cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial Fault Diagnosis of Rolling Bearing Based on Support Vector Machine

Aim at the problem of lacking fault data on aero-engine fault diagnosis,a rolling bearing initial fault diagnosis method based on support vector machine and wavelet packet is proposed.Through a finite learning samples,the function relationship between the initial fault character and it's running state is established based on Structural Risk Minimization,which is so-called faults classifier.By the faults classifier's output,the type of rolling bearing initial fault is determined.The experiment shows that wavelet packet analysis can extract the initial fault character effectively and the support vector machine method can identify those initial faults of rolling bearing correctly.
RTRB-23SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF PERMITTIVITY AND CONDUCTIVITY ON ALTERNATING ELECTRIC FIELDS THERAPY FOR RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA

BACKGROUND: The NovoTTF Therapy device uses two pairs of arrays to deliver frequency-tuned alternating electric fields at 200 kHz to treat recurrent glioblastoma. Although its efficacy is equivalent to chemotherapies, the precise distribution of the electric fields within the brain remains poorly understood. METHODS: We performed computerized simulation to determine the electric field distribution inside a patient's brain with a right parietal recurrent glioblastoma, using co-registered post-gadolinium T1-weighted, T2 and MP RAGE MRI images together with pre-specified relative permittivity and conductivity values for each of the cerebral structures. RESULTS: We found higher field strength at the scalp surface, ventricular horns and the medial surface of the tumor. Because the mass density and charges may vary among tumors, particularly when there is variation on the cystic make-up of the necrotic tumor, we performed a sensitivity analysis to investigate the relative contribution of permittivity and conductivity parameters to changes in the electric field distribution. Within the solid portion of the gross tumor volume (GTV), we found no variation in electric field strength from changes in permittivity from 0.001-10,000, mean electric field strength from 81.156 to 78.854 V/m, but marked variation from changes in conductivity from 0.001-100 S/m, mean electric field strength from 131.22 to 1.1463 V/cm. Within the necrotic core of the GTV, we also found no variation in electric field strength from changes in permittivity from 0.001-10,000, mean electric field strength from 39.456 to 40.180 V/m, but again marked variation from changes in conductivity from 0.001-100 S/m, mean electric field strength from 43.074 to 7.2933 V/cm. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that conductivity of the tumor plays a greater role than permittivity in the electric field distribution from NovoTTF Therapy.
Introduction of an Area Deprivation Index Measuring Patient Socio-economic Status in an Integrated Health System: Implications for Population Health

Introduction: Intermountain Healthcare is a fully integrated delivery system based in Salt Lake City, Utah. As a learning healthcare system with a mission of performance excellence, it became apparent that population health management and our efforts to move towards shared accountability would require additional patient-centric metrics in order to provide the right care to the right patients at the right time. Several European countries have adopted social deprivation indices in measuring the impact that social determinants can have on health. Such indices provide a geographic, area-based measure of how socioeconomically deprived residents of that area are on average. Intermountain’s approach was to identify a proxy measure that did not require front-line data collection and could be standardized for our patient population, leading us to the area deprivation index or ADI. This paper describes the specifications and calculation of an ADI for the state of Utah. Results are presented along with introduction of three use cases demonstrating the potential for application of an ADI in quality improvement in a learning healthcare system. Case Description: The Utah ADI shows promise in providing a proxy for patient-reported measures reflecting key socio-economic indicators useful for tailoring patient interventions to improve health care delivery and patient outcomes. Strengths of this approach include a consistent standardized measurement of social determinants, use of more granular block group level measures and a limited data capture burden for front-line teams. While the methodology is generalizable to other communities, results of this index are limited to block groups within the state of Utah and will differ from national calculations or calculations for other states. The use of composite measures to evaluate individual characteristics must also be approached with care. Other limitations with the use of U.S. Census data include use of estimates and missing data. Conclusion: Initial applications in three meaningfully different areas of an integrated health system provide initial evidence of its broad applicability in addressing the impact of social determinants on health. The variation in socio-economic status by quintile also has potential for clinical significance, though more research is needed to link variation in ADI with variation in health outcomes overall and by disease type.
XDMS-Network Address Book enabler

