV filling pressure using simultaneous exercise echocardiography-catheterization studies. Addition of E/e′ during exercise echocardiography improved sensitivity for diagnosis of HFpEF compared with resting assessment alone, and its specificity can be improved if tricuspid regurgitation velocity also increases above the normal range with exercise. The independent prognostic value of exercise E/e′ has also been well delineated in a number of studies. Diastolic stress exercise echocardiography should be considered for all patients with unexplained or exertional dyspnea and normal diastolic filling pressure or grade 1 diastolic dysfunction on resting echocardiography. Addition of diastolic assessment with exercise echocardiography improves the sensitivity of the test in patients with dyspnea and there are sufficient data to integrate diastolic exercise test into our clinical practice.
Scenarios for Integrating IPS–IMU System with BIM Technology in Construction Safety Control

AbstractOccupational health and safety are the highest priorities in the construction industry. A significant amount of effort has been expended to address and improve site safety. Nevertheless, th...
A simple knowledge‐based tool for stereotactic radiosurgery pre‐planning

We studied the dosimetry of single-isocenter treatment plans generated to treat a solitary intracranial lesion using linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). A common metric for evaluating SRS plan quality is the volume of normal brain tissue irradiated by a dose of at least 12 Gy (V12), which is important because multiple studies have shown a strong correlation between V12 and incidence of radiation necrosis. Unrealistic expectations for values of V12 can lead to wasted planning time. We present a model that estimates V12 without having to construct a full treatment plan. This model was derived by retrospectively analyzing 50 SRS treatment plans, each clinically approved for delivery using circular collimator cone arc therapy (CAT). Each case was re-planned for delivery via dynamic conformal arc therapy (DCAT), and then scaling arguments were used to extend dosimetric data to account for different prescription dose (PD) values (15, 18, 21, or 24 Gy). We determined a phenomenological expression for the total volume receiving at least 12 Gy (TV12) as a function of both planning target volume (PTV) and PD: T V 12 / 1 c c = n ∗ P D / 1 G y + d ∗ P T V / 1 c c a ∗ P D / 1 G y c , where a , c , n , d are fit parameters, and a separate set of values is determined for each plan type. In addition, we generated a sequence of plots to clarify how the relationship between conformity index (CI) and TV12 depends on plan type (CAT vs DCAT), PTV, and PD. These results can be used to suggest realistic plan parameters and planning goals before the start of treatment planning. In the absence of access to more sophisticated pre-planning tools, this model can be locally generated and implemented at relatively low cost with respect to time, money, and expertise.
Constitutive and Plastic Gene Expression Variation Associated with Desiccation Resistance Differences in the Drosophila americana Species Group.

Stress response mechanisms are ubiquitous and important for adaptation to heterogenous environments and could be based on constitutive or plastic responses to environmental stressors. Here we quantify constitutive and plastic gene expression differences under ambient and desiccation stress treatments, in males and females of three species of Drosophila known to differ in desiccation resistance. Drosophila novamexicana survives desiccation trials significantly longer than the two subspecies of Drosophila americana, consistent with its natural species range in the desert southwest USA. We found that desiccation stress reduces global expression differences between species—likely because many general stress response mechanisms are shared among species—but that all species showed plastic expression changes at hundreds of loci during desiccation. Nonetheless, D. novamexicana had the fewest genes with significant plastic expression changes, despite having the highest desiccation resistance. Of the genes that were significantly differentially expressed between species—either within each treatment (>200 loci), constitutively regardless of treatment (36 loci), or with different species-specific plasticity (26 loci)—GO analysis did not find significant enrichment of any major gene pathways or broader functions associated with desiccation stress. Taken together, these data indicate that if gene expression changes contribute to differential desiccation resistance between species, these differences are likely shaped by a relatively small set of influential genes rather than broad genome-wide differentiation in stress response mechanisms. Finally, among the set of genes with the greatest between-species plasticity, we identified an interesting set of immune-response genes with consistent but opposing reaction norms between sexes, whose potential functional role in sex-specific mechanisms of desiccation resistance remains to be determined.
Physician Burnout Quality of Life/ Wellness Resource Pilot Program

Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of low personal accomplishment that leads to decreased effectiveness at work (American Journal of Medicine, 2003). Despite the efforts to combat burnout, the number of U.S. physicians who experience burnout rose from 45 percent to over 50 percent between 2011 and 2014 (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2015). The purpose of this quality improvement evidence-based capstone project was to determine whether a physician wellness pilot program can reduce and or eliminate burnout and stress for practicing physicians at an acute care healthcare institution in the Chicago metropolitan area. The capstone project consisted of a pre-intervention survey, an intervention and a post intervention survey. The participants targeted for this evidence-based project were practicing physicians in Illinois that span across all specialty groups. The physician burnout wellness pilot program was implemented during a two-week period of time during which participants were provided with resources to reduce and or eliminate symptoms of burnout. The implementation of the physician wellness pilot program capstone project showed the physicians at this organization were less stressed and more satisfied with their job at (0.555) percent compared to pre intervention survey results that faired (0.77) and that of the national average of (0.80). Additionally, the post intervention survey results showed the physicians at this organization are experiencing a lower level of burnout (0.44) percent compared to pre intervention survey results that faired (0.53), but a higher level of burnout compared to the national average (0.29). Physician burnout is an epidemic that requires immediate attention because it not only effects the physicians, but it effects the healthcare system. As such, regardless of the specialty and demographics of the physicians, organizations and physicians alike must do their part in assessing if burnout exists. The findings showed the importance of physicians being able to recognize the warning signs of burnout, encourage them to seek help when they are stressed, and take active steps towards ridding or reducing burnout. The findings were compatible with evidence-based research that supports building physician resilience by way of the development of a wellness program.
Analysis of the Predicting Neural Network Person Recognition System by Picture Image

The article discusses the capabilities of intelligent biometric systems of human authentication on the example of face recognition in security surveillance systems on a ship using the mathematical apparatus of artificial neural networks (NN). Analyzed traditional approaches in the field of facial recognition and revealed their features. The structure of a neural network facial recognition system using a computer vision system is proposed. Simulation experiments were conducted to test the performance of a trained NN when a sample was presented and the effect of interference on it, as well as the ability to predict changes in the parameters of a person, taking into account human aging factors. The results of the work of the National Assembly showed the prospects of the proposed approach.
Singular perturbations for the two-dimensional viscous flow problem

This paper is concerned with the validity of the method of matched inner and outer expansions for treating the two-dimensional steady flow of a viscous, incompressible fluid past an arbitrary obstacle. In particular, it is shown that the force exerted on the obstacle by the fluid admits the asymptotic representation: $$\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{F} = 4\pi \{ \underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{A} _1 (logR)^{ - 1} + \underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{A} _2 (logR)^{ - 2} \} + {\rm O}((logR)^{ - 3} )$$ as the Reynolds number R→0+, where Ai's are constant vectors which are the same as those obtained by the matching procedure formulated previously by the authors. This asymptotic representation formula agrees also, up to terms of O((log R)−2), with the expression from the solution of the complete Oseen boundary-value problem; in fact, it is seen that these calculations are as accurate as those from the Oseen solution, since the Oseen solution is no longer a valid approximation to the solution of the viscous flow problem for terms of order higher than (log R)−2. Proofs involve simple layer potentials and asymptotic estimates for solutions of various linearized Navier-Stokes equations.
A Look At Multilevel Splitting

This paper gives a non-technical overview of our work on the efficiency of a simple multilevel splitting technique for estimating rare event probabilities. For a particular class of stochastic models, this method is asymptotically optimal provided the splitting factor is properly chosen. However, for more general classes of processes, the method fails to be asymptotically optimal unless the splitting is done in a manner consistent with the dominant way in which the rare event happens (the large deviations behavior). In the absence of such consistency, the method also exhibits a kind of bias in which the estimate is too small with high probability. We briefly contrast our approach with one used in nuclear physics.