Various network functions such as, Presence, Push to Talk Over Cellular (PoC), Instant Messaging (IM), etc. need to access and manipulate personal, group and professional information owned by the end users from multiple places (home, work, travel, etc.) and devices (mobile phones, PDA, computers, network, etc.). These information (contacts, calendars, task list, notes or files) are not always composed of pure lists, but can be a combination of lists together with other properties define an end-userpsilas personalization of service behaviour. The XML Document Management Server -Network Address Book (NAB) enabler provides documents that can be shared by multiple enablers in real time and a common data synchronization framework for synchronizing data on network devices.
Successful weight loss maintainers use health-tracking smartphone applications more than a nationally representative sample: comparison of the National Weight Control Registry to Pew Tracking for Health.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to evaluate successful weight loss maintainers' use of self-monitoring technology. METHODS National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) participants, who maintained a ≥13.6 kg weight loss for ≥1 year, completed an online survey about self-monitoring technology use. The NWCR sample (n = 794) was compared with a demographically similar subsample of 833 individuals answering the same questions in the Pew Tracking for Health Survey. RESULTS The NWCR had higher rates of tracking weight, diet or exercise using any modality (92.8% vs. 71.3%), on a regular basis (67.4% vs. 41.3%), and frequency of updating records, compared with Pew (ps < .01). Smartphone ownership was higher in NWCR participants (80.2% vs. 52.8%, p < .001), and NWCR smartphone owners had 23.1 times greater odds for using diet, food or calorie counter apps (58.9% vs. 5.9%) and 15.5 times greater odds for using weight monitoring apps (31.7% vs. 3.0%; all ps < .01). Pew respondents more often changed their behaviour based on their tracking data (ps < .01). CONCLUSION Use of self-monitoring technology is common in weight loss maintainers: more so than in a nationally representative sample. However, the national sample more often changed their behaviour based on tracking data, perhaps suggesting that weight loss maintainers could derive additional benefit from technology they are already using.
Abstract A32: Targeting c-Met by Pterostilbene (PTER) suppresses breast cancer brain metastasis

At the late stage of breast cancer, most patients develop metastatic lesions and the brain is one of the major metastatic sites. Brain metastasis profoundly affects the cognitive and sensory function as well as morbidity of patients, and the one year survival rate among these patients remains less than 20%. The result of our newly developed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA)-based pathway screening indicates that c-Met pathway is highly activated among the patients who developed early brain metastasis. To identify a novel target of c-Met pathway in brain metastasis, we performed the microarray analysis in two brain metastatic cell lines with the expression of doxycycline-inducible sh-cMet. Our results indicate that a group of inflammatory cytokines including IL1β, IL8 and CXCL1 were significantly induced by c-Met activation. Furthermore, we found that IL1β was able to induce the secretion of HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) from tumor associated astrocytes (TAA) which in turn activates c-Met pathway in cancer cells. Our results of endothelial cell tube formation assays also strongly suggest that c-Met-induced IL8 and CXCL1, promote tumor angiogenesis which is essential for the metastatic growth of cancer cells. Natural compounds (NC) have been extensively studied for their anti-tumor effects. However, much less studies have been done on NC for the treatment/prevention of brain tumors mainly due to the obstacle of Blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability. To identify the NCs that can be used for treating brain metastasis, we performed pathway analysis which only focused on BBB-permeable NC. The results of GSEA indicate that Resveratrol-targeting genes were significantly enriched among those patients who developed brain metastasis compared to metastasis-free patients. Furthermore, we found that the one of derivatives of Resveratrol, Pterostilbene (PTER), showed significantly more potent activity than Resveratrol and suppressed brain metastasis in vitro and in vivo by targeting the c-Met oncogene. These findings suggest that TAA-mediated c-Met activation plays a key role in brain metastasis and that PTER is a potential therapeutic agent to treat brain metastasis by suppressing the c-Met expression. Citation Format: Fei Xing, Sambad Sharma, Yin Liu, Kerui Wu, Kounosuke Watabe. Targeting c-Met by Pterostilbene (PTER) suppresses breast cancer brain metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A32.
Neonatal therapeutic hypothermia outside of standard guidelines: a survey of U.S. neonatologists

Aim Therapeutic hypothermia is standard of care in term infants with moderate-to-severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The goal of this survey was to explore the attitudes of U.S. neonatologists caring for infants with HIE who fall outside of current guidelines. Method Case-based survey administered to members of the Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine of American Academy of Pediatrics. Results 447 responses were analyzed, i.e. a response rate of 19%. We found significant variability amongst U.S. neonatologists with regards to the use of therapeutic hypothermia for infants with HIE who fall outside standard inclusion criteria. Scenarios with the most variability included HIE in a late-preterm infant and HIE following a postnatal code. Provision of therapeutic hypothermia outside of standard guidelines was not influenced by number of years in practice, neonatal intensive care type (NICU) type or NICU size. Conclusion Significant variability in practice exists when caring for infants with HIE who do not meet standard inclusion criteria, emphasizing the need for continued and rigorous research in this area This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Patient Expectations and Preferences in the Spinal Surgery Clinic.

Background Managing patient expectations is essential in the treatment of patients undergoing spinal surgery. Patient satisfaction is associated with improved clinical outcomes and can be improved when patient and surgeon expectations are aligned and patient preferences are met. Methods Patients presenting to clinic for management of spinal disease were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing demographics, current pain, reason for visit, and expectations and preferences surrounding the clinic experience. Variables were compared with χ 2 tests to determine factors associated with patient expectations. Subsets of new patients and returning patients were compared by the use of matched pair tests. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare means of clinic expectations in patients depending on their level of education. Results A total of 240 patients were included. New patient evaluation was the most common reason for evaluation (26.6%), and pain relief was the most common chief concern (39.3%). Patients preferred their surgeon wash their hands in the room instead of before entering ( P P P = 0.002), they will spend longer in clinic than they should ( P = 0.03), and they will get less face-to-face time with their surgeon than they should ( P P = 0.02). Conclusions Because spine surgery is largely elective, patients often seek treatment to improve quality of life and alleviate subjective symptoms. Understanding patient expectations is critical to ensure that patients and physicians are working toward similar goals.
IgG4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis of the spine with MPO-ANCA seropositivity

IgG4-related disease is an immune-mediated fibro-inflammatory condition that affects multiple organ systems. When the pachymeninges are involved, it is termed IgG4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IgG4-RHP). We present a 79-year-old woman with back pain found to have IgG4-RHP localized exclusively in the spine who was also seropositive for myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (MPO-ANCA). This case is the first known report of IgG4-RHP in the spine with MPO-ANCA and adds to emerging evidence for potential disease overlap in the pathogenesis of hypertrophic pachymenigitis (HP). We believe that increased awareness of this disease will result in an early diagnosis and initiation of life changing treatment.
Eating disorders: Insights from imaging and behavioral approaches to treatment:

Understanding factors that contribute to eating disorders, which affect 13% of females, is critical to developing effective prevention and treatment programs. In this paper, we summarize results from prospective studies that identified factors predicting onset and persistence of eating disorders and core symptom dimensions. Next, implications for intervention targets for prevention, and treatment interventions from the risk- and maintenance-factor findings are discussed. Third, given that evidence suggests eating disorders are highly heritable, implying biological risk and maintenance factors for eating disorders, we offer working hypotheses about biological factors that might contribute to eating disorders, based on extant risk factor findings, theory, and cross-sectional studies. Finally, potentially fruitful directions for future research are presented. We suggest that it would be useful for experimental therapeutics trials to evaluate the effects of reducing the risk factors on future onset of eating pathology and on reducing maintenance factors on the risk for persistence of eating pathology, and encourage researchers to utilize prospective high-risk studies so that knowledge regarding potential intervention targets for prevention and treatment interventions for eating disorders can be advanced. Using the most rigorous research designs should help improve the efficacy of prevention and treatment interventions for eating disorders.
Patents, Products, and Public Health: An Analysis of the Cell Pro March-In Petition

The Bayh-Dole Act allows recipients of federal funding to commercialize their inventions. Funding recipients can obtain title to government-funded inventions, patent and license them, and seek and retain royalties from licensing. While providing broad discretion to funding recipients in managing inventions that arise from government funding, the Bayh-Dole Act also includes certain public protection provisions. One such provision calls for mandatory licensing under certain conditions. Commonly known as ?march-in,? this provision was invoked in a formal petition to the United States Department of Health and Human Services by a small start-up biotechnology company (CellPro) that sought to obtain a license to practice a certain stem-cell separation technology that had been invented at the Johns Hopkins University under a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). CellPro had been found liable for willful infringement of the Hopkins patents, and argued that government action was necessary to alleviate health or safety needs, since, infringement or not, it had the only FDA approved product on the market. Alternatively, CellPro argued that Hopkins and its exclusive licensee had failed to take reasonable steps to commercialize the technology. Ms. McGarey and Ms. Levey provide an overview of the march-in authority and its implementing regulations. Using the CellPro/NIH example as a case study, they examine the power and limitations of the march-in provision. Specifically, they articulate several legal and public policy issues illuminated by the CellPro case, and propose that the greatest value of the march-in authority may well arise from the threat it poses and the resulting incentives for funding recipients to ensure appropriate commercialization of Federally funded inventions.
Rhetoric and the Arts of Design. by David S. Kaufer and Brian S. Butler

(1998). Rhetoric and the Arts of Design. by David S. Kaufer and Brian S. Butler. Argumentation and Advocacy: Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 89-93.
Spectral resolution and high-flux capability tradeoffs in CdTe detectors for clinical CT.

Purpose Photon-counting detectors using CdTe or CZT substrates are promising candidates for future CT systems but suffer from a number of nonidealities, including charge sharing and pulse pileup. By increasing the pixel size of the detector, the system can improve charge sharing characteristics at the expense of increasing pileup. The purpose of this work is to describe these considerations in the optimization of the detector pixel pitch. Methods The transport of x rays through the CdTe substrate was simulated in a Monte Carlo fashion using GEANT4. Deposited energy was converted into charges distributed as a Gaussian function with size dependent on interaction depth to capture spreading from diffusion and Coulomb repulsion. The charges were then collected in a pixelated fashion. Pulse pileup was incorporated separately with Monte Carlo simulation. The Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of the measurement variance was numerically estimated for the basis material projections. Noise in these estimates was propagated into CT images. We simulated pixel pitches of 250, 350, and 450 microns and compared the results to a photon counting detector with pileup but otherwise ideal energy response and an ideal dual-energy system (80/140 kVp with tin filtration). The modeled CdTe thickness was 2 mm, the incident spectrum was 140 kVp and 500 mA, and the effective dead time was 67 ns. Charge summing circuitry was not modeled. We restricted our simulations to objects of uniform thickness and did not consider the potential advantage of smaller pixels at high spatial frequencies. Results At very high x-ray flux, pulse pileup dominates and small pixel sizes perform best. At low flux or for thick objects, charge sharing dominates and large pixel sizes perform best. At low flux and depending on the beam hardness, the CRLB of variance in basis material projections tasks can be 32%-55% higher with a 250 micron pixel pitch compared to a 450 micron pixel pitch. However, both are about four times worse in variance than the ideal photon counting detector. The optimal pixel size depends on a number of factors such as x-ray technique and object size. At high technique (140 kVp/500 mA), the ratio of variance for a 450 micron pixel compared to a 250 micron pixel size is 2126%, 200%, 97%, and 78% when imaging 10, 15, 20, and 25 cm of water, respectively. If 300 mg/cm2 of iodine is also added to the object, the variance ratio is 117%, 91%, 74%, and 72%, respectively. Nonspectral tasks, such as equivalent monoenergetic imaging, are less sensitive to spectral distortion. Conclusions The detector pixel size is an important design consideration in CdTe detectors. Smaller pixels allow for improved capabilities at high flux but increase charge sharing, which in turn compromises spectral performance. The optimal pixel size will depend on the specific task and on the charge shaping time.
Evolution of Precipitation Structure During the November DYNAMO MJO Event: Cloud-Resolving Model Intercomparison and Cross Validation Using Radar Observations

Evolution of precipitation structures are simulated and compared with radar observations for the November Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) event during the DYNAmics of the MJO (DYNAMO) field campaign. Three ground‐based, ship‐borne, and spaceborne precipitation radars and three cloud‐resolving models (CRMs) driven by observed large‐scale forcing are used to study precipitation structures at different locations over the central equatorial Indian Ocean. Convective strength is represented by 0‐dBZ echo‐top heights, and convective organization by contiguous 17‐dBZ areas. The multi‐radar and multi‐model framework allows for more stringent model validations. The emphasis is on testing models' ability to simulate subtle differences observed at different radar sites when the MJO event passed through. The results show that CRMs forced by site‐specific large‐scale forcing can reproduce not only common features in cloud populations but also subtle variations observed by different radars. The comparisons also revealed common deficiencies in CRM simulations where they underestimate radar echo‐top heights for the strongest convection within large, organized precipitation features. Cross validations with multiple radars and models also enable quantitative comparisons in CRM sensitivity studies using different large‐scale forcing, microphysical schemes and parameters, resolutions, and domain sizes. In terms of radar echo‐top height temporal variations, many model sensitivity tests have better correlations than radar/model comparisons, indicating robustness in model performance on this aspect. It is further shown that well‐validated model simulations could be used to constrain uncertainties in observed echo‐top heights when the low‐resolution surveillance scanning strategy is used.
Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Food Insecurity

This chapter outlines the history of food insecurity (FI) in the United States. In so doing, key terminology is introduced and defined. The discussion extends to currently available and used FI measurement tools. Moreover, at-risk populations, and health outcomes of relevance to FI provide the reader with a baseline understanding for future screening, intervention, management, and advocacy. Specifically, FI is positioned, in this chapter, as a significant social determinant of health (SDH), one that affects 1 in 8 U.S. households; 1 in 6 with children. FI prevalence is highest amongst low income households, but nearly 25% of households with children experiencing FI have incomes >185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Any household with children is at higher risk for FI. Other households with a high prevalence of FI include those headed by single parents and those led by ethnic or racial minorities. Children, families, and households that experience hardships like FI also frequently experience related physical health, mental health, psychosocial, developmental, and academic challenges. Clinicians must be aware of the prevalence and significance of FI to provide better care and to more effectively meet the needs of their patients and families.
The Insect Neuromuscular System as a Site of Insecticide Action

It has been known for some time that the insect skeletal (somatic) neuromuscular junction is different from vertebrate neuromuscular junction in terms of underlying neurochemistry and therefore responds to a completely different array of compounds. Because of its promise as a model site of action, around which it might be possible to develop selective insecticides, the insect nerve-muscle synapse has attracted considerable interest over the past 12 years.
Impact of pre-surgical germline multigene panel testing on choice of surgery for breast cancer.

1579Background: Knowledge of hereditary risk-associated mutations may impact primary surgical decision-making for breast cancer(BC) patients (pts). Since 2015, all new pts seen in the Massachusetts...
Hospital-based antibiotic use in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex

Treatment guidelines exist for pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection, although studies suggest poor concordance in clinician practice. Using a national database including hospital encounters of laboratory-confirmed MAC patients, we sought to characterise US treatment practices. We assessed patients in the Premier Healthcare Database from 2009 to 2013 with two or more MAC-positive cultures or one MAC-positive culture and the International Classification of Diseases (9th revision) code for pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (PNTM). Treatment was characterised by patient-, provider- and facility-level factors; significant differences were assessed (p Of 1326 MAC patients, 645 (49%) received treatment: 10% received guidelines-based treatment and 18% resistance-associated therapy. Patients were more likely to receive guidelines-based therapy if they had multiple hospital encounters (aRR 1.5), codes for PNTM (aRR 5.7) or tuberculosis (aRR 4.5) or radiological procedures (aRR 10.9); multiple hospital encounters (aRR 0.8) or a tuberculosis code (aRR 0.1) were less likely to be associated with receiving resistance-promoting regimens. In hospital-based MAC patients, half received antibiotics active against MAC, a low proportion received therapy based on MAC guidelines and many received antibiotics that promote macrolide resistance. Improved implementation of guidelines-based treatment is needed to decrease use of regimens associated with macrolide resistance.
Big Bird’s minor upset: Frank Bowling’s prize-winning entry to the 1966 Premier Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres

This essay examines Big Bird (1965) by Frank Bowling in the context of its first-prize victory in the category of painting at Tendances et Confrontations, the exhibition of contemporary work by Afr...
Molecular mechanisms of nickel carcinogenesis

Nickel treatment of intact cultured cells oxidized dichlorofluorescin to a fluorescent product indicating that nickel elevated the level of oxidants in cells. Nickel also caused an increase in crosslinking of amino acids to DNA and these complexes did not appear to involve the direct participation of Ni2+. Histidine, cysteine and tyrosine were prominent among the amino acids crosslinked to DNA. Nickel selectively damaged heterochromatin and this resulted in deletions of heterochromatic regions during nickel carcinogenesis. Thrombospondin was one of the genes expressed in normal cells that was not expressed in nickel-transformed cells. Other aspects of the molecular mechanism of nickel carcinogenesis are discussed.
Comparison of Landsat and Land-Based Phenology Camera Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for Dominant Plant Communities in the Great Basin.

Phenology of plants is important for ecological interactions. The timing and development of green leaves, plant maturity, and senescence affects biophysical interactions of plants with the environment. In this study we explored the agreement between land-based camera and satellite-based phenology metrics to quantify plant phenology and phenophases dates in five plant community types characteristic of the semi-arid cold desert region of the Great Basin. Three years of data were analyzed. We calculated the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for both land-based cameras (i.e., phenocams) and Landsat imagery. NDVI from camera images was calculated by taking a standard RGB (red, green, and blue) image and then a near infrared (NIR) plus RGB image. Phenocam NDVI was calculated by extracting the red digital number (DN) and the NIR DN from images taken a few seconds apart. Landsat has a spatial resolution of 30 m2, while phenocam spatial resolution can be analyzed at the single pixel level at the scale of cm2 or area averaged regions can be analyzed with scales up to 1 km2. For this study, phenocam regions of interest were used that approximated the scale of at least one Landsat pixel. In the tall-statured pinyon and juniper woodland sites, there was a lack of agreement in NDVI between phenocam and Landsat NDVI, even after using National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery to account for fractional coverage of pinyon and juniper versus interspace in the phenocam data. Landsat NDVI appeared to be dominated by the signal from the interspace and was insensitive to subtle changes in the pinyon and juniper tree canopy. However, for short-statured sagebrush shrub and meadow communities, there was good agreement between the phenocam and Landsat NDVI as reflected in high Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r > 0.75). Due to greater temporal resolution of the phenocams with images taken daily, versus the 16-day return interval of Landsat, phenocam data provided more utility in determining important phenophase dates: start of season, peak of season, and end of season. More specific species-level information can be obtained with the high temporal resolution of phenocams, but only for a limited number of sites, while Landsat can provide the multi-decadal history and spatial coverage that is unmatched by other platforms. The agreement between Landsat and phenocam NDVI for short-statured plant communities of the Great Basin, shows promise for monitoring landscape and regional-level plant phenology across large areas and time periods, with phenocams providing a more comprehensive understanding of plant phenology at finer spatial scales, and Landsat extending the historical record of observations.
A Review of: “Harrison's Manual of Medicine. 17th ed. Fauci, Anthony S.; Braunwald, Eugene; Kasper, Dennis L. et al., eds.”

McGraw-Hill's Harrison's Manual of Medicine, first published in 1988, is a popular fixture on many medical libraries' reference shelves. It is an abridged version of the clinical portions of Harris...
Transforming Understandings of Diversity in Higher Education: Demography, Democracy, & Discourse

In Transforming Understandings of Diversity in Higher Education: Demography, Democracy, & Discourse, editors Penny A. Pasque, Noe Ortega, John C. Burkhardt, and Marie P. Ting, invited scholars “to ...
Confidential Deep Learning: Executing Proprietary Models on Untrusted Devices

Performing deep learning on end-user devices provides fast offline inference results and can help protect the user's privacy. However, running models on untrusted client devices reveals model information which may be proprietary, i.e., the operating system or other applications on end-user devices may be manipulated to copy and redistribute this information, infringing on the model provider's intellectual property. We propose the use of ARM TrustZone, a hardware-based security feature present in most phones, to confidentially run a proprietary model on an untrusted end-user device. We explore the limitations and design challenges of using TrustZone and examine potential approaches for confidential deep learning within this environment. Of particular interest is providing robust protection of proprietary model information while minimizing total performance overhead.
Umbilical Cord Practices of Members of the American College of Nurse‐Midwives

Introduction Mercer et al surveyed members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) about their umbilical cord clamping practices in 2000. Over the last 20 years, a significant body of research supporting delayed cord clamping (DCC) has been published. The purpose of this study was to learn how midwives today manage the umbilical cord at birth. Methods To better understand the current practices of midwives, in 2017, a national online survey of ACNM members was conducted. A total of 24 questions were asked about DCC, cord milking, specific clinical circumstances, and the presence of policies or guidelines. Results A total of 5306 surveys were sent with 1106 responses. After applying inclusion criteria, 1050 were available for analysis. Respondents practiced in all settings: home, birth centers, and hospitals. Compared with 2000, a 46% increase in the practice of DCC was identified. In this study, 98% of the participants reported facilitating DCC for full-term vaginal births as compared with 67% in 2000. In addition, 25% practiced DCC for near-term and 65% for preterm neonates. Cord milking was practiced by 37% of participants. When asked about barriers to practicing DCC, 54% of participants identified time pressures to hand off the newborn as the greatest detriment. It was challenging to practice DCC in situations wherein the newborn needed resuscitation or in breech births. Far fewer midwives practice cord milking compared with DCC. Discussion The survey results suggest there has been an increase in the practice of DCC over the last 20 years. Cord milking is not as widely practiced as DCC, and respondents were less likely to be convinced by the evidence for cord milking. This speaks to the opportunity for more education for midwives. There is also a need for clinical guidelines that address umbilical cord management when challenging circumstances arise such as breech birth, shoulder dystocia, and the need for resuscitation.
Dynamic Estimation of Cerebral Blood Flow Using Photoplethysmography Signal during Simulated Apnea

Monitoring apnea-induced cerebral blood flow oscillations is of importance for assessing apnea patient brain health. Using an autoregressive moving average model, peak and trough values of cerebral blood flow were estimated from a concurrently recorded forehead photoplethysmography signal. Preliminary testing of the method in 7 subjects (4 F, 32±4 yrs., BMI 24.57±3.87 kg/m2) using a breath hold paradigm for simulating apnea shows that maximum mean and standard deviation of the prediction error is -1.10±8.49 cm/s and the maximum root mean squared of the error is 8.92 cm/s
Repellent effects of insecticides on Stephanitis pyrioides Scott (Hemiptera: Tingidae) under laboratory conditions

Abstract Stephanitis pyrioides Scott (Hemiptera: Tingidae) is an important insect pest of azalea plants (Rhododendron L. spp.) in the USA. The use of neonicotinoids in landscapes has been reduced because of consumer perceptions that they are not pollinator friendly. The reductions are due mostly to changes in the labels that restrict times these materials can be applied to ornamental plants based on plant phenology and bloom period. Pest management can be improved by using insecticides that repel S. pyrioides. A series of non-contact and contact laboratory assays were conducted with adult S. pyrioides to determine the repellency of insecticides. Insecticides with various modes of action were included in the assays. During the non-contact assay, significantly more S. pyrioides individuals were collected away from the insecticide source than closer to the source when cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, dinotefuran, clothianidin, cyclaniliprole and novaluron were used. During the contact assay, the number of visits was significantly lower for thiamethoxam, lambda-cyhalothrin + bifenthrin + imidacloprid, permethrin, tebufenozide and spinosad treatments than for dinotefuran, azadirachtin, spirotetramat and Chromobacterium subtsugae strain PRAA4-1 T. The adults spent significantly less time on leaves treated with cyfluthrin, permethrin and pyriproxyfen than the other treatments. In a mortality assay performed after 4 h of exposure, significantly more dead adults were found associated with acetamiprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam and flupyradifurone compared to chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole, azadirachtin, afidopyropen and flonicamid. After 24 h of exposure, a significantly lower number of fecal spots was observed in the acetamiprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, flupyradifurone, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole, pyrifluquinazon and afidopyropen treatments than chlorantraniliprole and azadirachtin.
The Effectiveness of Current Interventions to Reverse the Underachievement of Gifted Students: Findings of a Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review:

Underachievement of gifted students has been a great concern for the field of gifted education. The current study reviewed 14 recent empirical studies concerning the effectiveness of underachieveme...
Test of Strength: Figure-of-Eight versus Spiral Wrapping Technique for Fiberglass Casts.

Pediatric fractures are a common injury, and treatment often includes cast immobilization. For pediatric patients being treated in a cast, cast damage is among the most common reasons patients return to the emergency room. The figure-of-eight wrapping technique interdigitates layers of fiberglass which may create a stronger cast. The aim of this study was to assess the strength of the figure-of-eight wrapping technique in comparison to the spiral wrapping technique. A total of 10 casts were wrapped with a three-inch fiberglass using the spiral technique and 10 casts were wrapped using the figure-of-eight technique. Each cast was then subjected to a three-point bending test and loaded until failure using an Instron machine. The figure-of-eight technique had an average load to failure of 278.2 + 27.6 N/mm which was similar to the spiral technique's load to failure of 281.2 + 25.4 N/mm (p=0.795). Prior to normalizing for thickness, the load to failure of the figure-of-eight technique was 949.8 + 109.5 N, which was significantly higher than the spiral technique of 868.2 + 65.1 N (p=0.038). The figure-of-eight casts were slightly thicker than the spiral casts (average 0.3 mm, p=0.004). This suggests that the thickness of the fiberglass cast may improve the strength. The figure-of-eight wrapping technique had similar biomechanical characteristics to spiral wrapping techniques. Providers should wrap in whichever technique they feel most comfortable performing as there is no difference in strength of the cast. If a stronger cast is desired, then thickness of the cast can be increased.
A Conversation Between Howard Soule and Johannes Czernin

Johannes Czernin, MD, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, talked with Howard R. Soule, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer for the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF; Santa Monica, CA), about the challenges associated with supporting and encouraging research in an
Frequency Tunable Surface Acoustic Wave Actuators for Adjustable Pitch Diffraction Grating

Diffraction gratings are commonly used in optical instruments such as in spectrometers, monochromators, and wavelength division multiplexing devices. The diffraction efficiency is directly related to the ratio of the grating spacing or pitch to the wavelength of the light. In a sinusoidal grating (or holographic grating) the efficiency is generally lower than a blazed grating with a saw tooth profile, but the spectral coverage can be broader. To address a large spectral range, advanced spectrometers use a number of diffraction gratings with a fixed pitch. In this paper, we show for the first time, the use of a tunable-frequency surface acoustic wave (SAW) delay line as a broad-band sinusoidal diffraction grating. To tune the frequency, we tune the effective spacing of the interdigitated transducers (IDTs) by applying specific phases to each IDT finger. The prototype SAW grating covers frequency range of 86 MHz to 360 MHz corresponding to optical range of $1.3~\mu \text{m}$ to $9~\mu \text{m}$ . [2020-0189]
Estimation of soil water content and resident and effluent solute concentrations using time domain reflectometry

v CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 Dissertation Organization 2 References 3 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 5 Development of TDR 5 TDR Theory 12 Estimating from a. Measurement 30 Solute Transport in Soil 38 References 40 CHAPTER 3. SOIL BULK ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY EFFECTS ON TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY WATER CONTENT MEASUREMENTS 49 Abstract 49 Introduction SO Theory 52 Materials and Methods 55 Results and Discussion 57 Conclusions 63 References 64 CHAPTER 4. TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY RELATIONSHIP OF SOIL BULK ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, WATER CONTENT, AND SOLUTE CONCENTRATION 78 Abstract 78 Introduction 79 Theory 80 Materials and Methods 83 Results and Discussion 87 Conclusions 94 References 95 CHAPTER 5. PREDICTING EFFLUENT CONCENTRATION FOR UNDISTURBED SOIL CORES UNDER STEADY STATE FLOW CONDITIONS USING TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY 113 Abstract 113
Clinical diagnosis of pulpally involved teeth

Endodontics is the art of saving teeth by the prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the pulp and associated periradicular conditions. To ensure the highest probability of success, it is critical that an accurate diagnosis be made prior to treatment. A systematic process incorporating the information provided by the patient, as well as appropriate diagnostic tests performed by the clinician, combined with the knowledge and experience of the dental practitioner will result in a quick and accurate diagnosis. Only then can a treatment plan best suited to the individual be presented. This article will review the materials and instruments required to perform diagnostic tests for establishing a baseline to an accurate and complete diagnosis.
Testing Component-Based Software – Issues, Challenges, and Solutions

Many regard widespread development and reuse of software components as one of the next biggest phenomena for software. However, widespread reuse of a software component with poor quality may lead to disasters. Improper reuse of software components of good quality may also be disastrous. Testing and quality assurance is therefore critical for both software components and component-based software systems. This tutorial provides an in-depth look at the technical issues, challenges, managerial aspects, and needs in testing of components and systems. Moreover, this tutorial reports on the recent advances and research efforts in developing new solutions to solve those problems and meet those needs, from the perspectives of component-based software engineering. The tutorial will discuss the state-of-the-art practice, issues, and challenges, new solutions and research efforts in third-party component testing, component-based program validation, and test automation. The targeted audience includes technical managers, software testing engineers, quality assurance people, and development engineers who are working on component-based software projects. The tutorial will be useful for professionals, researchers, and students interested in understanding the general concepts and methods in component testing and component-based software validation. This tutorial assumes that participants have a general understanding of software engineering and software testing methods, and have some working experience in software development and validation.
AWARD ARTICLE: Microcirculatory Society Award for Excellence in Lymphatic ResearchTime Course of Myocardial Interstitial Edema Resolution and Associated Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Please cite this paper as: Dongaonkar RM, Stewart RH, Quick CM, Uray KL, Cox CS, Laine GA. Time course of myocardial interstitial edema resolution and associated left ventricular dysfunction. Microcirculation 19: 714–722, 2012. Abstract Objective: Although the causal relationship between acute myocardial edema and cardiac dysfunction has been established, resolution of myocardial edema and subsequent recovery of cardiac function have not been established. The time to resolve myocardial edema and the degree that cardiac function is depressed after edema resolves are not known. We therefore characterized temporal changes in cardiac function as acute myocardial edema formed and resolved. Methods: Acute myocardial edema was induced in the canine model by elevating coronary sinus pressure for three hours. Myocardial water content and cardiac function were determined before and during coronary sinus pressure elevation, and after coronary sinus pressure restoration. Results: Although no change in systolic properties was detected, accumulation of water in myocardial interstitium was associated with increased diastolic stiffness. When coronary sinus pressure was relieved, myocardial edema resolved within 180 minutes. Diastolic stiffness, however, remained significantly elevated compared with baseline values, and cardiac function remained compromised. Conclusions: The present work suggests that the cardiac dysfunction caused by the formation of myocardial edema may persist after myocardial edema resolves. With the advent of new imaging techniques to quantify myocardial edema, this insight provides a new avenue for research to detect and treat a significant cause of cardiac dysfunction.
Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) peptide eye drops reduce inflammation, cell death and vascular leakage in diabetic retinopathy in Ins2(Akita) mice.

Inflammation, neurodegeneration and microvascular irregularities are included in the spectrum of defects associated with diabetic retinopathy. Here, we evaluated intraocular deliverability features of two pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) derivatives given as eye drops and their efficacy in modulating diabetes-induced retinal complications. The antiangiogenic PEDF60-77 (P60) and neuroprotective PEDF78-121 (P78) derivatives were applied to Ins2Akita mouse eyes once a week for 15 wks at the onset of hyperglycemia. Peptides, labeled with Alexa Fluor 488, were observed penetrating the cornea by 1–4 h and gained access to the ciliary body, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choroid complex, retina microvasculature and vitreous. Peak vitreous levels were 0.2 µg/mL for P60 and 0.9 µg/mL for P78 after 0.5 and 4 h, respectively. Both peptides reduced vascular leakage by ~60% and increased zona occludens 1 (ZO1) and occludin expression in the microvasculature to nondiabetic levels. P60 induced pERK1/2 and P78 promoted pAKT in Muller glia, two signals that were dampened in diabetic conditions. Pharmacologically inhibiting AKT signaling in the retina blocked effects of the peptides on ZO1 and occludin expression. P78 reduced levels of 9/20 cytokines in diabetic vitreous including interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-3 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. P60 lowered levels of 6/20 cytokines but was less effective than P78. Neuroprotective P78 prevented diabetes-induced microglia activation by ~60%, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death by ~22% and inner plexiform layer thinning by ~13%. In summary, we provide evidence that PEDF bioactive derivatives gained access to the retina by topical delivery and validated their efficacy in reducing diabetic retinopathy complications. Our findings argue for glia regulation of microvascular leakage and an early root cause for RGC degeneration embedded in microglia activation.